Topic: How to get younger players involved...

[chance37]

I have only been playing for a little over a year now but have noticed that every bar I've been in is 21+.  If I were under 21 I'd be screwed....Is this a common theme in everyone elses area?  Everyone of the older players I've talked to said they played from a very young age.....And most of the time in bars......IMO this is one of the thorns that hold this sport back from growing....anyone offer any opinions or suggestions....thanks

[JimWaterman]

I couldn't agree with you more....
... the sport of table-soccer "has an access problem"....   there is not enough access to quality/well maintained tables in family friendly locations.   Heck, there could be better access in bars/pubs too!

There is one initiative of the ITSF, pushing for "training centers"... and the version of the vision that i heard ---- a location with 3 tables (they push for 2 or three flavors of tables)... and it could be open AS LITTLE AS 6 hours a week!    For example 2hrs, Mon, Wed & Fri from 3-5pm or something....     KID friendly would be ideal... and this would ideally not be a business to make money (cost the kids too much).... but for foosball/sports promotions so that it helps to create GROWTH in our sports future.   A soccer mom (foosball mom) could manage the place, charge very modest fees to entrance or manange a monthly/yearly membership fee or the like, ideally with foosball training assistance from local pros (be it rookies or amateurs on tour)....   it doesn't have to be much for starters.  i

Hmmm... we have a local gentlemen who runs a PC gaming "arcade"... they have 1 foosball table and the kids took to it as expected!    All we need to do is "provide access" and the amazing game of foosball hooks new players just fine.   We now get a handful of very skilled under 21 foosers attending our state tournament.

Hmmm... Tailgate foos... here's a fun way to get "exposure" to foosball to new faces/demographics...
... the kids find teh table and play game after game after game.... but....

... then we have to send 'em to fakeID.com to get credentials so they can sneak into a bar to get a game... 

What types of "public locations" might foosball work in your area that could help address the "access problem"?

Jim

[rradjabi]

I grew up in San Jose, California, and I never had trouble playing foosball before I turned 21. Almost every pool hall has a foosball table, and you don't need to be 21 to get into pool halls. I don't know if they're more strict in other states, but there's nothing keeping kids out of pool halls until they close (except their own parents?).