I keep hearing so many people claiming all the reasons pool is shrinking. Video games, casinos, no smoking laws, $2 bottled water. I think the reason many people never address is young players.
When I started target shooting, it was my dad that taught me. Not the NRA
When I started weightlifting, it was my friends that joined me in the gym. Not Muscle and Fitness Magazine
When I started rock climbing, it was workout partners that went with me. Not REI sporting goods.
When I started fishing, it was my grandma and grandpa that took me. Not a Zebco rep.
When I started hunting, it was my cousins and best friend I went with. Not Winchester Firearms.
For pool, we should not expect the APA, BCA or any other group to be the primary tool for drawing new blood.
Too many pool players come to a room by themselves, expect to find new blood to play or gamble with. For being a social game there seems to be a lot of loners in pool halls. I think a major improvement for the LONG TERM survival of pool lies in bring in GROUPS of people. Not to gamble, not to be a pro. Just to have fun. You have to start making it enjoyable for the sport to grow. The small percentage of people that will take it to the next level will be found out of the larger pack that just wanted to have fun. Pool players should bring their kids or their family or friends from OUTSIDE the pool world to just have fun sometime. I almost never see that anymore. I think its the largest missed opportunity in our sport.
When I started target shooting, it was my dad that taught me. Not the NRA
When I started weightlifting, it was my friends that joined me in the gym. Not Muscle and Fitness Magazine
When I started rock climbing, it was workout partners that went with me. Not REI sporting goods.
When I started fishing, it was my grandma and grandpa that took me. Not a Zebco rep.
When I started hunting, it was my cousins and best friend I went with. Not Winchester Firearms.
For pool, we should not expect the APA, BCA or any other group to be the primary tool for drawing new blood.
Too many pool players come to a room by themselves, expect to find new blood to play or gamble with. For being a social game there seems to be a lot of loners in pool halls. I think a major improvement for the LONG TERM survival of pool lies in bring in GROUPS of people. Not to gamble, not to be a pro. Just to have fun. You have to start making it enjoyable for the sport to grow. The small percentage of people that will take it to the next level will be found out of the larger pack that just wanted to have fun. Pool players should bring their kids or their family or friends from OUTSIDE the pool world to just have fun sometime. I almost never see that anymore. I think its the largest missed opportunity in our sport.