Joining a Pool League Without a Team

Plenty of people who'd like to play league pool don't have a team. They have a free Tuesday, a decent stroke and a few friends who would rather watch football. Not having a team isn't a problem in DMV-USA Pool League. Here's what the path looks like for a solo player, from the first message to the first rack.

You don't need a team to start

The league's position is simple: if you're looking to join a team, form a team or start up your own division, the operators are ready to help. For a solo player, that means sending your name, your town and the night you can play. A Division Rep takes it from there and places you with a team.

Rosters run up to eight players, and a match is five sets. A captain looking at a roster has to think about who plays, who rests and who fills in when somebody's out, so a new player with a steady schedule is useful to a team. That's general league practice, not a promise about any one captain, but it's why solo players get placed.

What to send, and what to expect

The sign-up form asks for your first and last name, email, phone, city, state and a message. Use the message. Say which game you play, how experienced you are, which nights are out, and how far you're willing to drive. The more a Division Rep knows, the better the match to a team.

We can't promise a same-week placement, because it depends on which rosters need players on which night. Flexibility helps in any league. If you can do two or three different nights, or play more than one game, you give the person placing you more options.

Sessions and when you can start

The league runs three sessions a year. Winter is 16 weeks, from mid-December to early April. Summer is 15 weeks, from early April to mid or late July. Fall is 15 weeks, from late July to late October. Team playoffs follow the Fall session, from November to early December, and the Summer and Fall points are prorated to 16 weeks.

That calendar means there are natural starting points. The calendar runs in sessions, and the Winter session starts in mid-December. There's no play on Thanksgiving Day or the weekend after, and the league tries to avoid Christmas Eve through New Year's Day, so a Winter start is gentler on the holidays than it sounds.

What a league night looks like

League nights run Sunday and Monday through Friday, with no Saturday play. Most matches start at 7:00pm. A few rooms start at 6:00 or 6:30, and the Sunday matches are in the afternoon, between 12:30 and 2:00pm. You'll find divisions in towns such as Annandale, Arlington, Herndon, Sterling, Fredericksburg, Bowie, Glen Burnie and Leonardtown.

Pick a night you can make nearly every week. A 15 or 16 week session is long, and a team that has to find a substitute every other Tuesday feels it. If a room is near your work, a weeknight match is far easier to keep than one across the beltway.

Every player carries a Fargo rating, and the league's line is that you can establish yours and grow it. You aren't expected to arrive with a perfect number. You play, the rating settles, and matches are handicapped from it so your first night isn't a mismatch. If you later think your number is off, a Fargo review costs $20 per player.

Before your first night, and other ways to play

Before the first night, get in touch with your captain and ask the basics: where to be, what time to arrive and whether to bring your own cue. Introduce yourself to the opposing captain when you get there. Pool leagues are friendly places, and a new face who shows up on time and plays fair gets a good reception almost everywhere.

The league also runs a weekly singles tournament series, organized through a Facebook group, where players earn points over the weeks. The top 16 in points qualify for a 16-person finals. It's built around individual results, so it's a natural fit if you like playing on your own account.

And if your own bar has tables and a crowd that wants to play, the operators will help you start a division. Divisions run from 4 to 16 teams.

When you're ready, the sign-up page takes your name, town and night. If you'd rather talk first, call Shanna Lewis at 321-604-1192.