We Hid Something AMAZING Under All That Was Bad In Society

Success For The Future Starts Today – Everyone Should Play!

I sincerely hope I do a great job writing this article. My goal is for its contents to be read by every teacher, professor, parent and government official that can help me change the perception and then laws surrounding the game of pool in this province.

It will not be a short read. However, I hope that when you have finished reading you will believe, as I do, that it is time to “right a wrong” that has been placed on this game and the time is now to make changes that should have been done many years ago.

The very first thing I need each of you to do is imagine that I have a PhD in Physics, Mathematics, Behavioral Science and Bio Mechanics. Believing my credentials to be impeccable will add validity to each of my statements. Or, you could just take my word that I know what I’m talking about!

The second thing I need you to do (and this may be the most important request of all) is to remove every aspect of your perception of this game (we’ll call “pool”) and all the history you think you know about this game. I want your mind to be free of negative knowledge and open to the true values this game offers.

Some people call this game a sport. Some refer to it as a hobby or a pastime. Just for purposes of this article perhaps you could trust me that the game of pool is a sport that has many of the elements of other games that are always considered sports. I will compare this game to other “sports” as well as other games of strategy as we go. There are so many aspects of this game that are truly unique that determining exactly what it is becomes a completely separate article.

Please follow me on a hypothetical journey. Remember, you have removed all past knowledge of this sport from your mind! (My behavior science degree!) I have set up a 4 ½ x 9 foot pool table in your high school gymnasium. It has six pockets (on all four corners and 2 on the sides exactly half way from each end) and is covered by green cloth. All of the rails between the six pockets are rubber covered by the same green cloth. For our purposes today we are going to play the pool game called 9-Ball. On the table are 9 balls numbered one to nine and a cue ball which are all perfectly round spheres 2 ¼ inch in diameter (please convert that to cm. for me when you get a moment). The nine numbered balls are “racked” in a diamond formation and placed in the centre of the table approximately 1/3 of the way out from the back rail. The cue ball is placed behind a line approximately 1/3 out from the other end rail. The cue ball is going to be struck by a cue stick (approx. a 56 inch tapered stick with a compacted leather tip about 12 mm in diameter) directed at the rack of balls and … THE GAME BEGINS! (I hope none of that was too technical and could be visualized)

The object of the game of 9-Ball is to strike the cue ball into the lowest numbered ball on the table and sink the nine numbered balls, in order. The player who sinks the 9 Ball is the winner. (I am NOT going to get into all the rules except as they occur in my journey below).

The opponents are, most often, one person against another. It could be partners or even teams but typically it is one on one.

Now, this is the exact moment that some of the amazing aspects of this game begin:

• Unlike virtually any other sport the opponents “pitted” against each other could be so diverse it’s almost limitless: male / male, male / female, female / female, young (8) / old (108), and on and on. By the way, I used to say old (88) but I have a remarkable friend who just turned 89 and plays as one of the top 1% of skilled players in this province! Strength is not a significant factor. You can play this game from a wheelchair or with one leg or one arm. All of those factors suggest to me that it truly might be a sport for almost everyone. Amazing

• Our journey involves two 15-year-old girls (remember, high school gym!) who will play a race to whoever wins 5 games first. Each game takes about 8 minutes so this “match” will last about one hour maximum. (My degree in mathematics!)

• By whatever method approved, the “breaker” will be determined. She then (as noted above) strikes the cue ball with the tip of the cue into the rack of balls! A loud crack is heard and the game begins. The 10 balls on the table scatter around the table and come to rest in a completely random position. A limitless, infinite number of landing patterns (is that redundant!) every single time the break occurs. Amazing

• If no foul occurs and any ball goes into a pocket except the cue ball, the breaker remains at the table and will then shoot again. Her next shot must be at the lowest numbered (object) ball on the table. (Remember, not too technical for those who know the game!) As long as she continues to hit the lowest numbered ball on the table and a ball is sunk, she will remain at the table. Another of the amazing aspects of this game is that it is possible, if she has the skill, to win all five games in a row with her opponent NEVER getting to the table!

• Now, the player is looking at the pattern of the balls on the table. She is thinking very hard (tremendous thought processes occurring, very educational). She knows that if she misses, her opponent then has the very same advantage she now has and the opportunity to achieve what was noted in the last point. She strategizes her next shot but also envisions exactly where the cue ball will stop for the next lowest ball! She is a skilled player and she sees each of the shots required to “run this rack of balls” from this pattern. She is planning ahead. She has created a strategic plan to win this game and must now put her plan to the test. Amazing

• For our purposes today she runs 5 balls in a row and misses. That number of balls in a row would be typical of an average player of the game. That means that a below average player runs 4 or less and an above average player can run the rack of nine balls with one turn at the table. Highly skilled players can run more than one rack at a turn at the table and exceptional players can sometimes achieve 5 or more racks at one turn. The ability to improve your skill is limitless. Amazing

• Our original player developed a strategic plan but failed to execute it this time. However, all is not lost and the chance she will get back to the table, if not this game, then the next, is highly likely. How typical of life. How typical of business. Imagine, thinking about what went wrong and developing skills and mindsets to resolve the problem next time. Amazing

• The ebb and flow of the game is truly exciting for the players and anyone watching who fully understand the rules and the complexities of the game. The players know that the more they practice the better they will get. Proper instruction from qualified people can improve their game. They develop their own stance, bridge and stroke. They emulate other players they see who are successful. They try to control their emotions like professional golfers with a 3-foot putt and the nerves that need to be harnessed. It’s not physical strength that carries the day. It is mental, emotional, nerves and consistent visual attention to every detail that prevails. You need physical stamina to compete for an extended period of time in one session but you can improve that stamina with healthy eating, drinking and exercise.

• This match has gone back and forth and is now tied at 4 games apiece (hill / hill) and the final game is about to get underway. Imagine, these girls have struck the cue ball and caused it to hit the “exact” spot on the object ball that will cause that ball to drop in the pocket they aimed at a total of 72 times. They have probably attempted well over 120 shots and missed several times. So many details to focus on and so many factors come into play. It requires excellent hand / eye co-ordination, a smooth stroke, precise speed, an understanding of deflection and geometry (my physics degree!). They have probably “banked” several balls (hit into the rail allowing it to rebound into the pocket on the other side of the table). They have probably strategically “hid” the cue ball behind another ball forcing their opponent to calculate exactly where they must hit a bank to “kick” into the lowest ball on the table. Amazing

• Has anyone gone back to the beginning of this article to add up the number of educational aspects that have come into play in this single match of eight games? If you do, I am certain you will be amazed.

• Let’s not finish this match. Let’s fully understand though that there will be a winner and a loser. That is what life is all about. The fact that one of these 15-year-old girls lost does not make them a loser. Hopefully it makes them stronger. Hopefully it makes them practice more, seek additional coaching and makes them more determined to do better next time. That would be so similar to what happens in real life that it would be amazing.

• I imagine this high school has plenty of sports activities. There will likely be individual and team sports for both male and female. However, I doubt there is even one sport, team or individual, that enables male and female to compete on a virtually level field. I also doubt there is another sport available at that school that would enable every, single student a chance to compete at some level. I need you to simply stop and imagine some of these things I’m saying. The petite grade 10 girl challenges the largest football player in grade 12 to a match….and wins! Those types of “what ifs” are endless. But think of the self- esteem, confidence boosting results that are possible.

• At the same time it is important to remember that you can practice this sport on your own and “hone” your skills at your own pace. There will always be those who have difficulty with this game, the same as any other. However, once played and understood, this game can be a tremendous spectator sport as well. It is the one sport that almost any member of the audience can duplicate a very difficult shot, if shown properly, and execute it as well as a professional in one try. That is simply not possible in golf, football, hockey, tennis, soccer and on and on. Amazing

• I believe they have now determined beyond doubt that continually “testing” your brain long into your later years helps prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia. The game of pool does that. Learning and understanding the complexities of this game at an early age allows for a lifetime of enjoyment, challenge and competitive activity. Every single game is different. Every pattern after a break is different. How exciting is it to test your ability in a different way every time you step up to the table?

• If you have followed me to this point I want to thank you. However, we’re not done yet. I have provided some irrefutable positive aspects of this game that should cause many people at influential positions to say…”he might just be right”! The key point at this very moment is, what is occurring right now regarding our youth and the game of pool? The answer…virtually nothing!

• Youths under 19 are not allowed in any commercial establishment that offers pool. Their only option is someone whose parents have placed a table in their home. They get together and play amongst themselves with likely very limited instruction and structure to what they are doing. They likely don’t know all the rules of whatever game they’ve chosen. I’m certain there are some parents who have played at a competitive level and are passing on proper instruction but that number will be very, very small. That is truly a shame. A sport that has so much to offer is being slowly phased out.

• The next significant problem is when these young adults do turn 19 and go into an establishment that offers pool, they don’t have the proper respect for the value of the tables, the cost to maintain them and the etiquette required to let others enjoy their leisure time. That simply adds more reasons to get them involved, at least from the age of 14 to 18.

The next thing to happen is that we must get this message “out there”! We have to reach the right people. We have to ask them their perception of the game of pool. It will likely be negative, trust me. However, I honestly believe when they really think about it, the only negatives they will come up with will be lingering perceptions from years gone by. Haven’t we proven over the past 50 years that society needs to shed prejudices and perceptions that are simply no longer valid?

I will challenge EVERY EDUCATOR out there to show me another sport, currently enjoyed in our high schools by some students, that can even come close to matching the values available in the game of pool!

Imagine competitions between schools, between grades, between teachers and students. Imagine the thrill of a student who is not tall enough for basketball, strong enough for hockey or football or soccer or agile enough for badminton or tennis…but fully capable of being cheered on in a match playing pool! What percent of the student body could be playing this game versus ANY other?

And how cool is pool! It’s shown on commercials all the time. It’s played by the “rich and famous” and also the working class. It’s the National Sport of Taiwan! They have been trying to get it included in the Olympics as a “test”. A little “turn” in another direction back in about 1880 and the game of pool would have followed golf into our living rooms via TV and tournaments enjoyed by millions.

Pool Hub Nova Scotia needs your help to get this message out. Don’t wait for someone else to take it to your high school, college or university educators. Take it yourself. If you need help, contact me at the Pool Hub website. If you want me to come speak to any group, just ask.

This article is Pool Hubs first step in our fight to get junior players into this game.    

- Brian Bedford