APA of Central Ohio Newsletter

Fall Session of 2018

Wow time flies when you are having fun!!! I just started my 8th month as your new League Operator! Sometimes I feel like I have been doing this forever and others I feel like it’s my first month. I really appreciate everyones warm welcomes and support. I am constantly learning something new so please bare with me when I don’t have your answer immediately. We will strive to provide the players with a newsletter once a session if it’s needed. So let’s just jump right in!! 

What I want is our players to experience a league atmosphere of camaraderie, mutual respect, fairness and open communication between each other and the league staff. We have started down this road by publishing rules and schedules and to the best of our ability sticking to them and applying them to everyone equally. We are putting in extra time on a daily basis to ensure scoresheets are being handled with care so that team points and bonus points are awarded accurately, handicaps are reviewed after each match so that the equalizer handicapping system can work the way it is intended and questions are answered in a timely manner. We are also making strides at reducing forfeits, scheduling changes and makeup matches. We have implemented a new policy in the office to inform captains of issues with their scoresheets, fees due and matches to be made up, and we are striving to make contact when the issue arises rather than being surprised on league night. With all of this being said, please understand that I and my staff are human and will make mistakes, but my pledge to you is that we will also work hard to correct those mistakes when they happen. 

Moving forward there will be National modifications, most are already in place and some will be coming, please remember they are all being made in order to provide you, our players, with a better league experience. 

Point Payback System

The National APA does not allow the point payback any longer. Now that the franchise has been transferred, we have to follow the new 2018 APA Franchise Agreement. 

Instead of Point Payback, we will be holding a Yearly Cash Cup for 8-Ball and 9-Ball starting July 20, 2019. This will replace the point payback system. The 8-Ball tournament will be approximately $15,000 payout and the 9-Ball tournament will be approximately $4,000 payout. 

• Cash Cup qualifying will be as follows: Top 16 teams from the WPQ/City Tournament, Top 16 teams from the NEW Best of the Rest (BOTR) being held on July 6th. All teams that are double division winners (Double Qualified) will also automatically qualify for the Cash Cup. 

Replays

To help prevent forfeits and to make it more likely matches are awarded on the table rarther than by forfeit, the APA of Central Ohio has chosen to adopt the Replay Rule approved by the APA National Office. This rule allows one player (the “Replay Player:) from a team (the “Replay Team”) to play twice on the same night in the following circumstances: 

· The Replay Team does not have enough players present or cannot play the players it does have present without violating the 23-Rule. 

· Teams must notify their opponent of the need to use/or potential need to use a “replay” prior to the start of the 4th individual match. If a team has a 5th player show up prior to the start of the 5th match, the player is still entitled to play, even if a “replay” was requested.

· The opposing team gets to pick which player from the other team will be the “replay” player. The opposing team can pick any player present except those whose play would cause the Replay team to violate the 23-Rule. All players who have already played must be available as a choice for the “replay” match. 

· Teams are allowed to use one “replay” per league night

· The “replay” must be used during the last individual match (i.e. – 5th match). The “replay” may be used in the 4th individual match if the 5th individual match is forfeited or the 3rd individual match is the 4th & 5th individual matches are forfeited. Once a “replay” is used, the remaining matches must be forfeited, even if another player shows up. 

· “Replays” will NOT be allowed during playoffs or during any Higher Level Tournament Play. 

· Both teams may utilize the “replay” rule on the same night if necessary. In this situation, both teams put up their own player and the team scheduled to put up a player in the 5th match puts up first. 

Playoffs

Now that the franchise has been transferred, we have to follow the new 2018 APA Franchise Agreement. From now there will only be 1 week of playoffs instead of 2 weeks, qualifying double the teams. This positive change will allow more teams an opportunity to participate in the higher level play. 

Tri-Cups

Now that the franchise has been transferred, we have to follow the new 2018 APA Franchise Agreement. Tri-cups normally known as Tier 1 and Tier 2 will be combined into one Tri-Cup tournament. As of right now, there will not be a Tri-Cup for 9-Ball. There will no longer be a reason to have a Tier 2 Tri-Cups. One week of playoffs is allowing us to qualify more teams into Tri-Cups. For future Tri-Cup tournaments the boards and rosters will be posted approximately 10 days before the date. We will do our best to only have 1 round at 7pm on Friday nights of Tri-Cups, making travel much easier for our out of area teams. (as our team count grows this may not be possible)

Tournaments:

Now that the franchise has been transferred, we have to follow the new 2018 APA Franchise Agreement. Within the next month a NEW 18 month calendar of events will be posted for reference of all qualifications, dates, etc. As part of the replacement to the point payback APA of Central Ohio will be adding more “money added” tournaments. Here is a list of upcoming tournaments happening in the next couple months: We just held the 8 Ball Doubles qualifier, 9 Ball Doubles Qualifier November 17, Jack & Jill Qualifier December 1, Charity tournament December 8, Last Chance Singles Boards November 24. In 2019 we will be holding a Bounty Tournament, yearly MVP, Team Captain qualifying tournament and a Women’s qualifying tournament in addition to regular qualifiers. We will continue the APA State of Ohio tournament and the U.S. Amateur tournaments!! 

Future tournament ideas include: Singles Splash Boards, Super Splash Boards for both 8-Ball and 9-Ball two times a year. 

Best Of The Rest (BOTR) Tournaments

There will be 2 BOTR tournaments per year one in June for WPQ qualifying and July for Cash Cup qualifying. 

The Best Of the Rest Tournament is an 8-Ball & 9-Ball(separate brackets) that is open to all teams that qualified for a Tri-Cup but did not qualify for WPQ. The July BOTR will be qualifying into the Cash Cup for all teams that did not qualify for any higher level play. Participation is optional.

BOTR Tournament Structure:

• Single Elimination team tournament with modified races.
• Team race is the best out of 3 (team with most points) in 8-Ball and a race to 31 points or 30 points and 2 wins in 9- Ball.
• Since the team race is modified, the team skill level limit for 3 matches is 14 instead of 23.
• No cash payout - qualifying tournament only.
• The number of teams qualifying for the city tournament via the "Best Of The Rest" tournament in both 8-Ball and 9-Ball will depend on the number of entries into the "Best Of The Rest" and the availability of slots in the city tournament.

Big Dawg Award

The 8-Ball team and the 9-Ball team with the most points earned in a session out of ALL the divisions competing in that format in the entire League area will receive the BIG DAWG AWARD. In the event that two or more teams are tied for Big Dawg, both/all teams tied will receive the award. Each team earning the BIG DAWG AWARD will receive a plaque for each member on the team. In addition to the plaque, the team will gain an automatic bid to the WPQ/City Tournament (without needing to participate in playoffs or Tri-Cups). The team may participate in Tri-Cups for a chance to win money. The team must stay in the top half of their division or the team is subject to lose its eligibility.

Bounty Program

Hopefully everyone is aware of the APA Bounty Program. Every week two players are selected to be the weekly bounty. One 8-Ball, and one 9-Ball. The bounty will be posted on the website, APA of Central Ohio Facebook page and Central Ohio APA players Facebook group each week. 

If the bounty player wins the match, they don’t have to pay APA fees for that match. If the bounty player loses, their opponent earns a FREE night of pool. Bounty matches will only be applicable for skill levels one above or one below of the bounty player. Ex: If John is a 5, the bounty is in affect for a skill level 4, 5 or 6. 

There will be a yearly Bounty Scotch Doubles Tournament for all bounty participants. Each bounty player that has been chosen and their opponent (no matter who won the bounty match) will be invited to play in this tournament. They will get to pick any partner they wish to play with in the scotch doubles tournament. (Skill level limit of 10 combined, and they must both be on an active team.

Membership Giveaways

We have given away 15 membership for 2019. We do this on approximately the 15th of every month. We will continue to do a random drawing to give away 2 FREE memberships!! They will be applicable beginning every calendar year. These can be transferable. 

Patches

WOW we are giving out A LOT of patches every week. You guys are kicking butt! There is weekly Facebook recognition on the Central Ohio APA players group and the APA of Central Ohio page.   

The 8-Ball and 9-Ball Mini Slam & Grand Slam patches will be available to anyone that does a Break & Run & 

Thank you for choosing to play with APA of Central Ohio and we hope the changes let you know that we want you to be proud of the decision you have made. We will work hard to keep your business and provide you with a great experience that you can be proud to bring others into. The American Poolplayers Association is the world's largest amateur pool league for a reason and working together we can make our local franchise even better. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the league office at (614) 833-1009 or email at ckirkpatrick@apaleagues.com

Sincerely,

Candy Fleischmann, League Operator                               

Mike Fleischmann, League Manager