While nearly 70% of APA Leagues have been able to return to play, restrictions in some states have left some poolplayers waiting on the sidelines. In an effort help get those members back to playing the sport they love, APA has been working with its League Operators and Host Locations in these states to educate officials on how pool tables can safely be used.
In July, APA unveiled its #PlaySafe campaign to encourage its members to take precautions to limit their risk of exposure to Covid-19. Since pandemic lockdowns began to be lifted in May, APA has reached out directly to officials in the states of New York, North Carolina, Louisiana, Vermont, Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Nebraska, Delaware, Colorado, Oregon, Ohio, Texas, Washington, Kansas, and Missouri.
While it’s been a slow and arduous process, in some areas the lobbying appears to have been effective. Several of those states have since allowed for the return of pool, with officials from two of those states, Nebraska and Vermont, reaching out to the organization directly thanking them for helping them to better understand the impact APA, and the sport of pool, has on their states.
Restrictions still remain in some states, however, and APA will continue to work with its League Operators and Host Locations to do everything in its power to get poolplayers safely back on the table as soon as possible.