#283760 - 08/26/08 09:44 PM
Re: What makes an APA SL7?
[Re: InTheZone]
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sack316
Carpal \'Tunnel
Registered: 12/04/02
Posts: 2548
Loc: Prattville, AL
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I'm surprised that more people are not complaining and that the APA should be looking to amend the 23 rule to something like the 25 rule of TAP which to mean makes it more reasonable for all skill levels in a given team to play in that given evening.
I thought I would share my frustrations here to see if others have similar thoughts.
As a higher ranked player, I understand your frustration. But I also think that a 25 rule would make it easy for the same team to win over and over. Three of the top players would band together and start a team and fill in around them. All they must do is make playoffs, and if they can manage to keep two 2's around (to assure they could satisfy the SL limit rule) the thre 7's would simply play in each postseason match and win most of the time. You'd wind up with a few power house teams on each night, rather than having "big guns" spread out amongs teams. That would deter new players and lower SL's from wanting to compete... which afterall is the idea of the APA.
It's a business afterall, and the questions about splitting teams up flow right into this conversation. Indeed, it is unfortunate that over time as players get better and move up, that teams must split. But that's also how it grows. I can't tell you how many times I've had to divide one of my teams in two, picked up a few journeymen looking for new teams... and as well signed up a couple of new players to fill the gaps. Over the course of the years I've seen divisions on certain nights grow from six teams to being so big that there are two divisions. Currently one of my original teams of 8, now comprises 5 different teams due to things such as that. More growth, more members, more teams equals 1)more money and 2)more competition.
As someone else said, basically it works. and thus far has worked very well even with all the problems.
Sack
_________________________
I love animals. They are a very important part of many of my favorite sandwiches.
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#283781 - 08/27/08 05:40 AM
Re: What makes an APA SL7?
[Re: sack316]
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InTheZone
newbie
Registered: 08/26/08
Posts: 26
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Sack, thanks for your elaboration on this subject. Yes, I do understand it is a business and the APA is trying to grow. That for pool in general is a good thing. But I contend that all the growth money is not necessarily only at the lower skill levels. There seems to be enough discussion on this that would establish a need that would result in growth in other areas if the APA was intent to focus in on this subset group of people.
The fact that we all play together in various skill levels as a team does facilitate growth for the lessor ranked players, but at the same time it would be nice if there were more options for the higher skill level player within the APA itself. Don't you think it would better serve the APA's interest in general to keep everyone around?
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#283839 - 08/27/08 11:13 AM
Re: What makes an APA SL7?
[Re: InTheZone]
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BigRigTom
old hand
Registered: 01/27/05
Posts: 816
Loc: Simi Valley, Ca. - Cues & Case...
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That is where the APA Masters fits in.
Unfortunately for us here in my area of Southern California (specifically in East Ventura County) there was not enough of the higher level players who wanted to play in the Masters to keep it alive.
Maybe it will be back someday but I think most of the players who would normally play in the Masters wound up moving on to the BCA leagues where the competiton is perceived to be.
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#283846 - 08/27/08 11:32 AM
Re: What makes an APA SL7?
[Re: BigRigTom]
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Cornerman
addict
Registered: 10/19/05
Posts: 622
Loc: 2700 Miles East of Las Vegas
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For those that don't realize, the 23 rule was added some years after the APA started. So, it's not like they always had it and it's time to change it. The cap limit was higher prior to the 23 rule. And I believe it was higher than 25. 27 or 28 seems right, IIRC. So, the 23 rule was a drop down from what the APA perceived as something that needed changing.
I don't recall that the same teams made it over and over when they had the higher cap. But, there were less teams in our area, and there were far less 2's and 3's.
What I don't understand is that with the addition of 9-ball, and two higher handicaps, why they don't have a higher cap for 9-ball? At least one point higher, I would think.
Fred
_________________________
--
I have stood here before, inside the pouring rain
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#283849 - 08/27/08 11:38 AM
Re: What makes an APA SL7?
[Re: Cornerman]
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JoeW
addict
Registered: 03/23/07
Posts: 432
Loc: Leesburg, FL
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How does the APA Masters differ from regular APA? I sure would like to see one around here where we have many good 5,6,7 players.
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#283857 - 08/27/08 11:52 AM
Re: What makes an APA SL7?
[Re: JoeW]
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InTheZone
newbie
Registered: 08/26/08
Posts: 26
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Tom, you're correct. The Masters is the way to go but in my area it is only offered at a few locations and the times don't work out for my schedule. There are also no BCA leagues in my area so it's APA standard league play or nothing.
Joe, the Masters leagues play 3-4 man teams, no handicapping, combination of 8 ball (8 games)and 9 ball (5 games), winner of lag choses which format to begin with (first format has to be completed before going on to the second), and the race is to 7. Player earns one point per game won, maximum of 21 points for a team. The other difference compared to normal APA is that in 9 ball, you actually win by sinking the 9 ball!!! Imagine that.
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#290815 - 11/20/09 08:47 AM
Re: What makes an APA SL7?
[Re: InTheZone]
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Bumlak
stranger
Registered: 11/19/09
Posts: 7
Loc: Georgia
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Old topic, but a good one. I started my league play in 1993 or 1994 under the old Busch Leagues, then through Bud Light, Camel and now APA. I have been a SL7 since the fall session of 1997. I am a SL9 in the 9-Ball division though I only played two sessions in the 9-Ball leagues. I seem to remember very early in the leagues inception the handicap limit for a match was 21 or am I mistaken? I think this may have even been up through the Camel Leagues (maybe 1997?)
On the main topic at hand, here is what I see as the characteristics of an SL7 (most of this has been defined quite well in the 20+ pages on this post):
Aggressive Play - I ALWAYS look to see if the table is runnble with few problems. If I have clusters, I look to see what balls I can use to break them up and continue my run. Playing lower skill levels forces this type of play as I see it. Safety battles can turn out very badly if the lower handicap is well coached and a single mistake can cost you a game and inevitably the match.
Speed and Position - IMHO, the difference between an SL6 and an SL7 (or even a "low" SL7) has much more to do with speed and cue ball control than anything else. Being able to avoid trouble and minimize your mistakes is the name of the game after all. Even if I am shooting the 8-Ball, I always take a quick look at the table and try to position the cue ball where it would leave a difficult shot for my opponent should I miss.
Pattern Play - Most strong 7's that I know play simple patterns that allow them to move the cue ball naturally around the table. Most 6's that I know will make some errors at some point in a rack that will cause them to have to force an angle or rely on some very heady shot making ability. I am not saying I don't get out of line or occasionally have to come with some Efren Reyes'esque shot...I just don't do it habitually. I choose which pocket makes the most sense to pocket the 8-Ball in and then work my pattern backwards from there..i.e. "What ball makes the most sense to leave for last to get position on the 8 to pocket it in X?" In speaking to allot of "A" level players, they seem to share the same mentality.
Safety Play - This is probably my biggest weakness although I can do it passably. The strongest 7's that I have played or watched play have professional level safety games. They see the table very well and know when the safety is the better option. It's a matter of percentages.
Mental Toughness - In my opinion, one of the toughest things about being an SL7 (feel free to disagree,) is in having to stay mentally focused through a match with a lower skilled player. Generally speaking, you can easily fall into the "It's ok...I'll get another shot in two balls" trap. Once you are behind in a race, you REALLY have to bear down and focus. EXAMPLE: I played an "SL4" a few weeks ago in our local Wednesday night league. I broke and ran to the 8 ball, getting horrible position and was forced to play a safety (there isn't much of one when your opponent has 7 balls on the table.) This "SL4" proceeds to run out at his first turn. I was PISSED. I had to get over my ego and bear down to get back in the match which I eventually lost double hill. My only solace is that he went up to a 5 the next week (his average of the two games he had to win against me was 1.5 innings per game.)
I would agree that it was harder to go up in skill levels early on in the APA’s lifecycle. I could count the number of SL7’s in our local divisions on two hands in the late 90’s. Now, there seem to be dozens of these high handicap players. Someone mentioned earlier that perhaps the reason is that it is in the best interest of the APA to advance players to keep the interest high. I have even heard the theory that by making handicaps easier to achieve, teams are forced to split up, pull in new players to fill their rosters and thereby increase the number of teams.
Eric
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#291441 - 11/30/09 12:07 PM
Re: What makes an APA SL7?
[Re: KellyStick]
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Coroner
stranger
Registered: 05/23/08
Posts: 16
Loc: Nashville, TN
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In my area - Nashville - a new 8-ball APA league called "Super 30" just started. Similar rules as normal APA 8-ball, but we have a 30 point rule instead of the normal 23 point rule. We play once a month, but play 2 matches at once on side by side tables. The only change in the rules is we can jump using jump cues (don't know why) and you can only play two SL7's in any one match. We haven't been able to get a Masters league going, but the Super 30 is pretty popular. I think it might be because the 5's and 6's don't want to play 7's straight up, but like the idea of not having to play against 2's and 3's. My team has two 7's, one 6, and two 5's and it seems to work out pretty well.
BTW, I don't know the rules on what makes a SL7, but I think it has to do with how often you run out from the break. I moved up to SL7 after a night with 2 B&Rs. I had one B&R every week or two up to then, but once I had 2 in one night that moved me up and I've been a 7 ever since even though I haven't done it again.
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#297821 - 03/02/10 09:11 PM
Re: What makes an APA SL7?
[Re: KellyStick]
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Dennis-SL7
stranger
Registered: 03/02/10
Posts: 1
Loc: South Carolina
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In 8 ball, I am an SL7. I read most of the post concerning what makes a 7, and while my winning percentage in 8 ball is 63%, my aveage inning per game count is 2. So my answer to your question is that inning count is the most important thing that makes a 7. One of things I have noticed is that when I play lower skilled players my inning count is almost always higher than when I play SL5's and above. I rarely play A SL4 or lower.
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