Pool for the next generation!

[JamisonNeu]

I have an idea if you like it please reply with your's. I want to get pool taught at the jr. high schools in our country. If we the AZB community pull together and try to make this happen. I believe we could pitch our idea's to the right people and in my life we could see a pool table in every school gym across the country.

I really think there is a place for a pool table in every jr. high school. What I am trying to do here is compile a list of all the benefits this game provides. I will start it off with the most obvious reasons to me. Once this has been done, I plan to compile a list of the life lessons one can learn. We need to highlight the good things about this game. We need to pull together and talk our sport up, so that this sport will be seen by others as a sport and not referred to as a game that some people play in a bar.

It is fun.

You probably won't lose your mobility from getting sacked by another 13 yr old kid. Maybe a black eye but, probably not your ability to walk.

It is cheap and you can play it your whole life

It might be the only time someone uses geometry

It is older than most other games which means you can teach parts of history through the game.
Jamison

 

[Tokyo-dave]

I think it's a great idea. However, probably not as an elective Physical Education option simply because I can only see at the most, two tables fitting in a classroom...................and shared by 20 or more kids in a 40-50 minute time frame doesn't seem to work. Many schools put aside a classroom, or even a pre-fab on the grounds for a weight room. Something like that could be done for pool, but more or less on an after school club like situation. However, then you start talking about budgets, supervision and other problems that could arise. Nice idea, but in the schools?? Pretty difficult. However, kids not having access to pool tables in something that needs to be considered. Where I grew up, the only places in town that had tables were bars where kids can't get in.
dave

 

[Tom In Cincy]

In Sacramento CA the seniors at DelCamp High school have an 8am class (worth 1 credit) of pool instruction. The class has been accredited by the School Board and is nationally recognized.

There is a similar class offered in Cincinnati and IIRC in Dallas.

There is a secondary (Jr College and University) level classes offered for pockt billiards. One in Atlanta that I know of.

This is nothing new, but there seems to be a lack of billiard industry support.
The BCA has a Scholarship fund for promising young pool players and also offers a yearly Amature championship tournament for 19 and under boys and girls and also 15 any under boys and girls.
http://www.bca-pool.com/cgi/site/framegate.cgi?url=http://www.bca-pool.com/play/tournaments/junior_nationals/jr_nationals.shtml&cat=p

 

[Tennesseejoe]

While this is a great idea and I'm glad to see that it has been done in some schools---I don't think it will fly generally. Our school systems a trapped in paradigms. For example:
1.What is the most popular musical instrument of modern youth? But how often do you see a guitar class taught in our school music departments?
2. I thought the study of Amoeba in science was very interesting. Can you ever remember using the study of Amoeba in real life?
3. The most expensive item you ever purchase is a home. 99.9% of the people buy a home using a loan. Have you ever heard of a practicable home loan class ever taught in school?
4. Do you think the average high school student would be interested in taking a pool class at a local pool hall? The paradigm is that if a student would like it our use it in daily life---it must be bad for them.

 

[pooltchr]

Some of the benefits of pool include the practical application of geometry and physics. Pool allows these concepts to be presented in a way that students can actually see a demonstration of the concepts. It also helps develop hand/eye coordination. I have been working to get a program put in place in our local school system. It's slow going, but I think it has some great potential.
Steve

 

[Cheez Dawg]

One of my friends is an art teacher in high school. In his class is a nine footer, and he runs a "Billiard Club" at lunch hour, and after school. It seems to be going over pretty good. There are quite a few students involed, and some of them can play pretty good.
I think it's a good idea, but I'm not sure if it would fly as a choice in the regular curriculum.
JMHO.