How to Build a Career in Billiards

Island Drive

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
What's not mentioned in that article... is the pool room environments one must put their children in.

If it were my kids, under 18 I would only let them compete in non casino events, no bars, no pool rooms with bars, loud music and liquor and adults dressing up in Saturday night outfits.
If this was my kids choice and I said ok, those would be my ground rules FIRST>>>> Before I showed em Anything.
Understanding the play field/area.
It's nice to know ones playground, but all are Not for ''all ages''.
I remember at Magoo's while helping with the Jr. National event.
Here yah got ropes, then old men liquored up watching 10 yr old boys/girls walk by.
Kids minds need protection, not just coaching.
 
IMO the biggest thing holding pool back is access to the game for kids. I wanted to play pool from the first time I saw a table but never had the chance until I was old enough to drive to a pool hall without alcohol. Even those places were places there was zero chance of my parents taking me to as a kid. Hockey, football, soccer etc…. No problem. Hey mom, can you take me to Colfax Billiards? LOL. So getting to play was a rare event and there wasn’t any instruction.

I have said before when people say bar tables hurt the development of American players, I think the bigger problem is the bar than the bar table. Yes, 9’ tables would be better, but if half the kids who play soccer or basketball had access to 7’ tables and coaching, we’d have tons of good players.

That said, I’d rather go to the pool hall with a bar so I didn’t have to deal with junior players all over the place. 😝. But of course, we need players who will spend time and money on the game from age 21 until they have passed.
 
Island Drive said:
What's not mentioned in that article... is the pool room environments one must put their children in.

If it were my kids, under 18 I would only let them compete in non casino events, no bars, no pool rooms with bars, loud music and liquor and adults dressing up in Saturday night outfits.
If this was my kids choice and I said ok, those would be my ground rules FIRST>>>> Before I showed em Anything.
Understanding the play field/area.
It's nice to know ones playground, but all are Not for ''all ages''.
I remember at Magoo's while helping with the Jr. National event.
Here yah got ropes, then old men liquored up watching 10 yr old boys/girls walk by.
Kids minds need protection, not just coaching.
Click to expand...
Where would you let your kids play? I don't think there is any way to compete if you remove all those places.
 
There's a few.... But what's more important?

Billiard rooms/middle schools/high schools don't have allot of common ground for young minds.
 
Island Drive said:
What's not mentioned in that article... is the pool room environments one must put their children in.

If it were my kids, under 18 I would only let them compete in non casino events, no bars, no pool rooms with bars, loud music and liquor and adults dressing up in Saturday night outfits.
If this was my kids choice and I said ok, those would be my ground rules FIRST>>>> Before I showed em Anything.
Understanding the play field/area.
It's nice to know ones playground, but all are Not for ''all ages''.
I remember at Magoo's while helping with the Jr. National event.
Here yah got ropes, then old men liquored up watching 10 yr old boys/girls walk by.
Kids minds need protection, not just coaching.
Click to expand...

What kids aren't already lessening to loud music? Every sports arena serves alcohol and heavily promotes it and if your kids aren't home schooled they are already exposed to whatevers being smoked in the parking lot. Unfortunately our kids are not protected, every commercial makes drinking look cool and movies do the same.

I'm not saying we have the best environment, but without recreational centers nearby schools with indestructible Valley tables there are no other options.
 
King T said:
What kids aren't already lessening to loud music? Every sports arena serves alcohol and heavily promotes it and if your kids aren't home schooled they are already exposed to whatevers being smoked in the parking lot. Unfortunately our kids are not protected, every commercial makes drinking look cool and movies do the same.

I'm not saying we have the best environment, but without recreational centers nearby schools with indestructible Valley tables there are no other options.
Click to expand...
Groups of 21 yr old women, dressed to the 10's on a night out, drinkin' actin' out showin' their stuff.
Not what a 14 yr old girl or boy should EVER be around.
 
easy-e said:
Where would you let your kids play? I don't think there is any way to compete if you remove all those places.
Click to expand...
There's that.
Screenshot_20240925-125839.jpg
 
Island Drive said:
Groups of 21 yr old women, dressed to the 10's on a night out, drinkin' actin' out showin' their stuff.
Not what a 14 yr old girl or boy should EVER be around.
Click to expand...
I wish I knew where these places were, I have never seen them in the same place as a pool table. Kids are exposed to all that stuff at a county fair, maybe even while participating in 4H activities.
 
Island Drive said:
What's not mentioned in that article... is the pool room environments one must put their children in.

If it were my kids, under 18 I would only let them compete in non casino events, no bars, no pool rooms with bars, loud music and liquor and adults dressing up in Saturday night outfits.
If this was my kids choice and I said ok, those would be my ground rules FIRST>>>> Before I showed em Anything.
Understanding the play field/area.
It's nice to know ones playground, but all are Not for ''all ages''.
I remember at Magoo's while helping with the Jr. National event.
Here yah got ropes, then old men liquored up watching 10 yr old boys/girls walk by.
Kids minds need protection, not just coaching.
Click to expand...
I always thought it was total bullsh!t that Slick Willie’s called themselves a “Family Pool Hall”.
 
Growing up my dad, a very strong player but also a Sunday school teacher, taught me how to play at the bowling alley. Some bowling alley’s had a separate billiard room for families. The one I learned at had 8 nine foot gold crowns.
 
In the burbs of Chicago, if the town didn't have a pool room, it often had, like you said Bowling & Billiards together.
 
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