Pool in the future, where will it be.

[CocoboloCowboy]

Yesterday got me thinking about what is going to happen to Pool, when the guy I normally play Pool with in the afternoon show up with his 8 y/o grandson.

The conversation was short, like how long they visiting, and I find out my practice partner is tied up until after the 4th of July holidays.

Anyway the grandkid loves to play Pool, no table at home, or where he lives in South Dakota, but this visit to Grandpa is always a big deal, as he is learning the game. I saw him 6 month ago and he is hetting better.

Kind of sad that the places where I use to play at his age are for the most part gone, like the Boy Club (not the PC Boys & Girls Club), local parks that all had a couple of pool tables.

I know we live there are no Boys Clubs, the City Parks do not offer Pool, except a Swimming Pool, and there is no YMCA?s with Pool.

Kids for the most part seem like they want to play Video Games, some as young as 6 or 7 have Cell phones that they don?t talk on, but spend all day TEXTING?

Seem like we need some city Park, and Boys club like in the old days with pool Table so kids can get hooked on the game early on in life.

 

[Purdman]

:smile:

Yesterday got me thinking about what is going to happen to Pool, when the guy I normally play Pool with in the afternoon show up with his 8 y/o grandson.

The conversation was short, like how long they visiting, and I find out my practice partner is tied up until after the 4th of July holidays.

Anyway the grandkid loves to play Pool, no table at home, or where he lives in South Dakota, but this visit to Grandpa is always a big deal, as he is learning the game. I saw him 6 month ago and he is hetting better.

Kind of sad that the places where I use to play at his age are for the most part gone, like the Boy Club (not the PC Boys & Girls Club), local parks that all had a couple of pool tables.

I know we live there are no Boys Clubs, the City Parks do not offer Pool, except a Swimming Pool, and there is no YMCA?s with Pool.

Kids for the most part seem like they want to play Video Games, some as young as 6 or 7 have Cell phones that they don?t talk on, but spend all day TEXTING?

Seem like we need some city Park, and Boys club like in the old days with pool Table so kids can get hooked on the game early on in life.

I went to the Downtown Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA. 50 years ago and they had a table in the basement. My cousin is a deacon there and I asked him about it the other day. He said it is still there for the youths. Imagine that Cowboy.
Peace, Purdman

 

[Wyoming Will]

:smile:

I went to the Downtown Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA. 50 years ago and they had a table in the basement. My cousin is a deacon there and I asked him about it the other day. He said it is still there for the youths. Imagine that Cowboy.
Peace, Purdman

I bet the Downtown Baptist Church is wondering what their future has instore for them too!

 

[Perk]

Kids for the most part seem like they want to play Video Games, some as young as 6 or 7 have Cell phones that they don?t talk on, but spend all day TEXTING?

Seem like we need some city Park, and Boys club like in the old days with pool Table so kids can get hooked on the game early on in life.

Prime example of why little league and rocket football programs have less participation, and why there are not as many extended travel teams during the summers for the youth. I cant remember the last time I saw kids out playing whiffle ball or sock ball during the summer. I grew up with video games as well, however I was 'highly encouraged' to spend the time outside. We played were always out swimming, biking, playing ball, basketball, and staying out of the house.

I would agree that to help the future of pool, continuous efforts to get youth into pool will always be a benefit.

 

[Purdman]

I bet the Downtown Baptist Church is wondering what their future has instore for them too!

I couldn't tell ya, I haven't been there is 40 years. I quit wondering a long time ago. I just accept what is.
Peace, Purdman :smile:

 

[Wyoming Will]

Prime example of why little league and rocket football programs have less participation, and why there are not as many extended travel teams during the summers for the youth. I cant remember the last time I saw kids out playing whiffle ball or sock ball during the summer. I grew up with video games as well, however I was 'highly encouraged' to spend the time outside. We played were always out swimming, biking, playing ball, basketball, and staying out of the house.

I would agree that to help the future of pool, continuous efforts to get youth into pool will always be a benefit.

I would think the opposite is true. More fathers take their sons to poolhalls now than when I was a kid.

 

[bigskyjake]

this reminds me of the song "In the year 2525 if pool is still alive, if billiards can survive"

 

[Perk]

I would think the opposite is true. More fathers take their sons to poolhalls now than when I was a kid.

Really? I guess I havent seen it in my area.

Youth bowling has also declined considerably, and I think its due to kids having too many other options to do and technology.

 

[Wyoming Will]

I couldn't tell ya, I haven't been there is 40 years. I quit wondering a long time ago. I just accept what is.
Peace, Purdman :smile:

I bet if they took out a few pews and added a few more tables, you would be just spewing scripture.

 

[Purdman]

I bet if they took out a few pews and added a few more tables, you would be just spewing scripture.

:thumbup:
Thou shalt not smoke over the table.
Thou shalt not sit on the rails.
Purdman

 

[Jallan]

I feel like I am at the age that was the begining of the downfall of active youth. I also spent a lot of time outside as a kid; in fact that is all my brother and I did. We had no computer at home until I was 18 (2000). Video games got little to no use. Besides my brother there were no kids within a mile and we still seemed to keep ourselves entertained.

So what is the issue now? The world is moving in several direction that are destroying the development of kids physically and mentaly. Sitting inside all day on the computer or playing video games or watching cable does two things to a child. The first is complete lack of excercise. Kids get flabby and then decide they don't want to play baseball. They are slow and get picked on. Can't say I would blame them. Second, kids inside all day really don't develop the set of social skills that they will need to use in the future. Don't get me wrong; I know they go to school but there is a difference between dealing with peers in a structured eviroment and dealing with them with no supervision.

I know this is a broad generallization and I know my spelling is terrible. I don't want to put all kids in the same group and I'm not trying to do that. I do feel, however, that a little more encouragment might get them out of the door of the house and involved with other kids and excercise.

As for the pool. I think that we need to encourage a child to explore what they are interested in. The only way we will know what they like is by exposing them to different activities.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Well in Arizona most of the Rooms/Bars serve BOOZE. Kids can not enter by themselves just to play pool.

That was the point I was trying to make about Pool tables in Boys clubs, y's, and City Parks.


Perk said it well above.

"Prime example of why little league and rocket football programs have less participation, and why there are not as many extended travel teams during the summers for the youth. I cant remember the last time I saw kids out playing whiffle ball or sock ball during the summer"

 

[Wyoming Will]

I feel like I am at the age that was the begining of the downfall of active youth. I also spent a lot of time outside as a kid; in fact that is all my brother and I did. We had no computer at home until I was 18 (2000). Video games got little to no use. Besides my brother there were no kids within a mile and we still seemed to keep ourselves entertained.

So what is the issue now? The world is moving in several direction that are destroying the development of kids physically and mentaly. Sitting inside all day on the computer or playing video games or watching cable does two things to a child. The first is complete lack of excercise. Kids get flabby and then decide they don't want to play baseball. They are slow and get picked on. Can't say I would blame them. Second, kids inside all day really don't develop the set of social skills that they will need to use in the future. Don't get me wrong; I know they go to school but there is a difference between dealing with peers in a structured eviroment and dealing with them with no supervision.

I know this is a broad generallization and I know my spelling is terrible. I don't want to put all kids in the same group and I'm not trying to do that. I do feel, however, that a little more encouragment might get them out of the door of the house and involved with other kids and excercise.

As for the pool. I think that we need to encourage a child to explore what they are interested in. The only way we will know what they like is by exposing them to different activities.

Excuse me for pointing this out but if you were 18 in 2000, that would make you 26. I'm sorry son but you're gonna have to wait a few decades before you start making comparisons. I'm only 10 years older than you and I'm only beginning to gain a sense of perspective on this issue. It sure doesn't look good for pool but who knows? Something great might happen like a cool movie or something and everybody might start playing again.

 

[Jallan]

Excuse me for pointing this out but if you were 18 in 2000, that would make you 26. I'm sorry son but you're gonna have to wait a few decades before you start making comparisons. I'm only 10 years older than you and I'm only beginning to gain a sense of perspective on this issue. It sure doesn't look good for pool but who knows? Something great might happen like a cool movie or something and everybody might start playing again.

I am point out with my age that my generation was the one that seemed to really start the slide into lazy kids. We were the first gereation to really be raised and babysat by home gaming systems. I, in no way, was trying to say I have a handle on the raising of children. It was more just my observations of kids I knew growing up and the fact they hated to leave the house.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Excuse me for pointing this out but if you were 18 in 2000, that would make you 26. I'm sorry son but you're gonna have to wait a few decades before you start making comparisons. I'm only 10 years older than you and I'm only beginning to gain a sense of perspective on this issue. It sure doesn't look good for pool but who knows? Something great might happen like a cool movie or something and everybody might start playing again.

That make sense to me. Speaking of Youth Sports Programs, the city next to where I live does have an active Baseball, Football, Soccer program. but they tell the parents it is not for competition, only fun. They do not keep score, and everyone play.

Hell when I was a kid if you want to Play Little League, or Boys Club, or City Parks Football you had to make the team, and had to prove you want to be there.

 

[Colin Colenso]

Pool may or may not become a huge sport. I believe it depends most of the way the sport is produced for video consuption.

We saw poker become a huge sport due to production values. Pool could reproduce similar success if produced and marketed well. I don't think grass roots efforts will ever have much impact.

Snooker was the no.1 sport in England, see the series here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi5tBd-xw1g and watch all 7 parts to get a grasp of how a billiard sport and its characters can become as popular as the most popular sports and their stars.

Part of it is luck of circumstance. Special characters and extraordinary turns of events, but current pool seems a world away form being able to produce these things.

Like most hacks I've got my own idea of competition formats and production methods that might make the game popular. But if fame comes pool's way, it will probably be through some entrepreneureal dude thinking outside the box and creating a video presentation method that will connect with the average Joe, who knows a bit about pool, but needs it to be presented in a way that entertains him.

Colin

 

[Wyoming Will]

I am point out with my age that my generation was the one that seemed to really start the slide into lazy kids. We were the first gereation to really be raised and babysat by home gaming systems. I, in no way, was trying to say I have a handle on the raising of children. It was more just my observations of kids I knew growing up and the fact they hated to leave the house.

Well, we only get to be children once so it's hard to compare my childhood to the modern day childhood. When I was a kid, all my friends would do is stay home and watch MTV all day and get stoned. Now kids play video games all day and get stoned. They're still gonna get the munchies and get fat. Does it matter if it's Bon Jovi in the background or Guitar Hero? Maybe pool can only be fashionable every 20 years or so.

 

[lodini]

Yesterday got me thinking about what is going to happen to Pool, when the guy I normally play Pool with in the afternoon show up with his 8 y/o grandson.

The conversation was short, like how long they visiting, and I find out my practice partner is tied up until after the 4th of July holidays.

Anyway the grandkid loves to play Pool, no table at home, or where he lives in South Dakota, but this visit to Grandpa is always a big deal, as he is learning the game. I saw him 6 month ago and he is hetting better.

Kind of sad that the places where I use to play at his age are for the most part gone, like the Boy Club (not the PC Boys & Girls Club), local parks that all had a couple of pool tables.

I know we live there are no Boys Clubs, the City Parks do not offer Pool, except a Swimming Pool, and there is no YMCA?s with Pool.

Kids for the most part seem like they want to play Video Games, some as young as 6 or 7 have Cell phones that they don?t talk on, but spend all day TEXTING?

Seem like we need some city Park, and Boys club like in the old days with pool Table so kids can get hooked on the game early on in life.

My grandfather used to take me to the clubhouse in the retirement community he lived in to play pool with all his buddies there... this was 2-3 years ago. These guys were all over the age of 75 and they played in the pool room day in and day out BECAUSE they were literally too old to do other activities. They could no longer go outdoors and partake in really active lifestyles. But they could still hold a cue (some barely) and still make some balls in. My point is, your suggestion to get the kids away from the video games is to put them inside a pool hall? That's not going to help their activity levels, in my opinion. I grew up learning to playing pool (and it was great), but it was in addition to all the sports that I played... not in place of them. Maybe it's true that kids aren't as active as they used to be... but is pool the answer to that?

 

[Wyoming Will]

Maybe it's true that kids aren't as active as they used to be... but is pool the answer to that?

I just want to remind you, you're asking a bunch of pool players this question. I say yes, pool is the answer!

 

[bigshooter]

:smile:

I went to the Downtown Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA. 50 years ago and they had a table in the basement. My cousin is a deacon there and I asked him about it the other day. He said it is still there for the youths. Imagine that Cowboy.
Peace, Purdman

We have nice bar box in our church right now, just had new rails and cloth installed a month ago, the pastor plays pool with the kids all the time.