what does it really take to be an A or B player?

Desertshark,

I felt kinda the way you do prior to my lesson with Scott. I played well and had been a student of the game for many years. Watching matches, practicing lots. I had developed some bad habits that were quite frankly unknown to me, and enlightening to see.

You are for sure different than your average student, because you are willing to discuss here on AZ, and you are about to take a lesson!

1. Monthly lessons will not be necessary. A systematic method to train yourself with immediate feedback is so valuable. As long as you fairly self-diagnose AND use the tools to address the gaps from your ideal to your actual performance is POWERFUL
 
boyersj said:
Desertshark,

I felt kinda the way you do prior to my lesson with Scott. I played well and had been a student of the game for many years. Watching matches, practicing lots. I had developed some bad habits that were quite frankly unknown to me, and enlightening to see.

You are for sure different than your average student, because you are willing to discuss here on AZ, and you are about to take a lesson!

1. Monthly lessons will not be necessary. A systematic method to train yourself with immediate feedback is so valuable. As long as you fairly self-diagnose AND use the tools to address the gaps from your ideal to your actual performance is POWERFUL

2. Instructors are going to have a complete from the ground level up agenda so as Scott says, let me do my thing and then see if I covered everything you wanted!
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I couldn't edit my incomplete post so I tried to fix it here. My lesson was one of the best things that I ever did, and I hope you will feel the same way. I look forward to seeing your posts after meeting with Jerry!
 
In the mean time while eagerly awaiting for this weekend, I got bumped from the APA up to a 5 in 8-ball. I'm pretty Stoked about that, I'm reaching my goal quicker than I thought. ;)
 
boyersj said:
To summarize: your first match was a loss, and you dropped. it is typical to always drop if first match is a loss. Now you have 3 matches, your skill level will be based on the 2 better matches. Which based on your post should make you a SL5 next week (based on 15 innings/4 games won). If you were to loose next match, it would not affect your skill level (assuming they do change it the way my LO does) because it would not be part of your better 50%.
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Looks like that guy was right :) Congratulations on APA SL5. By the way, I am quite serious about this too: Don't be over eager to move up in APA unless you are playing consistently, it can hurt your team (but if you are, by all means go for it, too many players get content at a level below their capability). Your skill level will be very volatile until you have 10 matches, after that your score will be averaged over your best 5 matches. a Great score this week (below 2.0 will quickly move you to a 6!

Steve
 
boyersj said:
Looks like that guy was right :) Congratulations on APA SL5. By the way, I am quite serious about this too: Don't be over eager to move up in APA unless you are playing consistently, it can hurt your team (but if you are, by all means go for it, too many players get content at a level below their capability). Your skill level will be very volatile until you have 10 matches, after that your score will be averaged over your best 5 matches. a Great score this week (below 2.0 will quickly move you to a 6!

Steve
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Yeah Steve you're pretty good, maybe betting on horses should be a part time job lol. Yeah one of our fill in 6's is moving on but he's a BCA player so he would rather do that. In turn I got my practice buddy on the team. He's a solid 4 and the jitters will probably drop him for a little bit. I can consistently run him, but he watches and learns and plays better. So he's in and we are good even if he raises to a 5. I want to cap out and go for an A or B rating in BCA in the next few sessions. Tomorrow night will decide my fate for now lol
 
desertshark said:
Since I started playing again in October, I've averaged about 4 hours a day on the table. Most of time being weekends with 6-8 hours straight playing the ghost, friends or other pool hall junkies. I run a lot of drills, 9-ball, 10-ball and 8-ball of a strong spread and ball in hand to practice looking for run out patterns. With 9&10 ball I average 4 out of 5 run outs. 8 ball is a little less as getting shape around the non-object balls or I knock one in the way of my run out pattern.

I am due for lessons this month but I guess I'm looking for a firm grasp on what I need to achieve to be a better player. I had issues awhile back with long corner shots. I bought a set of the Elephant practice balls and spent 5 hours straight with them using them from all angles. I switched back to regular cue balls and noticed my effectiveness of making those shots improved ten fold.

I play in Phoenix and don't really get to see any pros let alone play with any. The closest I have is an APA rated 8 but I rarely see him playing outside of league but I really want to play him and analyze his patterns, English usage, aiming system and his bank shots. The guy is a great player and I would like to be on his level and eventually win a few games against him. But mostly pick his brain to learn more.

I've played the 5&6's on my 9-ball team and beat them in practice and casual play.
I'be played the 6&7's on my 8-ball team and beat them in practice and casual play too.

Hopefully that rant helps lol
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If you want to watch and have an opportunity to play some great players come to Kolbys in Tempe. Friday is one of the best days .
 
lol no, now if i guessed your next match results, then it would be time to take up horse betting :) Cool you got your buddy onto the team as well. If he doesn't post here, tell him that is the best thing he can do to improve his game!

Take care and good luck man!
 
take every shot one step at a time

Im not an instructor, im a 7/9 eight ball and nine ball. in apa. the way to move up if your wanting to is every shot do the most you can do with it if it is to make the ball and get shape see if you hit exactly like u wanted after the shot is over make sure you get in the right side of the next ball if you didnt then u need to adjust watevr u did wrong if it is play safe then get the ball were u want it. if not then adjust dont early out in nine ball making 3 balls is better than making the 9 just do the best you can with every shot and practice alot it will come
 
Well looks like I have to work on longevity. Had a race to 4 I ran hard the first 2 games and wheels fell off! Lol
 
Scott, I had to cancel. My fiances grandmother passed. I spent most of that Sunday helping with clearing out the house and emotional support. I called jerry and I hope I didn't upset him, but for the next few weeks, my weekends are going to be spent packing moving and helping out. I did squeeze away a few hours on the table because my fiance is awesome, but I know where I'm needed. If my games keeps where its at, I'll be a 4/5 in 8-ball and I think I might float around 3/4 in 9-ball. I'm also moving in August and turning my garage into a pool room so I might hold off until then to give jerry a try so I can keep focus in my own place and not have to worry about bumping into somebody and losing focus on my game.

Thanks for checking up Scott :)
 
desertshark...I kind of thought something happened, when you didn't post about it. Sorry for your loss! Knowing what's most important (family) is what helps us poolplayers stay grounded. Jerry will be there when you're ready! Good luck with your league play!

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

desertshark said:
Scott, I had to cancel. My fiances grandmother passed. I spent most of that Sunday helping with clearing out the house and emotional support. I called jerry and I hope I didn't upset him, but for the next few weeks, my weekends are going to be spent packing moving and helping out. I did squeeze away a few hours on the table because my fiance is awesome, but I know where I'm needed. If my games keeps where its at, I'll be a 4/5 in 8-ball and I think I might float around 3/4 in 9-ball. I'm also moving in August and turning my garage into a pool room so I might hold off until then to give jerry a try so I can keep focus in my own place and not have to worry about bumping into somebody and losing focus on my game.

Thanks for checking up Scott :)
Click to expand...
 
desertshark said:
Since I started playing again in October, I've averaged about 4 hours a day on the table. Most of time being weekends with 6-8 hours straight playing the ghost, friends or other pool hall junkies. I run a lot of drills, 9-ball, 10-ball and 8-ball of a strong spread and ball in hand to practice looking for run out patterns. With 9&10 ball I average 4 out of 5 run outs. 8 ball is a little less as getting shape around the non-object balls or I knock one in the way of my run out pattern.

I am due for lessons this month but I guess I'm looking for a firm grasp on what I need to achieve to be a better player. I had issues awhile back with long corner shots. I bought a set of the Elephant practice balls and spent 5 hours straight with them using them from all angles. I switched back to regular cue balls and noticed my effectiveness of making those shots improved ten fold.

I play in Phoenix and don't really get to see any pros let alone play with any. The closest I have is an APA rated 8 but I rarely see him playing outside of league but I really want to play him and analyze his patterns, English usage, aiming system and his bank shots. The guy is a great player and I would like to be on his level and eventually win a few games against him. But mostly pick his brain to learn more.

I've played the 5&6's on my 9-ball team and beat them in practice and casual play.
I'be played the 6&7's on my 8-ball team and beat them in practice and casual play too.

Hopefully that rant helps lol
Click to expand...

might want to look up where scott frost and lenny play. i've learned an immense amount about cue ball control by watching videos of scott play one pocket.
 
I am going to agree with JoeW. Cue ball control. But I like what Max Eberle says. Pick an exact spot where you want the cue ball and not a "zone." Be more demanding of yourself.

I too have wondered how much time the pros have put in. I have had the advantage of seeing lots of pros having lived in Reno where they used to have the Sands Regency 9-ball tournament twice a year. Tommy Kennedy told me when he was learning he was playing 12 hours a day. I listened to some recent commentary where the commentator had invited a pro to spend nights at his house. He woke up to balls clicking against each other before the sun got up. I also liked to ask how they practiced. The overwhelming response was, "I practice straight pool."
 
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