Getting fed up of League Snooker in my area.

[Shockerz]

Sorry..my previous reply was meant to reply to the above quote..not my own post...lol..

Thanks for the reply, I think I'm gonna have a chat with the other committee members as it looks like a good format and at the least will add something different to enter in the summer as a start.

[mikeyd100]

Give it ten years and you'll struggle to find a league to play in with everywhere closing down, it mightn't be as good as it was but it's a night out for me,a few beers and a game of snooker,better than sitting in and wanting to put a sledgehammer through the wall when i hear the Eastenders theme coming from the neighbours

This is for you hahaha .... Merry Christmas buddy

[vmax4steve]

Our league is dying on its arse. Used to have two divisions of twelve teams in the boom years of the 80's when three new snooker clubs opened, but once they closed in the mid 90's it's been downhill all the way. Started off this season with only one division of twelve, and that's now down to ten with four byes per team in the season.

We used to enter four teams of 7 in the devon Bilby cup and Gerald Mitchell inter league comps, plus we had a youth team as well, now we can't hold our own youth comp as there is no one under 21 in the entire league, while the veterans cup has expanded every year, bit like motorcycling really, on the devon air ambulance run this year I hardly saw anyone under 40.

Now it's either a sign of these austere times or the young just do not stretch themselves outside of the games console, where it's as safe as yesterday, can't lose and can't get hurt.

[Shockerz]

Now it's either a sign of these austere times or the young just do not stretch themselves outside of the games console, where it's as safe as yesterday, can't lose and can't get hurt.

Times are definitely changing for the worse. When I was younger I was playing snooker up the social club at 14 and if not there then I could be found running, boxing or kicking a football against something.

Nowadays there are sodding sings saying no ball games everywhere and football pitches have new houses on them. I don't see that many nippers kicking a ball, playing pool or snooker and everyone I speak to says they are on playstations while their life is ticking by.

Kids don't seem that worried about leaving the house if they don't need to, life is far to convenient nowadays, it's a real shame.

[inevermissblue]

It is a shame. However there may still be things that could help. Some minor and some major changes could quite possibly change what is becoming the sad demise of this great game.
Here are what I think should happen...

1. Introduce a high break board into clubs. This may or may not have been done in the past in certain clubs. Although if it had, then this would have reinforced the enjoyment and participation previously. So surely something like this would encourage people to play. Not to mention former players who have already recorded significant breaks in the past. I for one would be wanting to reaffirm my high break once I learned of this.

2. Improve playing conditions and equipment.

Firstly. There needs to be some sort of 'snooker ball amnesty' pmsl. Where eventually all the old polyester economy club sets are disposed of. This would help all players of all levels to improve. It would also reverse the trend of having discouraged many a very good player due to this equipment.

Secondly. The playing conditions in most places are ignored so much these days, especially in matches that I'm beginning to think that people just don't know its necessary, or even know how to do it.

Maybe there are other things that could be introduced to help drag the game away from the fire??? One more thing...no more handicap systems!!! How can you have a healthy respect for the game when you are not playing in the correct manner??? I personally would prefer to give away a frame advantage rather than points in a frame.

What do you guys think???

[Shockerz]

It is a shame. However there may still be things that could help. Some minor and some major changes could quite possibly change what is becoming the sad demise of this great game.
Here are what I think should happen...

1. Introduce a high break board into clubs. This may or may not have been done in the past in certain clubs. Although if it had, then this would have reinforced the enjoyment and participation previously. So surely something like this would encourage people to play. Not to mention former players who have already recorded significant breaks in the past. I for one would be wanting to reaffirm my high break once I learned of this.

2. Improve playing conditions and equipment.

Firstly. There needs to be some sort of 'snooker ball amnesty' pmsl. Where eventually all the old polyester economy club sets are disposed of. This would help all players of all levels to improve. It would also reverse the trend of having discouraged many a very good player due to this equipment.

Secondly. The playing conditions in most places are ignored so much these days, especially in matches that I'm beginning to think that people just don't know its necessary, or even know how to do it.

Maybe there are other things that could be introduced to help drag the game away from the fire??? One more thing...no more handicap systems!!! How can you have a healthy respect for the game when you are not playing in the correct manner??? I personally would prefer to give away a frame advantage rather than points in a frame.

What do you guys think???

I like the high break board idea, do you have a photo o one? I'd be interested in the best type to put up so it is easy and it looks right (have a committee to get past).

Spent a lot of time on improving equipment this year and even took all the rests home a few weeks ago and took a couple of mil off the maple and refinished them.

Having the rails refinished next year and decorating the room after xmas so all is coming together slowly.

Not so sure about the handicap systems removal though. Although I hate giving handicaps we have had a decline of players in certain comps as without them they don;t feel it's even worth playing.

I've just put 6 annual comps up for the club and it's the lowest entries for a few years again which means I'll be checking last years entrants and ringing people to convince them to play (never had to do that a few years ago!).

A mixture of handicaps and scratch seems to be the answer for us. In the league we have a major difference in standard between div 1 and 2 so handicaps were discussed there as teams go up and then straight back down; I also hear continuous rumours of teams throwing matches so they don;t get to division 1 so it makes you wonder.

Like the high break idea, would give the guys something to go at if you have a top 10.

[haggishunter]

If your talking about getting people into the game handicaps as much as I'm not a fan of them are needed. People simply cannot be trusted to sort themselves out otherwise, I've seen a good player get a 65 point start from one of the top (pro level) players in our league, the good player broke, the better player went on to stick in either 86 or 87, lay a very good snooker then complete the frame with another small break after the other player failed with the snooker, this frame lasted less than ten mins.
I think that handicaps for bottom division should be cut to half though, too many people in the bottom division taking the p*ss and playing to the handicap.

[Shockerz]

If your talking about getting people into the game handicaps as much as I'm not a fan of them are needed. People simply cannot be trusted to sort themselves out otherwise, I've seen a good player get a 65 point start from one of the top (pro level) players in our league, the good player broke, the better player went on to stick in either 86 or 87, lay a very good snooker then complete the frame with another small break after the other player failed with the snooker, this frame lasted less than ten mins.
I think that handicaps for bottom division should be cut to half though, too many people in the bottom division taking the p*ss and playing to the handicap.

Yeah it's really difficult either way. When I first started in the 80's I had played about a year and entered the Portsmouth Individuals Knockout with a handicap around 75 and thought they've made a big mistake here.

I played a guy who had a solid reputation and whopped me 3-0, that was a nice little lesson for me and not the only one in comps!

Some good players around then.......

[inevermissblue]

Drastic times call for drastic measures I'm afraid! I would much rather see all current handicapped players play off scratch, but be awarded the first frame! This way they get to see the flow of a natural frame against their opponent. Which in turn would leave them more reluctant to those 1/10 shots they seem to go for (having the luxury of starts). It would clearly indicate their true level of ability. Its true that they may still lose the match even being 1-0 up, but this would not interfere with the way the game should be played by all. There would be a certain level of embarrassment to still lose even with the first frame lead. However, this should be acknowledged by those players not hidden from them. These changes would move the sport in a positive direction. Increasing peoples need to practise and in turn bringing people back into clubs!

The high break board has been running for years in one club in our area. It records your highest break only once. So this is updated when necessary! It has even attracted my attention which if it didn't exist, I might not have used the place as often as I have. I just wanted to get my name up on the list as one of the century breakers (102). So the list starts at breaks made by individuals from 50 onwards. As soon as you beat your last break your previous is removed! It is certainly one way to attract people, and is tried and tested!

[j6uk]

the break diary is a must, even the 20 breaker flicks through to see whos doing what. keeps everyone interested and with something snooker related to chat about..

as for the growth of snooker in its birth place i just dont see youngsters interested. i hardly see kids anywhere, no buggies or women with toddlers, no teens the streets are lifeless. dont know many 20-40s with them. havent seen that many people having kids for over 25 years.. seems theres many things dieing off, not just the snooker





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[vmax4steve]

as for the growth of snooker in its birth place i just dont see youngsters interested. i hardly see kids anywhere, no buggies or women with toddlers, no teens the streets are lifeless. dont know many 20-40s with them. havent seen that many people having kids for over 25 years.. seems theres many things dieing off, not just the snooker

Must be all the oestrogen in the Thames water, loads of kids around my way.

[Shockerz]

the break diary is a must, even the 20 breaker flicks through to see whos doing what. keeps everyone interested and with something snooker related to chat about..

as for the growth of snooker in its birth place i just dont see youngsters interested. i hardly see kids anywhere, no buggies or women with toddlers, no teens the streets are lifeless. dont know many 20-40s with them. havent seen that many people having kids for over 25 years.. seems theres many things dieing off, not just the snooker





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I saw one at Chandlers Ford once with 2 breaks over 140!!

[itsnoteasy]

Someone once told me about a ladder system, where you could challenge anyone up to three places above you ,once a month or so, and that's how you moved up or down the ladder( I can't really remember ) has anyone ever played in this or know the right rules to how it would work, cheers.

[haggishunter]

the break diary is a must, even the 20 breaker flicks through to see whos doing what. keeps everyone interested and with something snooker related to chat about..

as for the growth of snooker in its birth place i just dont see youngsters interested. i hardly see kids anywhere, no buggies or women with toddlers, no teens the streets are lifeless. dont know many 20-40s with them. havent seen that many people having kids for over 25 years.. seems theres many things dieing off, not just the snooker





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In the area I grew up in, we had this big concrete square in the middle of all the surrounding flats, was great. during the summer holidays it was super busy with everyone sitting around in the sun and kids of all age groups out doing stuff, for me and my bro my folks worked so we just got kicked out to play all day and had to go to neighbours etc. for scran and the loo, nowadays the place is as you have described, lifeless, totally lifeless. Even in the nice weather nobody socialises now, there no kids around, the local boozer is dead and I cant see it lasting much longer (a real shame this one as my dad used to run the pub, all the old timers say "place has never been the same since yer old man left" to me when I go in), this is because of a number of things. technology, consoles and computers etc. are all factors here for the youngsters sitting inside doing nothing but playing with their toys. For the adults drinking/smoking/the whole pub culture is knackered because of all the health warnings and the like that is rammed down our throats, don't have a drink, don't smoke or you'll die and you'll kill other people at the same time.
when I told my boss that I had joined a team he said " I never realised that you had a thing for hanging about in dodgy snooker clubs". other folk just assume that we're out to get reeking too. the drinking culture changed to a binge culture and people wrongly assume that people in snooker clubs have gone down the same way, apparently people only go to snooker halls to get wasted, not to actually play the game properly...

[haggishunter]

the 'break book' is a good idea too, there is something similar in my club, more just a sheet that's locked in a glass cabinet so it needs to be unlocked to get your name on it, makes it more of a big deal I think. There's a few 147's on it, one of them even has a wee note next to it saying "was his birthday too" which amused me.