What's the current "pro level"?

Matt K · Post by **Matt K** » 08 Jun 2011 18:39

Since we don't have the convenience of other sports where a salary is the cutoff between pro and amateur, there's obviously going to be a gray area.

How good does somebody have to be in order to be considered playing at a professional level in 2011?

Hit x number of fearless/beastly contacts?
Placed in top 10 at a major tournament?

mc · Post by mc » 08 Jun 2011 20:14

I think that pro level is "payable".

If you can hit 30-40 tiltless consistently, with good style, you can hit a good selection of moderately harder tricks while stringing, and you're capable of doing that in front of a crowd / camera / kid's birthday party / etc, and you're also capable of being polite to crowds and presenting footbag in a positive, respectable light, then,

congratulations. You're pro.

Sincerely,

Someone who's been payed to perform, appeared on TV, and flown across the ocean by a toy company to play footbag.

ps: Granted - I don't make a full time living playing footbag, but if there is a paying gig, I am capable of getting it.

Corey · Post by **Corey** » 09 Jun 2011 07:15

Routine finals or circle semis at worlds.
edit: or BAP

PoisonTaffy · Post by **PoisonTaffy** » 09 Jun 2011 08:06

I agree with MC. Pro as I understand it is not an indication of level, but of involvement (this is from the top of my head, I'm sure there's a more accurate word for this).

An amateur does it for fun, and a pro does it competitively or for a living.

Jazzkid · Post by **Jazzkid** » 09 Jun 2011 08:31

Yep.....this has come up in music classes many times.......the answer is this.....the second you get paid for something that makes you a professional

The responsibilities that come however with saying that you are a professional jazz musician are a different thing........you are required (hopefully) by other players to have enough basic mastery of the language to actually participate in an interactive musical experience.....

in footbag...(i have never been to a comp, but want to go now more than ever) I would believe that as long as you have developed a basic vocabulary or arsenal of tricks that you can showcase then you are probably a pro........If you wanted to make a disctinction between levels.....you could either adds (everyone guitless and up is pro) or you could use ability to improvise......(meaning that you have done so many drills and sessions that you can FREELY shred and your body already knows the motions and you are riding a wave while mentally coming in and out to occasionally guide yourself towards the next theme in your run) when you achieve this (at any add difficulty) you have experienced pro status just for that moment...

just my thoughts........

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 09 Jun 2011 14:56

I guess I'm pretty conservative when it comes to words. I would say that you're a pro at anything when it's your what you do for a living. That doesn't just mean getting paid to do it, but being paid enough to be your main source of income and enough for you to support yourself on that income.

I would say that the level you need to be a "pro" is being able to consistently hit 1 minute plus dropless runs (with some harder moves, but doesn't have to conform to any add levels - ie. you can kick it), and then reasonable marketing skills. The ability to market yourself is far more important than your footbag skills if you want to be a professional.

crazylegs32 · Post by **crazylegs32** » 13 Jun 2011 21:36

I prefer the term expert to pro. Pros make $$$.
If you are realy good the term would be top level IMO.

Laroche · Post by **Laroche** » 14 Jun 2011 14:22

Jeremy wrote:The ability to market yourself is far more important than your footbag skills if you want to be a professional.

Replace "footbag" with "X" and this applies to pretty much everything... sage words