I'm a league newbie, help???

M

MacGyver

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello,

Can anyone tell me how you typically join a league?(or how you guys joined?) I want to become a better player, but most of the places I play seem to be cash-game only(I cant afford it) or the better players seem pretty closed off on the only good table...

Anyway, so I wanted to join the APA league, but I'm just wondering how APA is structured or rather if I am being given the runaround....

I contacted the local APA head and gave my name and whatnot and he told me to come to a players meeting(about a 50 min drive for me).... I got there and talked to him and he said hang out, so I sat through like an hour of trophies being given out and rule changes and whatnot, and then a tournament started that I wasn't able to play in(as I'm not a member of the APA). Finally at somepoint he announces my name(which he already had) as a player looking for a team, then I ask if there is anything else I need to be around for, he says no but contact him later(...).

I ask how to join, he says there is a member application I need to fill out that my team captain will get(but I am solo and have no team)....

Perhaps I'm just venting due to wasting like 3 hrs and still no farther on joining, but is this typical??? How the heck do you join a league without having a team put together?

Do you just hound the head guy with calls, or show up at a local place screaming "HEY LEMME JOIN YOUR TEAM" to anyone at league???

Anyway, any advice on joining a league or the common joining procedures would be appriciated as I don't want to pester the guy with calls that go nowhere....

-macgyver
ps if you are in stlouis apa league and need a teammember, lemme know :)
 
MacGyver said:
, or show up at a local place screaming "HEY LEMME JOIN YOUR TEAM" to anyone at league???

:)
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I don't know about the screaming part, but showing up on league night and talking with the team captains is a pretty good way to find a team.
Every time a new session starts, the room owner will check with all the captains, looking for open roster spots for at least 2 or 3 people looking to join. They usually find a team unless all the spots are filled (a rare situation!)
Steve
 
I was lucky when I first joined my current team, a bit over three years ago. I did a bit of googling and happened upon the little mini-website for a team that played out of a joint that was just down the street from me. I emailed the team captain (who was the maintainer of the site), asked him some questions. He told me I ought to swing by that Monday (9-ball night) and check it out.

As it turned out, this guy had a spot on his team, and I ended up hopping on with him. So that was very fortunate for me.

Now last year, I was looking to start playing on another night besides my normal league night. I was living away from where I had been living (but still driving back up weekly for the old league), and chose to pick up a league closer to where I was residing at the time. Got in touch with the woman who was in charge of the leagues at the particular venue I chose.

But this time, it was quite the opposite experience. This league manager was no help in trying to find a team. I showed up the first week of league play, and had to trot around, looking at team rosters on the score sheets to see if any teams a) had a spot and b) could use someone of my handicap (APA 6). Seems I remember two teams had spots, but one had promised it to someone else, and the second had someone who had expressed interest but hadn't committed when I showed up - and that team's captain let me sit around for an hour or two before I finally went over to ask what the deal was, and he tells me "oh the guy showed up earlier, we don't have a spot after all". So annoying that this captain couldn't be bothered to let me know his spot had been filled.

It can be tough to jump into an existing league solo - it can also be tough to put together a new team, to find several other folks who are willing to make the committment of showing up every week and not necessarily getting to play.

I still think the best person to get working for you is the league manager - they're the person with all the info and the contacts. Some league managers are very helpful, and others are just surly jerks. All I can say is, don't give up - keep at it.
 
I find that some league operators are almost the last people you want to talk to do get anything done. Sometimes you find that behind the scenes are a group or another individual who gets all of the real work done.

All you need to do is find the right person within the league, and they will hook you up with a team, weather if you are the lowest or highest skill level shooter around.

Like others said, be patient.
 
i've never been a big fan of leagues myself. I guess I don't like the team part of it. I like to choose my own opponents.
 
Leagues are great ways to improve your game, up to a certain point. When I first started playing in the league I'm in now, just over three years ago - I'd been playing pool off and on for a good ten years, with little improvement. I was a semi-banger, no real ball control.

But playing in a regular league - with other folks around, especially teammates who are better than you and have a stake in your game improving, people who you build a relationship with and hence, are more prone to helping you, can be huge. I can say that in the three years I've been playing league, I'd now kick my old self's ass around the table without breaking a sweat.

Now, I'm getting to the point where I want to go beyond the league level. But what I'd miss is the social aspect of it - my teammates, cheering them on when they're doing well, chatting with other teams playing matches on other tables, etc. League players tend to not be as serious or high-strung as the heavier hitters. I was at the IPT qualifier in Atlanta this past weekend spectating, met quite a few of the participants and observed even more - and man, some of those folks are strung WAY too tight. It's understandable, considering they plunked down $2k + travel expenses for a chance at one of two tour spots out of around 50 players - but some folks were just over the top.
 
I would suggest BCA or VNEA leagues if possible. Unless you are a 3-5 skill level in APA, you end up overloading the team and no one wants you anyway. BCA encourages you to play your game to win, although it still is not perfect, as people will run all their balls out in 8 ball, just to have the point total (1 point for every ball down), rather than play the right way and strategize to get breakouts early. In other words, they cherry pick, and take all the ducks first.

But it is better than APA where there is blatant sandbagging. APA is ok if you are a beginner, but anywhere near a B player, you should be looking for other leagues. Go to their website to find a local one. Try here:

http://www.playbca.com/find.php?sort_state=26
 
rackmsuckr said:
I would suggest BCA or VNEA leagues if possible. Unless you are a 3-5 skill level in APA, you end up overloading the team and no one wants you anyway. BCA encourages you to play your game to win, although it still is not perfect, as people will run all their balls out in 8 ball, just to have the point total (1 point for every ball down), rather than play the right way and strategize to get breakouts early. In other words, they cherry pick, and take all the ducks first.
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No matter the rules, there will be people who try and find the loopholes. Works the same for APA 9-ball, also scored by the ball as opposed to the match.

I'd agree though, if you're a beginner, start with APA. If you're beyond that, skip APA and go right to BCA/VNEA.
 
ScottW said:
No matter the rules, there will be people who try and find the loopholes. Works the same for APA 9-ball, also scored by the ball as opposed to the match.

I'd agree though, if you're a beginner, start with APA. If you're beyond that, skip APA and go right to BCA/VNEA.
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Excellent advice Scott...
 
Well honestly I have no idea where I stand in terms of numbers or letters...

I just want to play against some better people without shelling out money per game in addition to table time(many people come up wanting a cash game and won't play for tabletime) or other places there is no inter-table playing at all(you come with friends and there is no leeway to move tables or hookup with others).

Also I don't think there is a local BCA(there is one in st.louis but I'm more metro east, was looking at APA 8ball at Brenden's in fairview heights...)

Anyway... will just hound league director or try to find time to go down on league night and pester people trying to figure out who are captains and then figure out if there are spots, ect...
 
ScottW said:
Now, I'm getting to the point where I want to go beyond the league level. But what I'd miss is the social aspect of it - my teammates, cheering them on when they're doing well, chatting with other teams playing matches on other tables, etc. League players tend to not be as serious or high-strung as the heavier hitters. I was at the IPT qualifier in Atlanta this past weekend spectating, met quite a few of the participants and observed even more - and man, some of those folks are strung WAY too tight. It's understandable, considering they plunked down $2k + travel expenses for a chance at one of two tour spots out of around 50 players - but some folks were just over the top.
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Unless you dont have alot of time for pool, I don't think it is entirely neccessary for you to quit. What I would do in your position is play the leagues but find the heavy hitters outside the leagues to play.
 
Just keep in mind, whether it be APA or BCA, you're going to be doing an awful lot of sitting and watching, instead of playing. All matches between 2 teams are done on (typically) one table. More socializing than anything else. Of course, nothing wrong with that if that's your preference...
 
Macgyver,

I dont know if this is the best way to try to get on a League, but asking around at the pool halls is a good way, or just talking to other people can help too.

I know that the APA league operator in my area, is always looking for new people and is always working with people to get them on teams or to create teams.

I myself i do the same too, i recruited two newbie's for our new session, and have seen more new players joining too. I know its kinda hard to get on a team if you have a higher Handicap, APA5 and up.

But i would just keep on talking to people.

dave
 
Ah, i didn't know that(in regards to waiting, I'm not super social in that I don't drink(but also I'd have no problem just hanging out depending on the crowd) and just wanted some competition for cheap)...

Anyone want to play in st.louis sometime, I'll cover table time :)
 
Macgyver


Also, if you find a pool hall that has APA, BCA or VNEA leagues, the best thing you could do is just go there when they have leagues and talk to every team, and see if you can still get on a team.

I kinda got lucky, cuz i happend to have a wednesday off and was going to do some practicing and when i walked in, one of the guys i know, asked me what i was doing tonight lol. So it was kinda dumb luck.


dave
 
I called the BCA contact for my area. Left messages many times. Never got a response. Bussiness must be great. It is my understanding that the BCA is a franchise and the owner/L.O. gets their income from the teams and players.

Yesterday I walked into a PH. Asked if there were any tournaments or leagues. Was told there was a league just started and were palying that night. Was told to come back around 7. Went back that night and asked for the captain. Talked to him and bingo am on a team. It is a APA league.

Am not fond of the handicap system, the sandbagging, and all the other BS but it is an incentive to practice more and play against different levels of competition. What it comes down to is nothing is ever perfect for the masses but it is for the winner.
 
pharaoh68 said:
For all of you that are serious about pool and are looking to join a league, all I can say is this: Don't.
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I have to comment on your remark. You are doing a great disservice to the thousands of league players in the world. The BCA and VNEA national championships are actually international competitions. If you are a beginner, the league system is a great way to get your feet wet in competition. Even though I have played on the pro tour, I still come back to leagues, because short of the Mosconi Cup, it is the best way to feel the camaraderie of team play. It is grueling at the regional and national level championships and the singles level master and grand masters has some of the best bar box champions playing in them. I know many people look down their noses at leagues, but if you are really good, the monetary rewards are fairly high for the input.
 
Leagues

Try www.Americancuesports.org and click on Find a League. I noticed there are a number in the area for you to choose from. I operate an ACS league in Richmond that has been in place for many years (formerly BCA) and we have over 100 players and anywhere from 12 to 22 teams in a given session. If you want to learn how to be a better player, it's the way to go.

I agree with Linda. Leagues serve a genuine purpose and help move out game further along.


Brian in VA
 
What rackmsucker said. Couldn't agree more.

If I hadn't joined a league three years ago, I wouldn't be approaching the point now that I'm thinking of moving on PAST the league level. Not everyone out there has the resources available (usually, skilled people to learn from or to get instruction from) to improve their game to a high level - many of us use leagues for that.

To dismiss leagues out of hand is terribly short-sighted and elitist. You (the poster) may not have needed them to get to where you are, but everyone out there isn't you.
 
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