How Many Years Have You REALLY Been Playing?
- Thread starter BasementDweller
- Start date
It took me three years of total obsession with pool to reach what I would call the "shortstop" level, able to beat most local players. By the time I was 22 I was a known player around Dayton, not one of the best, but just under them. I had already begun playing on the road so to speak in Oklahoma, Cincinnati and New York where I either went to school or had jobs.
At age 22, I was an excellent shot maker and could move the cue ball with reasonable proficiency. I had probably achieved at least 75-80% of my maximum potential by then. From that point on, I couldn't gain much in terms of my ability to make shots or my execution of them. My stroke was now intact. What I could still gain was maturity as a player, composure and KNOWLEDGE!
I probably only improved one speed above that level after the age of 22. From a low level shortstop to a mid level shortstop, if that makes any sense. I went from being a good local player to a guy who could beat almost any local talent. Call it the Peter Principle or whatever, but by the time I was 24 or 25 I realized that I would never achieve greatness at pool. There were some players who were beyond my reach or range of ability. I could see that.
I hope this helps you in your analysis of pool abilities. One thing I might add is that after achieving a certain level of proficiency, you never seem to truly lose it. I can't tell you how many times I've laid off playing for months at a time (even years) and come back to the game and reclaimed my ability to play in a relatively short period of time. I'd say that after one week of steady play I can still play at 80-85% of my best speed. I don't think I'll ever play as good again as I did in my 20's and 30's, but in my last poolroom when I was in my 50's I played some pretty good pool against some very good players. Good enough that someone called me the King of the Ghetto after I beat 'Moto' playing Bank Pool. He is a legendary player around South L.A. :wink:
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Started throwing balls around when I was 10, picked up a cue at 13. Didn't seriously play much until I was 16, when a friend of mine and I would play after school for a couple hours after school senior year. Played some in college, but all of this playing didn't amount to much at all. Kid came, and so did other interests for about 20 hears until I picked it up again after a job layoff in 2009. Joined a league and was probably playing 10 hours a week maxiumum at my peak when I saw myself improve to a higher level, but still wasn't anywhere close to where I wanted to be.
I would say that more play increased my proficiency, but it's all for nothing unless I'm playing smart and still learning. I think if I played 30 hours a week I could be decent. Not world class, but better than average. There's just not enough time in the day/week to do that. I think a lot of the greats have made pool their life, and combined with good teaching and natural ability that's what makes them so great.
I would say that more play increased my proficiency, but it's all for nothing unless I'm playing smart and still learning. I think if I played 30 hours a week I could be decent. Not world class, but better than average. There's just not enough time in the day/week to do that. I think a lot of the greats have made pool their life, and combined with good teaching and natural ability that's what makes them so great.
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I like your avatar photo. That's Fats standing in his front yard in Dowell, IL. The driveway is the road behind him and the "highway" is the other road. A long time ago I drove down that highway to his house and parked in that driveway. He entertained me all day, sitting on the edge of his pool table telling stories. That photo brings back good memories for me. Thanks!
Thanks for doing my homework for me. That makes a lot more sense.
I need to read the book.
DING...DING...DING!!! WE...HAVE...A...WINNER
TELL UM WHAT HE WON JOHNNY!!!
You won an unpaid, non-inclusive, non-expense paid, buy your own way, entry into next years Bank Pool Tournament at the Derby City Classic. Congratulations. *
60,000 hours is nearly 7 YEARS OF POOL PLAYING. WOW!
* Due to the economic downturn our prize fund has been slightly depleted.
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Thanks, Jay!
Your real life experience seems to fall right in line with others, like yourself, which is what the 10,000 hour theory is based on. It seems to give the theory more validation. It's kinda eery how similar the experiences can be amongst many different subjects. Not that I'm calling you a subject :wink:
Eric >object?
Your real life experience seems to fall right in line with others, like yourself, which is what the 10,000 hour theory is based on. It seems to give the theory more validation. It's kinda eery how similar the experiences can be amongst many different subjects. Not that I'm calling you a subject :wink:
Eric >object?
I've been wondering what role a persons life experience's outside of pool has in helping them with their pool playing.
I returned to playing pool after 40 plus years of not playing serious pool. During that time, I would play in a bar just for fun, nothing ever serious.
Also, during that time, I've had quite a variety of life experiences. It dawned on me awhile back that I draw alot from those experiences in order to improve in my playing, yet none of those experiences were directly related to pool.
I started to list a few of those experiences, but the post was getting way too long.
I guess the point is that the time put into experiences outside of pool that help with your game is just as valuable as direct hours put into the game.
I returned to playing pool after 40 plus years of not playing serious pool. During that time, I would play in a bar just for fun, nothing ever serious.
Also, during that time, I've had quite a variety of life experiences. It dawned on me awhile back that I draw alot from those experiences in order to improve in my playing, yet none of those experiences were directly related to pool.
I started to list a few of those experiences, but the post was getting way too long.
I guess the point is that the time put into experiences outside of pool that help with your game is just as valuable as direct hours put into the game.
It would be nearly impossible to quantify what value our non-pool related activities actually add to our actual pool playing ability (if that makes sense). I do think that all the other activates that you do that involve eye-hand coordination will definitely have some benefit - at least in the early going. Growing up I played a lot of basketball (along with other sports) and I think this carried over to my early pool playing. I’m guessing the other “things” that someone does prior to playing pool would be what accounts for some players “natural talent”. In the long term I don’t really think it accounts to a whole lot. Other than those that show the “natural talent” early on are probably more likely to get hooked on the game.