Wanting Your Handicap to Go UP

I have run the Omega Billiards Tour for 2 1/2 years now and it's a very interesting thing to run a handicap tournament. 

Besides all the COMPLAINTS I get, there have been a few surprises.

Nice surprises.

I think I will see more of this as the tour gets older:

Some players WANT to move up.

The Omega Billiards Tour has a handicap from 5 to 9.

Almost all of the players are practicing more and getting more time in and want to improve IN THE TOURNAMENTS.

But there are some players that want to improve enough to where they get moved up with their handicap!

Wait, who does that?  Who wants that?

Man, I'd love to stay a 6 in this tournament the rest of my life.... but in reality, if I move up to a 7, what does that really mean?  That means I would be better than I am right now.  WOW!  However, I can't even fathom that.

But there are players who are rated as 5's that WANT everyone to see they are improving and WANT to do well enough that we have to move them up. 

It's an interesting concept really, because I don't know one single 7 or 8 that wants to move up to an 8 or 9.  Yes, they want to win a tournament.  Yes they want to do well and place well.  But they would rather not be moved up, lol.

The 5's that are improving, though, they want to improve enough to be FORCED to move up.

Interesting, huh?