OPINION: Howard Williamson - The pool table is still a relevant resource

The presence of the pool table in the youth club is often vilified in progressive circles of youth work. It is reminiscent of the days when youth work was solely associated with pool and table tennis. It is suggestive of the dominance of activity-based practice, of leisure provision and of young men circling the table and playing winner stays on. Far from being part of any developmental or challenging practice, it symbolises some pathetic reflection of pub culture.

But it does not have to be that way. A pool table can be a creative resource in a youth centre if youth workers have the courage to use it as an educational tool rather than a device for keeping the older young men happy. I once ran a training course on Breaking into Conventional Pool: creative uses of the pool table. It was amazing how many youth workers simply accepted the received wisdom of how a pool table could be used: a single list (names down) and one set of rules (winner stays on).

I suggested that one could have different lists (for girls and boys, for example, so that girls get an independent chance to play), that one could play loser stays on or that the new player could play anyone of their choice, and many other things. This inevitably produces allegations of unfairness. But it also raises the possibility of young people learning that there are few fixed positions in life. Indeed, the least you learn is that the first rule of pool is to establish the rules.

That is the general scenario, but I want, here, to talk about Terry, a young man with profound learning and physical disabilities. Terry was a regular attender at the youth club. He tended to stand alone in the corner, but was sometimes prone to outbursts of temper. He was a big lad and, when this happened, he was hard to control.

From the age of 12, I gave him half an hour, twice a week, for six years, and taught him to play pool. He could not recognise the colours but, eventually, if you pointed to the ball he should aim for, he became quite skilled at potting it. At the age of 18, Terry went to a residential home. His mother told me that the only thing that helped him to integrate with the other residents was his ability to play pool. That was his only competence in life. He would come back to the youth club from time to time and amaze all the other young people, especially the Jack-the-lads, with his skills on the pool table. The satisfaction he got from being recognised for this was quite apparent from his broad grin every time a ball went in the pocket.

So let us not be so dismissive about the pool table: it all depends on how it is made use of, and with whom.