let's work together to keep the new players around. Let's work together to invite the new players to join us.

There are not very many new players right now and I have witnessed and heard about new players being chased away lately. I am all for being aggressive on the table. The main reason we play a game like foosball is because of our competitive nature, the desire to win, the desire to be better than someone else or even our selves.

What I don't understand is why do some players have to take the aggression to blatant rudeness, disrespect, and beyond normal vugarity.
Allow me to give you some examples:
-A couple new players show up pre-tournament to polish their newly learned skills, excited and nervous about entering the tournament. The night comes that they decide to enter the group and see if they would be welcome. Within an hour, one of the newbies is yelled at, cussed at, and told to be quiet while they are watching a "professional" play a tournament match. 2 players lost, never to return.
-A new player from the attic (with a big THANK YOU to Davin!) comes down to play in a tournament. The 2nd match of the night he plays in, losers bracket, a seasoned player proceeds to 10-1 him with jarring, swearing and laughing at the new players lack of skill. Never saw that guy again.
One more example of many
-A player I have never seen before, came to BC's and sat on a stool watching the tournament. I asked him if he was a player. He said, "only at home and an occasional bar game, but I'd like to." That night one of our players proceeded to say such profane things on the table directed towards his opponent, things that would make a trucker cringe, that the man got up said, "Wow, this is not for me!" I never saw him again.

Cuss, yell, play mind games, stomp your foot, whatever, but don't make it personal! Have some common sense and then shake hands and remember that we are all here for the same common purpose and are blessed to have a place to compete, let off some steam and hang out with friends.

On Friday night a player suggested to me that I find a place near a college to bring new players in. Another suggested to me, and Tommy has talked about it several times, to start running tournaments in High schools. Absolutely not! I have a big problem having my own daughters play at times. I have 2 nephews and another teenager very interested, but unfortunately I don't encourage them.

I don't want to just run a tournament, warm ups, state... I want to be proud of the sport I play. I want to see it grow and thrive, do you?

Let's talk about this
MamaBear

For nearly six years, I've had this theory:

Newbies check out the scene, see how foosball is really played, and then think to themselves, "Whoa, this is some crazy stuff. Look at all that sick passing and shooting! I'm not cut out for this. Screw it."

or...

"Whoa, this is some crazy stuff. Look at all that sick passing and shooting! I want to learn how to do that!"

I guess it's never really sunk in that some of us are acting like jerks to noobs.
I understand what some people will say...you need to have thick skin, man up, whatever...if you want to be able to handle the pressure of tournament foos. But by the beard of Zeus, save that shit for later.
I've certainly witnessed seasoned players being helpful to noobs, and I always try to welcome them, but Sheri's examples definitely seem plausible, though unfortunate. It seems like we've had a decent number of noobs come through BC's in the past year, but I can't think of any who have stuck around.
I'm sure as hell not the TD, but I highly recommend a regular practice of letting all first-timers have free entry. Everyone of us who wants to see the community evolve and grow should go a little out of their way to welcome these people.

That said, there will be exceptions, such as dudes who look like they just escaped a federal penitentiary...and that dude wearing the ear buds, who might be a 404 guy. We don't have to go out of our way to be nice to jerks.

I also think that as long as foosball is a game played in bars, and going til 0200 hours, it will continue to attract a limited and stereotypical demographic.

I think the key to getting new players to play is simple...
Have them watch Slice/ and Nick play and simply put it that those guys are some of the best players in the state...
Noobies: You've got to be kidding us? right?
Us: Nope! They make it look harder than it is.
Noobies: Duh


ItDoesn'tHurtToAskTrashy

I'm with Boogie - I don't know why you need to keep anyone's name a secret if they are hurting new players perception of the game. Same with the ball stealers....Public shaming is the best medicine! lol I really hope you are at least talking to them about what happened, so they might realize their actions are not helping the game. To not say anything to them is just perpetuating the problem.

I said put a tourney in a place where young people (college to mid 20's) hang out. If that's a college area - good. Or put it in a bar where a lot of people in that age range hang out (like 404 or the old B-52's). People that age love playing foos for fun. It's a great way to mingle, but it has to stay fun. It has to be beginner only and non-threatening. You can't have tour players ruining it. That's why the Summit County tourneys are so successful...because they are just fun.

I agree with almost all of your points Sheri except the part about bad attitudes. That's just competition. Not everyone has good sportsmanship, and I hate to say, but that's part of why I love this game. It brings out such passion in everyone, and you can't curtail that. It just comes out. It's not our responsibility to be G rated for the once in a blue moon newbie who is there.

The issue to me is that you can't have new players who are on the fence playing against tour caliber foosers. BEGINNER ONLY....that's the only environment that is a safe zone for them. They will see the game on the level that fits them, and won't be intimidated.

X

Edited by user Monday, March 30, 2015 2:11:11 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

^This.

So in summary...It would be cool to have a beginner night at BC's, if someone is willing to run it. In the meantime, let's be competitive, intense, etc. But let's all go out of our way a bit to make noobs feel welcome.

Well that is uncool for sure. I have not seen anything like that on the table in a long, long time.

X

That is not counter productive at all! I am really hoping that more players feel this way. Tommy and I went up to Avon to play tonight. It was a really fun tournament! There were 4 guys there for their first tournament and when they played 1/2 the players stood around the table watching them and cheering them on. I know they will be a permanent part of the CO scene.

From left to right: Victor and Manuel Esparza, Luis Martinez, and Teo.