The Mentality of a fooser

I wrote this articles a long time ago. With the current state of the foosball scene and it's players, reading it saddens me. Things are so different now. I guess that in time i was expecting it. But in the current state and the things that have happened I do not have the same love for the game as i did a year ago.

The mentality of a Fooser.

A lot of times when we play foosball we wonder what is the right way to play the game. Within the technicalities of the game as well as the mentality that you must have as a player. This short note is not to tell you what to do but gives you an idea of things you can think of to better yourself as a player as well as help the game.

I personally have been playing the game for almost 10 years. I have not won any major tournaments, have lost to many players and simultaneously been trashed to kingdom come. And why do I come back to the game? Because I love it! Simple isn’t it. And chances if you are reading this, then you love it too.

But here is the answer, don’t love it because you can trash someone, don’t love it because you can shoot the meanest snake shot this side of Brickfields.

Love it because you have friends that enjoy the same joy you do. Love it because you love the game. A lot of time I see players slaving over a table learning how to do that mean snake shot. I really like these players because they want to be good at the sport. But here is the reality of it for me. I love this game so much because of the people that I have met and also the friendships I have developed.

Remember those days when you didn’t know the difference between a brush and a stick pass? And someone explained it to you, and better yet showed you what it was. I hope some of you who think about that think of me as well. Well the beauty of this game is to teach that younger player or less experienced player how to make shots. How to do the smoothest brush pass. I do not know about you but I am proud of seeing the younger players develop to levels I can’t even imagine for myself. Yes, I may have my ass kicked by them but it’s all the part of the teaching process. I hope that someday these same people will partake in the teaching of newer players.

So on my own personal take, this is the mentality of foosball. Play the game, love the game, learn the game and most of all help the game.

Don’t be scared to ask and don’t hesitate when you take that shot.

Authored by
Pietro Ambrose Felix
www.myfoosball.com


Are We Doing Enough?
By Pietro Felix

Ever notice how the general discussion at every foosing session or competition usually lands about "there are not enough players", "there are not enough female players" or "there are not enough players who want to play in competition". Sounds familiar. And all of us always talk about trying to get new players to come and play. I must admit that some of you guys actually kept to your word. Kudos to you. But what about the rest of us.

Here is the main thing. We all go out and play foosball and it is a passion to us. Think about that first time when you knew this was the game of your dreams and all the events that lead to it. If we can get everyone to feel that way then awesome. But easier said than done.

I think that some of us started early in the game and therefore are more advanced than most players and some people just give it up after they can't beat you after awhile. SO what do we do?!

The main problem that I personally see is that most of us talk to newbies and try and teach but there is usually no follow through. What is another reason most of us play even though we keep loosing after 2 games? It's called friendship and feeling that you belong to something. That is the key! You can teach all you want to someone you met over a foosball table. You can have a beer with them in a club. Then what happens after the night is over. That person disappears. I think you guys know what I am getting at. The idea here is not just to get that person interested in the game but also feels that they have joined our foosing family. Most of us are not so hardworking to invite people we have just met and ask them to join an existing group of fooser friends. Well if we all think this way then we are screwed.

Secondly, I was looking at our new Malaysian Foosball website and I noticed that it's the same people that are on the foosball.info website. So here is another suggestion.... The moment we see someone playing or even remotely interested in the game, we give them the websites. They may not want to talk to us a lot over the table but if we can make them remember the website addresses and they come in, at some point of their young life, it might generate the interests a little bit more. SO the next time you see someone foosing and you end up having a word or 2 with them just mentioned the website. I think our webmasters have been great in generating these sites for us. But I think when they created it they had more in mind than just a place for us to chit chat... it should be a tool that all foosers should use to promote the game to everyone they know.

Can we print flyers. Get someone to design a little A4 black and white flyer promoting the website. I can photostat the flyers in my office if you guys want.

I think all of us can do our little part if we try.

It's not how you play the game, it's who you play it with!

Pietro Felix
5/09/02
www.foosball.info