lessons yes or no

I hope I can articulate my answer for you:

YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes

Thank you
 
MVP & Book Collector:

There is something to be learned from everyone.

Sometimes you get what you pay for and other times, well, it's just a lesson in finance.

Instructors come in different configurations. I'm prone toward those who can really play and I have received more than my money's worth from pro players like John Schmidt but I have also been disappointed with other professional players' ability to instruct. Stan Shuffett is second to none, in teaching or in level of play.

Some "professional pocket billiard instructors" have a good following and advertise well and make their clients happy by teaching a standardized format. Others, talk a good game (teaching/instructing) but alas, they sometimes fail too.

References is where its at. Talk to YOUR peers, people who are honest and like-minded (as it relates to pool instructors) and listen to what they have to say. Form a consensus of opinion and invest your money.

You either need to have a clear understanding of your own deficiencies and goals as well as confidence in your instructor/coach/pro player to be able to fill those needs or you need to know if they have to ability to determine what your deficiencies are and suggest practical and usable solutions.

Good luck.
 
stan shuffett said:
I developed a tremor in my grip hand about 10 years ago. I first noticed it playing Patcheye some one-pocket. Along with that and the fact that I love teaching is the major reason for dormancy in my competition game.

I am 60 now and I still play some and it sounds as though you are close enough to where we could play. Just let me know, I have a 9 footer and I will guarantee you that you can win enough to cover lessons (10 Ball). And, Landon beats me, so you can play him some sets as well.......I taught him CTE.
He will play you some $200 sets of 10 ball.

In meantime, should you get CTE lessons, it's likely you will see a way that you'll significantly improve your game in many areas.

Stan Shuffett
Click to expand...

This is one of the very smartest guys I've ever met when it comes to pool. End of story.
 
The Struggle of Learning how to play pool well.

You know, I was hesitant to post the following statement and this is just a personal opinion and it probably says more about my journey than other people's journey but I'll do it anyway.

I think some people can learn more from an instructor/player who has struggled to get to the top of their playing field. Playing well came easy for Schmidt but I think he may be the exception to my opinion and I think John might also be the first to say that if you are a D player, you need to find another instructor unless you just want to watch him run racks and pontificate on all of the finer points of higher level play. Don't get me wrong, John probably knows as much about pool as anyone but I don't think he would enjoy teaching D players. He's never told me that but I don't think he would enjoy teaching the most basic fundamentals of bridging, aiming and such, especially to someone who doesn't have a clue as to how to run a few balls. My apologies to John if need be, in advance.

If an instructor struggled to play at a high level (and does play at a relatively high level), my thinking is that he or she might have a broader understanding of what you are going through and might possibly be able to provide additional introspection that will help you to deal with your demons and to reach your goals.

There are people on this forum whom I would enjoy learning from if opportunity presents itself, some who play better than me and some who play, well let's just say, not as well as me.

I think the "struggle of learning" is a powerful foundation for teaching pool, especially if it is combined with the ability to play well after the struggle.

Hope this makes some sense. I took a quick shot at offering my personal opinion and this is my only draft. :smile:
 
JoeyA said:
You know, I was hesitant to post the following statement and this is just a personal opinion and it probably says more about my journey than other people's journey but I'll do it anyway.

I think some people can learn more from an instructor/player who has struggled to get to the top of their playing field. Playing well came easy for Schmidt but I think he may be the exception to my opinion and I think John might also be the first to say that if you are a D player, you need to find another instructor unless you just want to watch him run racks and pontificate on all of the finer points of higher level play. Don't get me wrong, John probably knows as much about pool as anyone but I don't think he would enjoy teaching D players. He's never told me that but I don't think he would enjoy teaching the most basic fundamentals of bridging, aiming and such, especially to someone who doesn't have a clue as to how to run a few balls. My apologies to John if need be, in advance.

If an instructor struggled to play at a high level (and does play at a relatively high level), my thinking is that he or she might have a broader understanding of what you are going through and might possibly be able to provide additional introspection that will help you to deal with your demons and to reach your goals.

There are people on this forum whom I would enjoy learning from if opportunity presents itself, some who play better than me and some who play, well let's just say, not as well as me.

I think the "struggle of learning" is a powerful foundation for teaching pool, especially if it is combined with the ability to play well after the struggle.

Hope this makes some sense. I took a quick shot at offering my personal opinion and this is my only draft. :smile:
Click to expand...

My assessment of how I play would be a 7 according to the Arizona Rating system at 9 ball and an 8 at One Pocket only because I kick and bank better than most 7s. I agree that beginners and people who have played intermittently at lower levels would usually be better off with instructors who were not the higher level players.
 
ok I get it i have a shitty attitude,but im no novice, been playin for about 30 years!! But you all have to agree lessons are very expensive!Im still gonna try a local, I think hes bca certified, ITs Judix james. you know him?
 
mvp said:
ok I get it i have a shitty attitude,but im no novice, been playin for about 30 years!! But you all have to agree lessons are very expensive!?
Click to expand...

Actually, I don't have to agree that lessons are very expensive. I've seen plenty of players spend more on a pool cue than the price of lessons. And I can tell you without a doubt, which one will help someone's game more.

Steve
 
mvp said:
ok I get it i have a shitty attitude,but im no novice, been playin for about 30 years!! But you all have to agree lessons are very expensive!Im still gonna try a local, I think hes bca certified, ITs Judix james. you know him?
Click to expand...

I don't know that instructor. I can tell you that I took my first lesson after about 40 years of playing; not constantly playing but playing at least occasionally. It was the best money I've spent on my game and I've gotten better ever since. If you're willing to work at what you learn, assuming you can learn something, the amount you spend for lessons will be ridiculously cheap.

BTW, I don't consider $50 - $150 to be too much or even high. Golf lessons from a PGA certified pro go for $35 - $100 a half hour and the top golf instructors (Hank Haney, Butch Harmon, etc) get far more than that. It's a damn difficult way to make a living which seems to be more the rule than exception in this game.

Look at it this way. Have you ever lost a set for $50 in less than an hour? Got to shoot maybe 5 or 6 shots? How much did you learn? Yeah, it's not even close.

Brian in VA
 
mvp said:
ok I get it i have a shitty attitude,but im no novice, been playin for about 30 years!! But you all have to agree lessons are very expensive!Im still gonna try a local, I think hes bca certified, ITs Judix james. you know him?
Click to expand...

I skipped to the end of this thread so I dont know or care really where all this about your attitude came from.. What Ill tell you is to me pool is a game all its own and the rules of most other games dont apply here there is no such thing as a pool coach there are however pool teachers, and there aint no good pool teacher that cant play some they dont need to be Reyes speed but they can play....You want to learn this game, one way or the other your going to pay....Hours of your life , loosing sets to a better player plus table time or to a teacher...If I had the time Id be going to John Schmidts new pool room and making him a deal on a set of lessons. If he cant teach you, you might as well find a new hobby...
 
First, thanks to 9Ball Marksman, and many others who I have had the pleasure of working with. I love my job, and do my best to give my students the tools they need to IMPROVE THEMSELVES. No instructor can make you a better player. The good ones can, however, point you on the road to learning how to teach yourself to be a better player.

Let me tell you a little story...about a guy looking for pool lessons. That person invested a significant amount of $$$ in their own table (they live in a small town with no poolhall). That same person has more than one fairly expensive cue. They have "played" pool for a long time. However that person thought pool lessons were WAY overpriced. So the solution was to talk to me (admittedly they did offer to buy me a hamburger), and try to get a few "hundred" questions answered...iow, pick my brain. I really had to laugh, but being a 'nice guy', I said "Sure, I'll talk to you for a short while...FOR FREE". I gave the guy a call the next time I was passing through his area (something I do on a fairly regular basis). Left a few messages, but we didn't connect. He did call me back later, and we spoke on the phone for awhile, and I helped him as much as I was able. He seemed appreciative, and mentioned that he wanted to hook up for lessons sometime soon. I've given him a couple of opportunities, but it hasn't been the "right time" yet. He posts HERE. :rolleyes:

Lessons are only worth whatever effort the student is willing to put into practice afterwards (regardless of the cost). There is no magic bullit.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
pooltchr said:
Actually, I don't have to agree that lessons are very expensive. I've seen plenty of players spend more on a pool cue than the price of lessons. And I can tell you without a doubt, which one will help someone's game more.

Steve
Click to expand...

Steve!!!! wOOt?!?
You re turning into an enemy of the cuemaking-industry :p

lg
Ingo
 
Ingo...Not at all! Steve is a HUGE proponent of the cue-making industry. That said, until a cuemaker invents a cue that 1) shoots by itself, and 2) never misses, a new cue will never replace quality instruction! :grin:...just so ya know, I KNOW you're just kidding!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Ratta said:
Steve!!!! wOOt?!?
You re turning into an enemy of the cuemaking-industry :p

lg
Ingo
Click to expand...
 
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