BURNOUT 

By Foosball Fanatic  

This info can be distributed, emailed, faxed and printed by anyone, 
anywhere. It will be posted occasionally in alt.sport.foosball. I do not 
use a spell-checker, and frequently do not make sense. These are my 
theories on the art of foosball. I have no scientific studies or data to 
back up these ideas but I think you'll find them logical and useful. 

Do you know a bunch of good players that used to have great skills, but 
gave up the game? Even top pros or pro masters hit the wall sometimes. 
The Fanatic has days that he never wants to see another orange ball. 
Don't dispair, read on and maybe you won't burn out. The ideas below 
won't help your game, but they will help you from giving up the game. 

HOW DO PLAYERS BURN OUT 

Players give up the game for lots of different reasons...but some major 
categories emerge. 

Over Expectations....The Fanatic sees tons of Rookies that have been 
playing 1-2 years, and they get mad when they draw Terry Moore and he 
won't let they play up. The Fanatic made that part about Terry up, but 
you get my drift...I'd say 75% of young players over-rate themselves and 
they always think they should be doing better then they are. They might 
only win 1 tournament their first year, and of course they want to give 
up. But in actual fact...they are progressing at the normal rate of a 
beginner. 

Life Changes....A new job, a loss of a job, marriage, kids....all these 
things divert the focus of a player away from the game. Some players can 
balance the changes, others give up the game. 

Fun Factor...if your not having fun, you aren't going to play for long. 
The Fanatic knows too many players that didn't have fun and didn't last 
long. 

HOW TO PREVENT BURN OUT 

Don't play too much 
Players tend to get sick of the game when they play 3-4 dyp's a week and 
practice all the other nights. Try altering your schedule by playing 1 
less draw, or practicing one less time. 

Don't play too little 
If you play less than 2 times a month, then you may be getting so far 
removed from the game that you quit playing all together. You have to 
play often enough that your skills don't deteriorate. The Fanatic 
believes you have to play at least 26+ dyp's a year and 2 majors or your 
skills will continually decline. 

Relax and enjoy 
Your with friends, your are playing a game you love, and the waitresses 
wear those tight little black shorts where their butt-cheeks hang 
out....this is living! Enjoy it. 

Only play at tournaments where you like the folks 
If you hate the creep at a certain bar or DYP, don't go there. It is 
much more fun to play with people you like. Try some smaller weaker 
dyp's...you may be playing with lower ranked players, but you can coach 
some rookies and play with less pressure, and just have a fun time. 

Have a beer 
Are you an uptight, grouchy kinda player? Suck back a brew and let your 
hair down a little, you'll have more fun and enjoy the company. 

Don't have a beer 
If you drink 5 plus beers a tournament, you might be suprised to find 
out that this is negatively impacting your Coordination. Why not try 1-3 
beers, you'll spend less money and you'll see one ball instead of 3. 

WRAP IT UP 

The key to not burning out is to examine yourself. What is making you 
dislike the game? Attempt to remove or limit these factors. The above 
tips will help keep you playing the game and will minimize your chances 
of BURN-OUT. 

The Fanatic