MISSION STATEMENT
Improving the image and culture of the sport by providing structured education, training, and competition for serious players.
CORE VALUES
U.S. Team Billiards is not “another pool league.” Rather it is the vision for building an organization of serious players dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, to improving the growth and the image of the sport, and to supporting worthwhile charitable causes.
This organization is geared toward higher level amateur players, semi pro players, low level pro players, even pro players. Some lower level amateur players will be welcome if they have sufficient motivation and character. This is not an organization for casual players, nor for those who are in the sport for financial gain. Any player is welcome that holds dear our common beliefs and core values of - Honor, Integrity, Respect, Work Ethic, Discipline, Unity, Sportsmanship, and Accountability.
STRUCTURE
Players will be organized into teams of 6 players from their geographical area. These teams will participate in clinics, competitions, and charitable activities. Statistics will be collected for both teams and individuals, and be available for players and fans on the US Team Billiards website. Team records, individual records, standings, schedule, power rankings, rules, training material, and personal information that players would like to share with potential fans.
CLINICS
Each team will have at least one clinic during the initial year of competition with instructor Mark Wilson. This will allow all players the opportunity to learn firsthand what will be required to improve the sport we love and their personal pool playing.
HANDICAPS
There will be no handicaps in USTB competitions. Frequently pool tournaments and leagues attempt to apply subjective handicaps to their competitions in an effort to generate large turnouts of players. Large groups of players generate larger cash flow at the expense of integrity for our sport. Handicaps reward and in some cases promote mediocrity.
This organization is not designed for everybody; it is the “big boys club” reserved for players that understand the need for an improved and serious pool culture in the United States. An organization to which new players can aspire to become part of if they are serious about excellence and sportsmanship.
TIERS
U.S. Team Billiards as an endeavor is not another pool league, rather it is more of a vision and mentality. You do not just study a bit and then practice up a little to become good. Pool excellence requires that you make this a part of your lifestyle and for elite professionals it is a complete lifestyle.
Not everyone can or wants to be consumed by the sport, but to actually get a better performance you must have pool as part of your lifestyle. We will be competing in two separate Tiers.
Liberty Tier - is for Purists and experienced players, the opportunity to play among the regional best and most committed players with entry fee and prizes reflective.
Freedom Tier - is for the Enthusiast and are less experienced players that desire playing performance progress. The entry fee and prize fund will be modest, yet retain tremendous value.
Refugee Tier - is for Participants that are individuals unconcerned about progressing their pool skills.
Suppose that we divided our skill categories into the above three tiers and someone wonders why nobody ever competes in the Refugee Tier which is for the Participant. The answer is - U.S. Team Billiards is not for everybody and is reserved for those who are very serious about the sport.
The Liberty Tier is reserved for highly experienced players that include those athletes with Elite Skills, they are the Purists of the sport.
The Freedom Tier is the group of players that are earning experience and possess the positive spirit to attack high performance pool skill development.
The Refugee Tier is reserved for people that just want to bang around the balls and then provide excuses for the lack of ability. Please note these people are not a part of U.S. Team Billiards due to the lack of commitment and willingness to sacrifice or contribute to our sport. U.S. Team Billiards is not for everybody. There are plenty of other programs that want them.
TEAM COMPETITION
Each team will compete with 5 players who are registered as USTB members. It would be a good idea to have at least 8 registered players in case of emergencies – but only 5 will play in each match.
COMPETITIONS
The initial competition sessions will consist of a set number of team matches. As USTB progresses, there will likely be changes in format to provide the widest variety and best competitive experiences possible.
MATCHES
Each match between two teams will consist of 15 possible total points, in two parts – Team Fifteen Ball, and Nine Ball. The Team Fifteen Ball segment will count for one point of the match total, and the Nine Ball segment will count for 15 points of the match total.
In the Team Fifteen Ball segment; each team member will play four racks of Fifteen Ball; and the team score will be the sum of every ball made by its team members. The team with the highest number of total balls made wins the first point of the match.
Following the Fifteen Ball, each team member will play three separate sets of Nine Ball against three different opposing team members. Races to four games for teams competing in the Liberty Tier and a race to 3 games for players in the Freedom Tier. Each set will count one point for the winning team.
With each team member playing three sets of Nine Ball, there will be a total of 15 points available total points available in each match. Every Nine Ball match will be played no matter the team score. In this way every player will have maximum opportunity to compete; and the USTB statistics will be more consistent and meaningful.
In the event that a team does not have 5 registered players available for a match, we will attempt to add a player so that we can avoid a forfeit of that match – but we will still play a match. The team that is short a player will rotate their lineup; including their remaining players as equally as possible.
NOTABLE RULES IN EFFECT
1. Lag for the first break, then alternate break.
2. No pushout.
3. “All ball fouls.”
4. Rack your own and 2-Ball on the back in 9-Ball
5. Honor and respect for the sport at all times. We call fouls on yourself whenever they occur.
DRESS CODE
The pool match dress code is inflexible (though subject to change in the future). We must demonstrate respect for the sport, and set an example for aspiring players.
1. Black dress pants.
2. Team shirt that is tucked in.
3. Belt.
4. Appropriate shoes; that look clean/new.
5. No ear buds/head phones during team practices or competitions.
WEBSITE, POWER RANKINGS, AWARDS
The USTB website will display updates, rules, team statistics, individual statistics, player profiles, Power Rankings, team records, and session standings.
Power Rankings are accumulated based on a Rotisserie style scoring format. Rankings are generated in three categories - 15-Ball, 9-Ball, and cumulative total. The competitions are conducted with 6 player teams and 12 total players so there are a maximum 12 Power Ranking points for the leading player, down to 1 Power Ranking point for the last place finisher in both the 15-Ball and the 9-Ball (using total games won as the ranking criteria). These points are added together and will account for the individual standings throughout the conference matches.
There will also be a year-end tournament with team and individual prizes.
The Player of the Session Award is based upon earning the #1 Power Rankings.
USTB FEES
Annual membership fees are $60 per player.
Liberty Tier match dues are $30 per player per match.
Freedom Tier match dues are $15 per player.
The annual membership fees will be used for administration costs, web design and maintenance, organization development, miscellaneous tournament expenses, and team jerseys/accessories. These organization proceeds are to be used for advancement of the sport.
The conference match fees will be used for greens fees for the room owner; and the rest will be distributed as prize money for the end of the session. In general prizes are just a small incentive for players; and will generally be distributed to the top 50% of teams, and the top 50% of players. If financial gain from pool is your goal; this concept is not for you. If you desire to have meaningful competition against like-minded players in an atmosphere that fosters excellence – then this is for you.
One of the goals of USTB is to eventually help the sport become self-sufficient by attracting younger fans, and sponsors from outside the pool industry. There is no long term benefit to a sport to have profit generated only by the players themselves. We have to become a sport that is profitable, and attracts enough outside interest to generate its own revenue stream if we are truly become respected.
FIFTEEN BALL RULES
The 15-Ball Challenge is an invaluable training tool and a direct link to substantially faster progress than is available in most traditional pool games. Many players initially assume that it is easy, and soon find out that is untrue. The score is honest and can be humbling, as you cannot win on one ball or get lucky, but rather must run the entire rack.
Rack up 15 balls and break, then take ball in hand on the first shot. This is played “call shot” (ball and pocket), in any sequence, attempting to clear all 15 balls. Your inning ends with any missed shot or foul.
If you break and pocket a ball without scratching, you keep that ball and begin shooting with Ball-in-Hand.
If you scratch on the break, you will still get to play, but anything that goes in the pocket on that break is put back on the spot before you begin your inning. You still get your turn to take Ball-in-Hand and generate a score.
Breaking and running all 15 balls is far more difficult than people think. This challenge can be quite humbling but is also the very essence of creating tangible progress.
Each player will attempt four racks of 15 Ball. Total and record the score for each rack. The goal is a perfect 60 balls (4 racks of 15 balls). Keep track of the number of 15’s accomplished- it is designated as a “Quad,” and will be noted in the statistics.
The total ball count of each player will produce a total cumulative team score. The team that scores the most balls has won the first Team Point of the match.
Message from Mark Wilson
What starts here today is a major step for changing the Billiards world.
My promise to everyone that shares this vision and contributes for success is that I will see to it that I give your pool game personal attention ongoing, as an individual reward for assisting to regrow the image of pool.
Should you be a person that is interested in bettering the sport, willing to contribute and sacrifice to participate in U.S. Team Billiards Association because you want to take on the biggest challenge in sport and strengthen your pool game, then U.S. Team Billiards is for you.
If you are primarily interested in making money from the sport, this is not for you. If you do not wish to play without a handicap against terrific players, this is definitely not for you. The players that will be involved would participate without any prize money as the primary incentive.
This endeavor will not be a bunch of empty promises with very little follow through, nor will this be a quick and easy way to build the sport. U.S. TEAM BILLIARDS is a long term effort to regrow the sport from a grassroots point. I will work on this everyday forever.
All members earn their inclusion based upon the willingness to produce positive results and nobody will get a free pass including myself. The character of the individual athlete will determine the ultimate success for our sport. I intend to lead by sacrifice and contribution and will insist on the same from those players accepted to participate in U.S. Team Billiards.
Any behavior that brings disrespect to the sport indicates that person is an individual and not a team member and will be immediately removed from U.S. Team Billiards permanently. This particular point will not get a “second chance” to prove commitment to the cause.
What makes us a team is when we all share the following-
Common beliefs and Core Values:
Honor, Integrity, Respect, Discipline, Work Ethic, Accountability, Sportsmanship, and Unity.
We will also be conducting some purely charitable activities.
This is a fledgling endeavor and it is anticipated that changes for progress are inevitable within the process of creating a new direction for our sport.
Everyone that completes year #1 will be honored and respected forever as a “Plank Owner” of USTB.
What is currently underway is not what pool has been, but rather, what pool should be. Together, we are going to permanently change the pool world.