bitching.htm

Let me introduce this column as an open forum where anyone can send their thoughts so that the whole league can read it. Your piece will be unedited and posted. Please feel free to share your thoughts... Obviously we will not post any profanity and/or cursing.

BITCHING AND GRIPPING

To All:

We recently received a phone call from BCA stating there was discontent from a few players due to the fact that there were two masters players in one of our teams, which participate in our Diablo Valley Women’s Pool League. Forgot to mention, however that one of the players just became a masters in our recent trip to Vegas, not only cashing in the event but ultimately became the National Champion in the senior women’s single event. As we all know, Holly Robinson is that player. And she represented our DVPL with high honors.

Leslie Bernard, already established, is the other master player which is part of the team.These two players have been attending BCA tournament for at least a 10-13 years.

DVPL has always catered to the new players as at some point years ago we were "the new players" coming into an established league then run by some one else. After almost a decade of being part of it we see the value of having top quality players within our system as it raises the level of competition, and provides some of us with the drive to achieve cue ball control and mastering of the game.

All of our leagues are handicapped in order to even out the scales between the experienced players and the new recruits that come in to our league. Our veterans are forced to play their best game of pool in order to overcome the handicap at all times.

Some of you might want this team to be broken up so it is not so top heavy…This is our thinking on that issue….

A few years ago we had one of our own women's team crowned themselves as the champions of the women's category, we raised the handicap and asked that they had a full team against our teams, but we never thought of breaking them up. Some of us like my self looked forward to playing against this team and trying to get a game off them.

We have toughly put some thought and discussed amongst all the league runners, we have decided that we will not support the breaking up of this Vinnie's team captained by Cathy Reeves.

We have no reason to break a good mix of players due to the fact that they carry our two master's players. We are proud to have them and rather that to start looking for technicalities and reasons to destroy a good thing we want to encourage all players to try to imitate them and work as hard as they have to have achieved their pool goals.

These players have been supporting DVPL for no less that 12 years, in women, open and scotch doubles leagues, in women's tournaments, in Christmas functions, at Friday night tournaments... These players deserve the credit and we are proud to house them and can’t wait until most of us get as far as they have.

We are open to hear your thoughts, on this topic. We follow some BCA guidelines but at the end we are our own entity and we try to do what we believe its right for all the members that are part of our growing group of pool players. Today we support all our players from bottom to top and thank them for their valuable contribution to our DVPL.

DVPL

06/24/08

To All of the Women Players Who Have Written,

This new column is an excellent venue to launch complaints, personal experience, criticism, and most of all CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. Each and all of the women who have written in to this column have something in common and they deserve to be where they are today. each of them I have known for more than ten years each and for some maybe fifteen years.

Each of them have the same thing in common - they ask questions, they practice the advice given, and they remember this game is not about only shooting pool. It is about establishing a pool persona, a knowledge foundation, a proper attitude, an open mind, the willingness to learn, and most of all watch and practice.

I have never known a good player not to practice and drill. I go around to many women's league matches just to see who has the potential to becoming a great player. I've seen about 15 woman players who are not yet good but, have the potential of being as goo as the girls who have written in (they have written because the are part of the game).

Cathy R., Leslie, Holly, Shawn have all taken lessons, done drills, practiced shots, asked advice and taken unwarranted advice because they wanted to better. Well guess what!!! their goals are achieved but not completed. We all know they want more.

In my travels around they leagues I've seen players who are good but not going to get better, players who are good but, are getting worse, players who are bad who are getting better, and players who have excellent untapped abilities who can be excellent. You'll notice that I've not mentioned "Players who are not good and never will be". I believe that every player has the potential to be great - it depends on how much they want to put into the game. In the mens leagues that I play I can tell who has taken lessons and who has not. Lessons are not a financial burden, they're an investment in your attitude, sportsmanship, and self esteem. It's easy to recognize (not ego) SELF ESTEEM.

Congratulations to all of you, you're winners, especially my good friend, Holly Robinson. You are all an inspiration to womens pool.

By the way - Diablo Valley Pool League has the largest contingency of women players in The BCA Vegas.

Bernie Garma

06/12/08 Leslie

"I was glad to see the league standing behind us on this issue. I feel it's very petty of people to be bitchin' about this at all. Holly has been a "master" for a whole month now....it took people 2-3 weeks to complain about it. Holly didn't even get a chance for the reality and excitement of her winning her division to sink in before she got negative crap from people. That should've been a time of people congratulating her on a job well done....not giving her shit. Like my other teammates have stated...this is a handicapped league which evens the playing field. If they don't like getting beat by Holly or myself or anyone else for that matter then go PRACTICE.....as Shawn says...."get your game up". Beat us on the table.....not by trying to twist rules around to suit themselves or win by technicalities."

06/17/08

"I returned from the BCA Nationals this year very happy as I had won a division title there. Only to within weeks of returning become very disappointed in hearing the negative backlash from a same small group.

I've been told a few people are using the excuse of my becoming a Master's player in BCA's format to suggest that it's not fair for me to continue playing on my team. I play the same game I played before I went to Vegas and won the title as I do today. I think the high handicap system DVPL has creates enough fairness and we should not be forcing people out of teams. I'm very familiar with how DVPL works as I have put together teams for this league for over 13 years now in all formats possible. I know they are concerned with making sure the lower teams/players get what they consider a fair shot at placing in the leagues, hence these leagues probably have the highest handicap percentages found anywhere competitively (league, assoc. or otherwise). This strong handicap system is something we've all learned to accept and I feel it levels the playing field. What I don't accept is the suggestion that I not be able to play with my team going for and because BCA has now put me on their master's list. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, DVPL FOLLOWS SOME GUIDELINES FROM BCA MAINLY RULINGS BUT AT THE END THEY ARE THEIR OWN ENTITY AND BCA WILL NOT MAKE ANY DECISIONS FOR THEM.

I feel a need to speak for those of us that don't brag about coming out once a week to shoot, but those of us that support several DVPL leagues, Friday nite tournaments, etc., trying to better our games. I feel there is a balance in this league thru the handicapp system to even the playing field, but the other side of that is players themselves have to put some efforts into bettering their games, not just strategize ways to try and get an edge and create more drama where there should be none."

Holly Robinson

06/17/08

Hey Cony,

I know some discussion has occurred regarding the fact that our team now has two masters players. Some people have questioned whether this is legal in BCA or not because it’s not legal in Vegas.

The fact is that we permit this in our local league. Back when Veronica’s team was around, all 5 of their players were considered masters players after they won the National Championship. They continued to play in our league. In fact, we didn’t even raise the handicap after that - it was already at 125% and continued at that level.

The big difference between Vegas and our league is that our local league is HANDICAPPED whereas Vegas competition is strictly based on number of wins. This is the defining factor and what level-sets the playing field. This year the league voted to further increase the handicap to 130% as a means to make it more difficult for our team. I was opposed this because I realized that this handicap increase would affect ALL teams and that would really hurt the middle-of-the-road teams - and it has. I would not be surprised if another handicap increase is proposed, but again, I think it will do more damage to the middle teams than the top.

Some people have complained that they feel that they are just donating money to our pot. I’m sorry they feel that way. I have played in this league since 1994. I started as a beginner and was in the same position as all the other women in this league. I have worked many, many, many years - paying money when not getting any in return.

I think my attitude might be a little different than some women today. From my perspective, I was not donating to someone else. It was more of a learning experience. Paying “tuition” for something that I enjoy doing and want to be good at. And, it’s far cheaper than taking private lessons. When I competed against a good team, I was not resentful that they were so good and my money was being wasted. I valued the opportunity as a learning experience. I watched and learned. I used that information to improve my game. Today, still, I watch the better-skilled players to continue learning. It is always going on. Instead of people being against us, I wish they would ask and want to learn from us. When they improve, it’s better competition, and that will bring all of our games up further. Everyone wins.I think people do this league because they enjoy playing pool. If people want the money, they have to work for it. It’s a natural rotation...people come in beginners and depending on their commitment and determination, work their way into the top teams. If you look at the top teams, all of us have been playing in this league for a long time, but some more than others.

At one point, we were all just beginners too, paying our dues. I think it is unrealistic to expect instant gratification. Feel free to share this if you its helpful or relevant..

Cathy

06/17/08

very eloquently put as I have the same sentiments. Like you and the rest of my team I have worked very hard on my game. I have played many years on the league also and have supported it as much as its supported me. But now as we have come together the rest of the ladies league has resented us and given us much negative attitudes because we have tried to put our best efforts for success. We are being "punished" for playing well. Its unfair to us to be forced to split up because now we have 2 masters. The league should be proud to have 2 masters.

The league changed the handicap to help the weaker players but it only made the division wider.

Under Hollys encouragement we came together out of respect for our games and now as in the beginning we are being punished and persecuted. Thats what is unfair.

I say to the other women in the league especially to those who feel inclined to complain is "get your game up".get out and play and practice....feel free to share this .........Shawn