Editor Note: Even while our Hobby Program is paused, the spirit behind it hasn’t gone anywhere. When we asked team members what hobbies they’d love support for, pool came up more than once and it makes sense. Sometimes, a simple game can be the spark that keeps friendships strong and brings a little joy into the week. This month, we’re spotlighting one of those hobbies and the connections it builds.
Racking up friendships, playing pool is more than a game
At first, when I started thinking about upgrading my pool gear, I thought it was all about the game itself, new pool cues, a smoother table, or different types of pool balls. But the more I thought about it, I realized that playing pool is way more than just making shots. It’s about the people I’m actually playing with.
As adults, friendships can be a pain to hold onto, everyone’s busy with work, family, and all the other things that life throws at you. But what I’ve found is that hobbies, like pool, give you a reason to make an effort to see each other. When my friends and I rack up a game, it’s not just about who wins, it’s about catching up on each other’s lives, having a laugh, and carving out some quality time together.
For me, that’s the best part. The game’s fun and all, but it’s the conversations we have between shots, the jokes we make, and even the little rivalries that keep me coming back for more. It’s nice to have something in your life that brings people together.
What’s really interesting is that shared hobbies don’t just stop at the hobby itself, once you’re getting together regularly, it’s only natural for the friendships to spill over into other areas of your life. The same friends who I play pool with are also the ones who’ll be at my family gatherings, lend a hand when I need it on a home improvement project, or show up for my neighbor’s birthday party. The time you spend around the table literally, or figuratively, builds a foundation that leads to a real support system.
As you get older, building friendships isn’t something that just happens automatically like it did when you were a kid. You have to make an effort to keep those friendships alive & growing. Shared hobbies make it a whole lot easier, whether it’s pool, tennis, going for a walk, or something else entirely, it’s that shared time and energy that really makes the bond stronger.
So as a side benefit, I really enjoy the opportunity to keep my friendships alive & growing. And if a good game of pool also leads to backyard cookouts, birthday celebrations, or getting sucked in to helping on a home improvement project well, that’s what friends are for.
Written by: James Gibson