Semi-Pro level How would you define and develop it?

Snapshot9

Snapshot9

son of 3 leg 1 eye dog ..
Silver Member
I think one of the most overlooked areas of Pool is the
Semi-Pro level. I think it needs defined better, its own
level of events, with qualifiers for the Pro levels if desired
and with prize moneys befitting a Semi-Pro level. Right now,
all kinds of pros can play in 'Semi-Pro' tournaments. I think
we need to distinguish 'Semi-Pro' from amateur levels, and
from Pro levels.

What do you think? And how would you go about doing this?

Semi-Pro leagues with bigger payouts? Semi-Pro tournaments
with no competing 'Pros' allowed with good payouts?
Defining the levels of Pool more? Have graduating levels like
AA and AAA baseball?
 
Snapshot9 said:
I think one of the most overlooked areas of Pool is the
Semi-Pro level. I think it needs defined better,
we need to distinguish 'Semi-Pro' from amateur levels
Defining the levels of Pool more? Have graduating levels like
AA and AAA baseball?
Click to expand...


Pool is not like 100M sprint where one can clock the race and know the time taken.
U may see many responses to your post with regards the rating system.Some may talk about accu stat rating system.
None of the tools we now have to rate the players can stand/pass the RIGOROUS SCIENTIFIC SCRUTINY.
All the rating systems including Accu Stats,in my opinion, are guidelines which are crude and only CLOSE to the Truth but not the truth.
Vagabond
 
I think it's a great idea.

The problem of it lies in the ability to discern who is a pro who is a semi pro who is an amateur.

If the IPT takes off the way we hope then we may be able to create a better structure to the definitions of pro/semipro and be able to control the tournaments like you're suggesting, but for the time being, I think that there is just no way to determine to a successful degree who falls into what categoree.
 
Jaden said:
The problem of it lies in the ability to discern who is a pro who is a semi pro who is an amateur.
Click to expand...

The skill is not measurable accurately for the purpose of categorization.
 
Other sports seem to have that benchmark stat which tells the tale of skill, gives the flavor of the competition, and is easy to understand. Baseball is nuts with all the stats they can call up in seconds. These numbers follow the individual everywhere and they don't seem to be questioned regarding the who, what, when and where. Like career batting averages in baseball, points average in basketball, and hat tricks in hockey. These are all teams sports with a multitude of scorekeepers to track all these numbers. We know this will never happen in pool so what stat in pool could be tracked that may throw a blanket over an individuals game over his/her playing career?
The only stat in pool I can think of that could be tracked is average innings played during wins and the same average during a lose. The players could track this stat themselves. Each player could be made responsible for marking the innings on his/her score sheet each time they return to their chair, a simple hash mark on a match scorecard. At the end of the match both players scorecards would have to match in the number of innings, they would sign off and return to the tournament director who would note the winner/loser along with the # of innings played. Over a large number of matches some kind of stat would immerge like: W2.014/L3.46. Of course each game, 8-ball, 9-ball, etc would have a different range of stats......Like I said, "I haven't thought about this very much" so I'm sure it can be shot down with pitfalls.
Thought provoking post...???
 
cheesemouse said:
Other sports seem to have that benchmark stat which tells the tale of skill, gives the flavor of the competition, and is easy to understand. Baseball is nuts with all the stats they can call up in seconds. These numbers follow the individual everywhere and they don't seem to be questioned regarding the who, what, when and where. Like career batting averages in baseball, points average in basketball, and hat tricks in hockey. These are all teams sports with a multitude of scorekeepers to track all these numbers. We know this will never happen in pool so what stat in pool could be tracked that may throw a blanket over an individuals game over his/her playing career?
The only stat in pool I can think of that could be tracked is average innings played during wins and the same average during a lose. The players could track this stat themselves. Each player could be made responsible for marking the innings on his/her score sheet each time they return to their chair, a simple hash mark on a match scorecard. At the end of the match both players scorecards would have to match in the number of innings, they would sign off and return to the tournament director who would note the winner/loser along with the # of innings played. Over a large number of matches some kind of stat would immerge like: W2.014/L3.46. Of course each game, 8-ball, 9-ball, etc would have a different range of stats......Like I said, "I haven't thought about this very much" so I'm sure it can be shot down with pitfalls.
Thought provoking post...???
Click to expand...


The tool that is recommended by you and other existing tools including accustats system do not tell the whole truth.However,I will say that they are close to the truth.:cool:
 
I guess the only real way to rank a player is to test thier skills. Like golfers go out and shoot a score....over time a handicap developes. I don't think you can rank yourself against tournament finishes because of too many variables. If we had a set skills test, anyone could try it on "tournament" worthy equiptment, have it witnessed, and send it in to the governing board. Then you could use it to rank players and set tournament entry requirements. Whatever set of skill tests we use can cover all types of games, or have a different set for each game. Average runs in 14.1 are easy to chart, set layouts of balls for 9ball are easy to setup as far as easy runouts, or very difficult ones, and 1pocket shots can be tested with basic knowledge to advanced moves.....I'm gonna think about this for a while....Gerry
 
Snapshot9 said:
I think one of the most overlooked areas of Pool is the
Semi-Pro level. I think it needs defined better, its own
level of events, with qualifiers for the Pro levels if desired
and with prize moneys befitting a Semi-Pro level. Right now,
all kinds of pros can play in 'Semi-Pro' tournaments. I think
we need to distinguish 'Semi-Pro' from amateur levels, and
from Pro levels.

What do you think? And how would you go about doing this?

Semi-Pro leagues with bigger payouts? Semi-Pro tournaments
with no competing 'Pros' allowed with good payouts?
Defining the levels of Pool more? Have graduating levels like
AA and AAA baseball?
Click to expand...

Sorry to play devil's advocate, but I don't see why this is important.

The attainment of semi-pro status need not, in my view, be an important step on the way to being a pro, and really, why should it be? A solid regional tour system is in place in both men's and women's pool, enabling a player aspiring to be a pro to hone their skills close to home.

To me, there are numerous approaches out there to stratification within the amateur ranks, (most notably, the APA, BCA, and A/B/C/D systems), and, although all of them have flaws, they do help to allow many to compete with those representing "suitable competition."

I feel that pool does not have the resources to implement a far more scientific approach to rating players than that in place today, and any system based on recordkeeping by the very players being rated is certain to be abused.
 
The point though.

The point would be to limit the pro players from entering into semi pro level events so that the pros aren't dominating both the tours and the semi pro events, or rather to be able to hold semi pro events anyways.
 
Jaden said:
The point would be to limit the pro players from entering into semi pro level events so that the pros aren't dominating both the tours and the semi pro events, or rather to be able to hold semi pro events anyways.
Click to expand...

I asked my league operater for the local APA league and was told that if more than 1/2 of your income comes from pool, you are considered a pro. Now the problem is determining how much someone makes a year playing pool.....

Steve
 
Personally

I think that citerion could be established for classifying
the upper ranks in amateur type pool. Just an example,
but say, in tournaments, they kept track of 'packs' by
players, this could be used to classify, and could be
traceable. I know, it probably would take some tweaking,
but it is a viable option. If player playing a tournament
match ran a 5 pack, and had, in the past, run a 5 pack
or more, 7 times, then his classification would be ?.

And packs are not that hard to keep track of, unlike going
into more detail.
 
Jaden said:
The problem of it lies in the ability to discern who is a pro who is a semi pro who is an amateur.

If the IPT takes off the way we hope then we may be able to create a better structure to the definitions of pro/semipro and be able to control the tournaments like you're suggesting, but for the time being, I think that there is just no way to determine to a successful degree who falls into what categoree.
Click to expand...

I hope the ipt go's great then i might have BETTER on cashin .Playing a pro out the gate sucks .U'll never get warm rackin..the story of my life ..
 
I'd consider someone semi-pro if they were a threat to string 3 everytime they get to the table. I'm just a streetplayer though

Snapshot9 said:
I think that citerion could be established for classifying
the upper ranks in amateur type pool. Just an example,
but say, in tournaments, they kept track of 'packs' by
players, this could be used to classify, and could be
traceable. I know, it probably would take some tweaking,
but it is a viable option. If player playing a tournament
match ran a 5 pack, and had, in the past, run a 5 pack
or more, 7 times, then his classification would be ?.

And packs are not that hard to keep track of, unlike going
into more detail.
Click to expand...
 
3 easy steps to Semi-Pro OR Pro Level

Snapshot9 said:
I think one of the most overlooked areas of Pool is the
Semi-Pro level. I think it needs defined better, its own
level of events, with qualifiers for the Pro levels if desired
and with prize moneys befitting a Semi-Pro level. Right now,
all kinds of pros can play in 'Semi-Pro' tournaments. I think
we need to distinguish 'Semi-Pro' from amateur levels, and
from Pro levels.

What do you think? And how would you go about doing this?

Semi-Pro leagues with bigger payouts? Semi-Pro tournaments
with no competing 'Pros' allowed with good payouts?
Defining the levels of Pool more? Have graduating levels like
AA and AAA baseball?
Click to expand...


THE 3 EASY STEPS TO PLAYING GOOD POOL >

1. - Go On The Road.

2. - Go all day without eating.

3. - Play for all your cash knowing if you lose, you sleep in the backseat of your car hungry.

Do these 3 easy steps and I'll guarantee you will become a real good player fast. If not - You'll have a great new nickname - "SLIM".

TY & GL

Hey, I think I may have created a great new diet fad here.
 
I think the term "semi-pro" just describes how others think the level a player is playing at, not his status of his pool playing career. No special events are needed for this level of player. No point in figuring out who should or should not be in this catorgory. There is no offical farming system for pool players like baseball to develop talent. Just cash play, tournament play and road play. That is it. You are either a professional pool player or not. There is no in between. Your skill as a pool player might be equal to any of the players who are considered professional but, they derive 100% of there income from pool, have sponsors and are invited to certain events because they are professionals.
 
Rofl

OldHasBeen said:
THE 3 EASY STEPS TO PLAYING GOOD POOL >

1. - Go On The Road.

2. - Go all day without eating.

3. - Play for all your cash knowing if you lose, you sleep in the backseat of your car hungry.

Do these 3 easy steps and I'll guarantee you will become a real good player fast. If not - You'll have a great new nickname - "SLIM".

TY & GL

Hey, I think I may have created a great new diet fad here.
Click to expand...

LMAO ... That is so true, isn't it? I believe it is called
Motivation:

1) To think about your game everytime your stomach growls.
2) To find 100 different ways you could have played that shot
instead of the way you did.
3) To not wait for someone to tell you how to shoot good Pool,
but you find out any way you can, by hook or crook.
4) To realize that if you even miss 1 shot, whether it's a shot
or safety, that you will lose, and be broke again.
5) That you have nothing left to pawn.
6) That you better find out what in the hell is wrong with your break.
7) That the only way you are going to have a chance is by USING YOUR
BRAIN.

Yes, it is amazing what a little motivation can do for you. Especially after
sitting around being asked by several people what the secret to good Pool
is, or if I think they can be the best in town after 6 months.
 
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