Why and how long have to taken a break from pool?

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
Why and how long have you taken a break from playing pool?
 
Why and how long have you taken a break from playing pool?

since i started playing the longest i have gone without shooting a ball would be roughly 1 month due to a dislocated patella. unfortunately this was during one of my more insatiable periods of play where i couldn't stand to be away from the table for more than a few hours. rather than being out in the front lines battling it out with my fellow competitors i had to take refuge in the confines of my home with my lap top with nothing to do but watch videos of pros playing. I have to say it gave me a whole new appreciation for the game and since returning (it's been about a year) I'd say my drive and determination to play and get better has prospered.
 
7 years.....it wasnt fun any more....i would get really mad if i played bad...so i stoped...now i play strickly for the love of the game and the friendships i have gained....when it becomes no fun to play bad then i will quit again...:grin:
 
since i started playing the longest i have gone without shooting a ball would be roughly 1 month due to a dislocated patella. unfortunately this was during one of my more insatiable periods of play where i couldn't stand to be away from the table for more than a few hours. rather than being out in the front lines battling it out with my fellow competitors i had to take refuge in the confines of my home with my lap top with nothing to do but watch videos of pros playing. I have to say it gave me a whole new appreciation for the game and since returning (it's been about a year) I'd say my drive and determination to play and get better has prospered.

And, how many years have you been playing?
 
Quit once for 10 years, and right now haven't played for 6 years since getting married and having kids. I just don't have the time to put into it right now. I'm sure one day I'll pick it back up.
 
Quit after being on the road for eight years back in the 70's--Played a little in the 80's none in the 90's except for a couple of requests to play in one pocket tourneys--kids grown and I'm back playing some now--ran 127 in straight pool not long ago-and on a tight table-Kim Steel-starting to practice on my centenial now--few runs into the eighties and some of five or six--I seem to scratch a lot of of the brake for some crazy reason--damn cue ball will be out in the middle of the table and a ball wiil make a bee line for it to drive into some damn hole---I just sart laughing--no way this can be called as carelessness
 
Why and how long have you taken a break from playing pool?

I met my ex-wife in a pool hall where she worked. I played 6 or 7 days a week back then, either gambling or in tournaments. But once we got married and we were gonna have our first child she did not want me spending time in the pool rooms anymore. I tried to fight it but decided family came first and stopped playing. 6 years later we divorced and one of the first things I did was buy a cue and start playing again. Pool has always helped me get through tough times. I am now hitting em pretty decent again but cannot help but wonder how I would be playing if I never would of quit.
 
I took a 3 year break for school & work; played a couple tournaments in a 6 week timeframe; took an additional 6-7 years off while I concentrated on work. I also met my wife while on my pool hiatus - we got married and moved to Northern CA. She began law school so I started playing again to get out of her hair while studying. So my total break was close to 10 years if you don't count that little fun glitch of 6-weeks.

I have taken many breaks since then but that was the longest.
 
I quit U

I don't play good enough to compete or gamble. It takes too much to get there. Best to quit early and still have room for other things like cooking and nitting. Maybe one day I'll pick it up again for some exercise.
 
i quit for 20 years doing the getting married, raising a family and starting my own bussiness thing.

i start doing the bar scene getting back into pool after the kids are grown and the wife leaves. i am getting my stroke back and after beating a guy 5 in a row he asks me to join his league team. i become a bcapl 7 by the 2nd session.

then i take a 2 yr hiatus due to an injury.

got back into playing last year and i have not got higher than an apa 5 yet .

i have almost resigned myself to the fact that old age is creeping up on me and i will not get back to being as good as i once was :(
 
22

Quit for twenty two years. Wife, kids, business thing. Kids are gone and wife nagged me about it until I started playing again. Yes, she wants me to play and totally supports it. She never complains about how much time I spend at it because she knows that I know what things are more important.
 
I've been playing for roughly 4 years, with the last 2 being a lot more than the first.

I hope you can keep the intensity your entire life; however, most can't. I've been playing 37 years. From about age 15 til 22 I played 6 or more hours a day 5 or 6 days a week. My first child was born, and I took a couple years off. It seems I have to take a year or two off every 10 years or so. Now, I just primarily play one pocket.

I don't play league or tournaments anymore. I only have so many hours a week I can devote to pool, and leagues have too much setting around in social hour. Instead, I go to a pool hall and play the best players I can. Usually get my azz handed to me, but keeps me from getting burned out. So, when I play its very intense and I usually have something on the light.

Steven
 
It's been three decades since I shot seriously. In two leagues and playing about three nights a week now. It's coming back in bits and pieces, but it's like a big jig saw puzzle. Got the corners set, now working on the straight pieces. haha

Nut
 
14-year hiatus from pool

The longest break was 14 years -- 1992 to 2006. Reason: to focus on my career. At that time, the thing that consumed my personal time (away from work) was as a professional musician (6-string electric bass player, playing jazz and progressive rock). So the cues were stored away in the closet all that time -- never touched once in all those 14 years.

Finally, back in 2006, after things've settled (career solid, purchased house, etc.), I pulled them back out once again, and haven't looked back since. Now my 6-string bass is the item receiving the neglect. :-(

Ah, but the issue of balance -- we're all trying to achieve it...

-Sean
 
1984 to 2004 Bad back, family and a job I made a good salary at made me give it up for a bit.
 
10 years.

I'm 65 now.

Cleaned off the table about 2 years ago and practice everyday to get back to where I once use to be. Painful but progress is being made.

I really love the game. Its a personal thing.

John
 
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