POLL: How Become A Professional Player
- Thread starter MikeJanis
- Start date
To those people who VOTE for : People who make their living by only playing in pool tournaments should be considerd professionals
This could mean the guy living in his car and only playin in the $100 added weekly $10 entry fee STAR WARS pool tour.
And by these standards it could mean a person like Joe Waugaman who does not have a job but usually only cashes in local regional tour events in place 9-12 and never is able to win an event.
This could mean the guy living in his car and only playin in the $100 added weekly $10 entry fee STAR WARS pool tour.
And by these standards it could mean a person like Joe Waugaman who does not have a job but usually only cashes in local regional tour events in place 9-12 and never is able to win an event.
My take...
Pro athletes don't become pros just by paying an entry fee or being invited.
They start as amateurs, display talent, enter into competition with others who have displayed similar talent, excel at that level and continue to move up in competition until they reach a level where people are willing to either pay them to perform (teams) and/or pay to watch them play. There needs to be a proven track record of continuous improvement to reach "pro" status.
Ideally a pro should earn the majority of his income from his chosen sport. I believe it's been a long while since a large number of pool players earned a decent living playing professional (tournament) pool.
The tour that we
are going to get started is going to change all that!
MM
Pro athletes don't become pros just by paying an entry fee or being invited.
They start as amateurs, display talent, enter into competition with others who have displayed similar talent, excel at that level and continue to move up in competition until they reach a level where people are willing to either pay them to perform (teams) and/or pay to watch them play. There needs to be a proven track record of continuous improvement to reach "pro" status.
Ideally a pro should earn the majority of his income from his chosen sport. I believe it's been a long while since a large number of pool players earned a decent living playing professional (tournament) pool.
The tour that we
are going to get started is going to change all that!MM
earn your card
Mike,
No idea how they do it now but years ago in pro rodeo you had to earn your card. Back when the earth was still nearly flat you had to earn a total of $1000 dollars in not more time than two consecutive seasons if I remember correctly. Numbers would have to be adjusted but I think having someone document gross open tournament earnings of maybe between $15,000 and $25,000 in a period of two years exclusive of calcuttas would work. They would simply have the venue fill out a form whenever they placed in an open tourney. No need for someone to chase only certain qualifiers but at the same time set the bar high enough that someone can't become a pro after winning the local bar tourney three times.
The number should be set so that a shining star could become a touring pro in a season or less and a hard working and very active journeyman with decent skills could earn enough in two years to get a card. Then you set a bar to keep a card. If that goal isn't met for two or three consecutive seasons from winnings on the pro circuit, then the player has to requalify again through winnings just like the rookie did.
Of course if your pro circuit really got going you could possibly have a junior division to qualify in later that most pool halls could hold events for and the money earned in these events would decide if a player earned a pro card.
Top of my head thoughts but the details don't really have to be complicated.
Hu
Mike,
No idea how they do it now but years ago in pro rodeo you had to earn your card. Back when the earth was still nearly flat you had to earn a total of $1000 dollars in not more time than two consecutive seasons if I remember correctly. Numbers would have to be adjusted but I think having someone document gross open tournament earnings of maybe between $15,000 and $25,000 in a period of two years exclusive of calcuttas would work. They would simply have the venue fill out a form whenever they placed in an open tourney. No need for someone to chase only certain qualifiers but at the same time set the bar high enough that someone can't become a pro after winning the local bar tourney three times.
The number should be set so that a shining star could become a touring pro in a season or less and a hard working and very active journeyman with decent skills could earn enough in two years to get a card. Then you set a bar to keep a card. If that goal isn't met for two or three consecutive seasons from winnings on the pro circuit, then the player has to requalify again through winnings just like the rookie did.
Of course if your pro circuit really got going you could possibly have a junior division to qualify in later that most pool halls could hold events for and the money earned in these events would decide if a player earned a pro card.
Top of my head thoughts but the details don't really have to be complicated.
Hu
since the system is so murky and allows everyone, i'd use this.......
you have to have a high 14.1 run of 200 or better. i don't think there's any way to grade a player in 9ball. i also think there has to be a distinction between a "pro" and a tour player.
you have to have a high 14.1 run of 200 or better. i don't think there's any way to grade a player in 9ball. i also think there has to be a distinction between a "pro" and a tour player.
I voted for the need to qualify, and think that is the best way to consider someone a pro. I do think that a lot of the tournaments should have spots for amateurs that win qualifying events for each tournament also. That may help to bolster prize pools, like it does at poker events, which are completely funded by entry fees.
I voted for the qualifier process. The way I see it, is if you qualify, then it shows youa re at the upper echelon of the talent pool and have earned the right to be labled "pro".
Voted for the qualifier process. The pro status should be an exalted status earned by waging battles with other tough players through a qualification process. And this can be tweaked to let all other players become pro based on their previous credentials as well i.e. top 10 finishes in US Open in its history and so forth.
It could be similar to golf. One tour for the top pros.(could require a card, with qualifying schools like golf). Lesser (mini) tours for lower level players who want to play pool professionally. One governing body that sets the guidelines as to what qualifications are needed to play on each level.
The classical definition of a professional player is someone who derives a significant amount of their income from playing their given sport\game\whatever.
I think that in the last half century we have begun to equate professional and amateur to being synonymous with a persons skill level, which isn't always accurate. Think Bobby Jones, Francis Ouimet or anyone in the Olympics (except for the Basketball, Hockey or Tennis players).
I think that in the last half century we have begun to equate professional and amateur to being synonymous with a persons skill level, which isn't always accurate. Think Bobby Jones, Francis Ouimet or anyone in the Olympics (except for the Basketball, Hockey or Tennis players).
bruin70 said:
You would be surprised how many good players have not ran 100 balls let alone 200. Example Cliff Joyner used to have a high run of 70 some balls, but he is a monster 1pkt, 9ball, banks, and bar table player. Tony Watson who is another player who I remember had not run a hundred balls. I guess if they practiced the game they could be high ball runners. 14.1 is a game that most people who play are lifelong students just like Danny Barouty (great chess player too btw) that played Orcullo some straight pool even a month or two ago I thought Orcullo had the best of it but old school 14.1 player (Barouty, Dick Lane, Dallas West, etc) could of hung with anyone
Hi Mike! 
I voted for the qualifying process....I had the WPBA qualification system in mind. Presently, there is a distinction between Touring Pro, Active Pro, and Semi-Pro. Once you play in any WPBA event (there are qualifiers you must win to be granted an entry spot), you are granted Semi-Pro status. To earn Touring Pro status, you must finish in the top-half of the field four times within ten consecutive events or one year (whichever is greater) and must have played in at least 80% of the events during that time. Active Pro is the same except you must've played in at least 50% of the events.
The WPBA will be changing all of this however in 2008....
Alice Rim
I voted for the qualifying process....I had the WPBA qualification system in mind. Presently, there is a distinction between Touring Pro, Active Pro, and Semi-Pro. Once you play in any WPBA event (there are qualifiers you must win to be granted an entry spot), you are granted Semi-Pro status. To earn Touring Pro status, you must finish in the top-half of the field four times within ten consecutive events or one year (whichever is greater) and must have played in at least 80% of the events during that time. Active Pro is the same except you must've played in at least 50% of the events.
The WPBA will be changing all of this however in 2008....
Alice Rim
Coming from a golf perspective I voted Players should just put up their entry fees in PRO events to be considered a PRO.
If I enter a tournament as a professional or take any action to become a pro I give up my amateur status & thus am considered a professional.
The decision to turn professional should be well thought out. Plenty of people do not make it as a pro & go through the process of reinstatement.
Having said I understand the distinction between pro/am isn't as cut & dried in pool as it is in golf. This might be something the pool world is missing.
If I enter a tournament as a professional or take any action to become a pro I give up my amateur status & thus am considered a professional.
The decision to turn professional should be well thought out. Plenty of people do not make it as a pro & go through the process of reinstatement.
Having said I understand the distinction between pro/am isn't as cut & dried in pool as it is in golf. This might be something the pool world is missing.