FL Spirit Tour
- Thread starter Johnnyt
- Start date
cuechick said:
Amen! I cancelled my reservation at the last minute. Had a bad Thursday and thought it was a sign of things to come
so I went fishing instead to "save money"! Would have roomed with ya girl, if I had known!
firehawk062 said:Amen! I cancelled my reservation at the last minute. Had a bad Thursday and thought it was a sign of things to come
Ya know, I got your number from K and was going to call you, but I really wasn't sure I could handle the long drive on my own! Maybe next time!
firehawk062 said:Someone earlier said that the pros attendance could turn a $1500 added tournament into a $4000 added....... I WISH!! If that happened, I'd be on my way to all of the events!
FH,
That was my last event - the $4000 added NJ State Championship at Prime Time Billiards in South Amboy, NJ. The total prize fund was $5055, 100% paid out. Actually, the RO took a total of $10 for greens fees, LOL! Karen Corr pocketed $1700 for the win. I paid out 12 places with 31 players.
This weekend it's the MD State 9-Ball Championships with $1500 added at Bill and Billies in Arnold, MD. Up for grabs is a 2008 US Open Q.
Barbara
Barbara said:
Wish I was could make it! I thought the Grand Finale for the LST had more than $1000 added, but I just looked at the web sight and I guess I was wrong. Wish I would have looked at that sooner. I had to pick between this past weekend and the grand finale. I really wanted to go for the US Open qualifier this past weekend, but made my decision to go to the finale on thinking there was more money added. Oh well.....
I knew I remembered it being more. Wow, that is too bad. I think I heard something about that too. Well, I still plan on going and having a good time anyway!
LOL A burning question....
I'm friends with quite a few of the gals who play in the Spirit Tour and none of them seem to be complaining that Helena and Monica have been playing on the tour. I even said to one of them that it seemed out of line to let Monica play since she seems to be winning every one she enters, but the response I got was that this gal thought Monica helped raise the level of play for all the women and it was a good thing.
So I have been reading all of the posts about the Spirit Tour and other tours allowing pros to play. I realize that most of the tours do not allow touring pros to play but one thing that should be cleared up is that anyone, touring pros, pros, semi pros, amateurs are allowed to play in the "state championship" no matter what the rules of the tour say. Therefore, everyone is welcome.
Second, I agree that it does make the competition tough allowing everyone to play, but don't you want to earn your way there? You are playing for a qualifier spot to play in a Pro tournament. If you aren't ready to play with the pros then why are you playing in a qualifier? I'm not saying that to put anyone down in any way. When I was trying to qualify I had to travel at least 10 hours to get to the nearest tour and then all the pros were there too. It made me work harder and a good finish felt good with all the good players there.
Third, look at the names and how people finished in the tournament this weekend. Sure, Monica won but then the next "top" pro was Helena who got 5th place. Ellen Van Buren is a pro, but not in the top 32, Jeannie was a pro. It seems to me like quite a few non-pros did well in this tournament. Keep in mind, it is also a race to seven, alternate break. That kind of evens the playing field.
As for the money spent to get to the tournaments and whether it is worth it or not. Even if you are a top pro it is not a guarantee you will get your money back. Look at Tracie Hines and Helena, they both had to pay double the entry fee...$130. Tracie got back $90. She lost money and she had no expenses to pay being from Spring Hill. Helena also lost money. So realistically, it can happen to anyone.
This is just my opinion, obviously, but I think the Spirit Tour is a great tour and I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to support it this year. I'm glad they have helped many players reach the pro level and then continue to let them play. I know that alot of people enjoy playing on the tour and the payout isn't the only reason they come to play. I, myself have made alot of friends from that tour and have never been hassled in anyway for coming to play in the tournaments. I'm sure the same goes for all of the other pros that have played.
Sarah
Second, I agree that it does make the competition tough allowing everyone to play, but don't you want to earn your way there? You are playing for a qualifier spot to play in a Pro tournament. If you aren't ready to play with the pros then why are you playing in a qualifier? I'm not saying that to put anyone down in any way. When I was trying to qualify I had to travel at least 10 hours to get to the nearest tour and then all the pros were there too. It made me work harder and a good finish felt good with all the good players there.
Third, look at the names and how people finished in the tournament this weekend. Sure, Monica won but then the next "top" pro was Helena who got 5th place. Ellen Van Buren is a pro, but not in the top 32, Jeannie was a pro. It seems to me like quite a few non-pros did well in this tournament. Keep in mind, it is also a race to seven, alternate break. That kind of evens the playing field.
As for the money spent to get to the tournaments and whether it is worth it or not. Even if you are a top pro it is not a guarantee you will get your money back. Look at Tracie Hines and Helena, they both had to pay double the entry fee...$130. Tracie got back $90. She lost money and she had no expenses to pay being from Spring Hill. Helena also lost money. So realistically, it can happen to anyone.
This is just my opinion, obviously, but I think the Spirit Tour is a great tour and I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to support it this year. I'm glad they have helped many players reach the pro level and then continue to let them play. I know that alot of people enjoy playing on the tour and the payout isn't the only reason they come to play. I, myself have made alot of friends from that tour and have never been hassled in anyway for coming to play in the tournaments. I'm sure the same goes for all of the other pros that have played.
Sarah
uwate said:
Maybe you spoke to the ones that don't need to cash to help out with travel, entry fees, motel, and food to enter these tournaments. Most that I have spoken to could use a little help from the purse money. As far as the pros that pay double...they get that back and more cashing 1, 2, 3, 4. Johnnyt
Johnnyt, i've got to tell you,Wally's has held probably 10 of these tourney's in the past five years, and i know most of the players and have conversed with all of them, and have never heard one complaint about the pros showing up! They are a very proud bunch of Ladies with a great Tour, and it doesn't bother them to compete with the best! And pretty much everyone but Allison and Karen has been to our events.(Monica, Helena, Ga Young Kim, Pan Xioutng, Traci, Jeannie, Debbie,and many others)
Also Sarah made a good point these are Qualifiers to play the best, if that isn't your intention, why play anyway?.........Jeremy
Also Sarah made a good point these are Qualifiers to play the best, if that isn't your intention, why play anyway?.........Jeremy
Johnnyt said:
Far from it in fact. The ones I spoke to are seriously low fundage. Cmon look at those payouts. If those gals are in this with the main focus of making cash, they would do better in a nice workout with 32 fresh fries from the Mcdy's hopper. The gals I know that play in it love pool, love the competition and want to get better.
Johnnyt said:
I didn't have a chance to read the previous posts before I wrote this, so don't feel as though I am ganging up on ya.
I am not sure who you have been talking to but you NEVER make money playing these regional events - at least not big money unless the event is in your backyard. I have to be blunt here - if you are in need of money, get a job - this is not the route to take. The qualifiers are a way to advance to the pro tour, not to earn a living. It would be great if that were the case, but sadly it is not. The only way to salvage some of the cost of attending is to share expenses with other players - hotel, gas, tolls, etc.
You mention the pros above as well as did Sarah in her previous post - I agree with a statement she made about the results of the recent FL event. If you look at the results from the NJ event in Jersey that I mentioned earlier, the outcome was much different than many would have expected. Yes, Karen Corr won the event and she should given the opponents, however, a young regional player from here in Maryland took 2nd place. Here is the final results:
1st - $1700 ? Karen Corr
2nd - $930 ? My-Hanh Lac + US Open Qualifier
3rd - $600 ? Zinnie Panju
4th - $400 ? Gerda Hofstatter
5th/6th - $270 ? Palma Kogan, Liz Ford
7th/8th - $185 ? Joanne Corbett, Erica Testa
9th/12th - $125 ? Morgan Steinman, Melissa Jenkins, Caroline Pao, Pam Ogarek
As you will see Julie Kelly and Kim Shaw didn't even make it into the money. Although the pros should win the matches, sometimes they just don't and that is where the regional women gain a great deal of experience - for $50 dollars you get to play someone that you normally wouldn't, not to mention some of the gals made it to the pro tour through these tours. Not only have they made friends along the way but I have to hope that they enjoy supporting the tour that gave them a shot at their dream career.
As Sarah has pointed out, if the WPBA sanctions a State Championship that offers a Qualifier for their US Open, they must allow all WPBA players to compete.
She also pointed out the many different players that would comprise a WPBA-sanctioned tour.
There are players out to just play, play for the Q that may be offered, those that want to win the whole kaboodle, those that have a budget to be wary of when and where they're competing for the whole kaboodle, and then those that have been competing for years and just enjoy the competition because they've been there, done that, and just need the excuse to get away for a weekend and PAR-TAY with the other girls.
There are no more "Regional Tours". The WPBA will sanction any tour now. And all "tours" in exsistence must allow all WPBA players to play. The reason being is that WPBA players need to re-qualify to play every year. This was a new stance taken by the WPBA last year. I cannot explain this qualifying process that they have now, I really don't understand it because it was never explained to me, maybe Sarah will come back and clue me in.
Barbara~~~last year as a Tour Coordinator, Yipeee!!!
She also pointed out the many different players that would comprise a WPBA-sanctioned tour.
There are players out to just play, play for the Q that may be offered, those that want to win the whole kaboodle, those that have a budget to be wary of when and where they're competing for the whole kaboodle, and then those that have been competing for years and just enjoy the competition because they've been there, done that, and just need the excuse to get away for a weekend and PAR-TAY with the other girls.
There are no more "Regional Tours". The WPBA will sanction any tour now. And all "tours" in exsistence must allow all WPBA players to play. The reason being is that WPBA players need to re-qualify to play every year. This was a new stance taken by the WPBA last year. I cannot explain this qualifying process that they have now, I really don't understand it because it was never explained to me, maybe Sarah will come back and clue me in.
Barbara~~~last year as a Tour Coordinator, Yipeee!!!
Barbara said:
Although I know you are happy with moving on from a Tour Coordinator standpoint, and there is always excitement for change, you have done a tremendous job over the years and your dedication to the JPNEWT tour and the sport is very much appreciated by many players (myself included) - your tour has pushed along some of the current top WPBA players! Just wanted to say a quick thank you!!! but most importantly, can't wait to see your shining face this weekend!