What Do You Look For in a Pool Instructor

lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here's a very vanilla question for the board: what are your criterion for giving an instructor you money, time, and attention?

In another thread there was list of some very talented people that offer instruction: Anthony Beeler; Mark Wilson; Tor Lory; Jerry Briesath; Bert Kinster; Stan Shuffett; Max Eberle; Randy G; Little Joe; Dave Pearson; Jackie Carol; John Schmidt; Dan Louie; Fran Crimi. I suspect there are others like Sammy Diep, Demetrius Jelatis, Tommy Kennedy, Nick Varner, and Alex Lely. There's also a 14.1 guy on the East Coast but his name escapes me at the moment.

They all have something to offer the aspiring pool player. So I am asking: what is it that you look for and would lead you to pick *one* instructor over another.

Lou Figueroa
 
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GoldCrown

GoldCrown

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Good thread.. Good question. I looked for a stroke instructor as I needed help pocketing balls. Eventually I sought a 1p instructor. Looked for a dedicated specialty instructor
The one I liked was the one I Clicked with .. if that makes sense. I took one lesson and went from there. I selected them by reviews and recommendations here on AZB. I looked for how they analysed my needs and how they communicated. Communication/technique would be the key factor.
 
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couldnthinkof01

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think having a pool coach that worked with you a few times a week over a 3+ month period would be very effective.
I don't see the point in one off "lessons" or 2 day camps or whatever they do.
I say find a good player that you see on a regular basis, make friends, and bug them to help you.
This has been an effective system for me.
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
My needs are simple.

pj <- sorry, not sorry
chgo

HD-wallpaper-pool-table-pool-woman-cue-balls-cue.jpg
 
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MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
it’s ironic. You want someone to push you out of your own self imposed limits but do it on your terms. I would want some aiming help but it can’t be an aiming system I already have a bias against. I completely appreciate a style favoring action, drills, doing, repetition, etc. But I’m also a very cerebral player. I will want some knowledge of physics and why. I’m heavily guarded against being past on old wives tales. I kinda don’t trust those master players that can play at a high level but can’t explain what’s happening. And at the same time that shouldn’t be asking for much because in my mind the beauty of the game is its simplicity and I think we have tendencies to over complicate it. And I don’t want them to be taller than me.
 
B

BasementDweller

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't know exactly what I want and I don't see me getting any instruction any time soon. If things change, I have a pretty short list of who I would bother to spend time with on my game and the list only has TinMan on it. For now anyways.
 
iusedtoberich

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Me personally, I’d want the best player that’s available to me. I don’t care if he has never given a lesson in his life.

Whether that’s the local hot shot, or the regional pro, or Efren who I’d have a language barrier with.

That’s just me:)
 
dquarasr

dquarasr

Registered
My frame of reference: APA SL6

For my development, I had looked for an instructor that can identify and provide remedies for my particular stated goals, flaws, physical attributes, and learning style. As I had mentioned in other threads, at least one certified instructor I engaged taught to a formula, not to my particular needs. At the time, that did not work for me.

In my current development, I might now be at the point where I can get into the more esoteric aspects of pool: mental and emotional control as my fundamentals are better than they were two years ago. As a result, I think my criteria for an instructor change as I progress. I still need someone who can analyze why I miss, and fix alignment and stroke flaws, but not as much as in the past. So these days, formulaic lessons covering things like speed control drills, banking systems, aiming systems or suggestions, might be more welcome.

Overriding what I mention above, ability to listen to my goals and target my lessons thusly, as well as ability to identify things I don't know I should be working on, and communication skills to explain to me why we should work on those topics, would be paramount.

Reading this response before I post it, I'm sorry if I didn't explain it very well.
 
T

tomatoshooter

Well-known member
MattPoland said:
You want someone to push you out of your own self imposed limits but do it on your terms.
Click to expand...
I think part of being a good student is being willing to do what an instructor says with an open mind. Then take what works for you and leave the other stuff. That suggestion is probably best for an intermediate player who has the awareness and ability to do that.

iusedtoberich said:
Me personally, I’d want the best player that’s available to me. I don’t care if he has never given a lesson in his life.
Click to expand...
I'd be careful with that. Some people may pick up the skills so naturally and have been doing it so long that they can't really articulate the process. There's some truth to the saying "Those who can, do. Those who can't teach." I couldn't really explain how to walk. On the other hand they could still show you a lot and you would benefit, but I would expect an experienced instructor to be able to chart a path to improvement in a broader range. Really, they both have something to offer, and what aspects of your game you want to address will determine which is best for you.
 
couldnthinkof01

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
tomatoshooter said:
I'd be careful with that. Some people may pick up the skills so naturally and have been doing it so long that they can't really articulate the process. There's some truth to the saying "Those who can, do. Those who can't teach." I couldn't really explain how to walk. On the other hand they could still show you a lot and you would benefit, but I would expect an experienced instructor to be able to chart a path to improvement in a broader range. Really, they both have something to offer, and what aspects of your game you want to address will determine which is best for you.
Click to expand...
Can't remember where I heard it.
Someone who gets good real young might have trouble articulating how they do what they do. Someone who got good say, after 18-20, will be able to explain how they do what they do better.
Ymmv
 
iusedtoberich

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't think an instructor has to articulate anything. I could shadow Efren, speaking no English, and I think I'd learn a ton from him. Think Inner Game of Tennis. Maybe throw 5 balls on the table, have him run out. Then I'd repeat his exact patterns. Do that a few hours. No language needed. Again, that's just me, and my opinion:)
 
T

TheBasics

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Howdy All;

What I do NOT need is someone that tries to tell me "You HAVE to _____ " anything.
The only thing I HAVE to do is die. Everything else has an option. That said;

I am a visual learner, I need someone that can explain and show me what it is that
needs to happen. Instructors that have a 'set-in-stone' idea of what happens from
point A to Z are just about useless IMO. If someone is to instruct then they need to
evaluate the problem, and think through the different solutions to figure out what
will work with the learner. This requires good knowledge, skills and an active imagination.
No two shots are the same, neither are two players/learners. Lose the Cookie-cutter,
style and find what works with each learner.

hank
 
T

tomatoshooter

Well-known member
iusedtoberich said:
I could shadow Efren, speaking no English
Click to expand...
I think you are selling your language skills short!

You could certainly learn a lot that way, Heck, Efren could walk by me and enough pool genius would float through the air to bump me up 50 Fargoes. But all the great tennis players have coaches. All the NFL quarterbacks have coaches. Same with golfers. And the majority of those coaches are less decorated than the top players.
 
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