A Musing on Improving as a Pool Player
Prior to the events I am about to write about, I played pool everyday (almost) in my basement, and I am pretty good at committing myself to some focused practice--drills and high run 14.1 attempts.
Last summer I injured my shoulder pretty good. Additionally, I had been commuting a long distance to a new job for a bit, and I finally took the plunge to move. I sold my beautiful Diamond table, and I moved halfway across the state to a rural area with no pool tables. There are bar tables 30 minutes from my house, but I don't care much for them.
My new Diamond table is due for installation in July and happy days will be here again. However, in the last year, I barely hit a ball. About once a quarter, I made a trip to spend a day with a sparring partner.
My sparring partner and I are an even match, but we prefer different games. As a result, we have fairly consistent outcomes--I tend to win playing one pocket, and he tends to win playing nine-ball. This last year, everytime we played (even though I had a three month lay off), our sets ended (essentially) the same. I won playing one-pocket, and he won playing nine-ball. The scores were similar to our scores prior to my injury and relocation.
Despite my long lay-off, it's hard to say that my level of play was all that dramatically affected.
Of course this has me asking the question: If I can take a year off and play almost the same, when the table is installed in July, what should I do with my time at the table?
To play high level pool (these days especially with rooms closing down left and right) I think consistent access to a table is essential to be a good player. However, this last year has helped me see (in a way that I hadn't before) that consistent access to a table and a fairly willing heart is not enough.
I have come to believe that many people (or maybe just me) overvalue "practice" and undervalue time under stress playing better players.
Maybe I will try an action-fused year? If your Fargo Rate is 680 - 750, and you are reading this; you got action...after August, assuming our calendars can align, you live in the midwest, the spots right, and the stakes are reasonable.
Go easy on me, my shoulder hurts and I haven't hit a ball in 5 months.
kollegedave
Prior to the events I am about to write about, I played pool everyday (almost) in my basement, and I am pretty good at committing myself to some focused practice--drills and high run 14.1 attempts.
Last summer I injured my shoulder pretty good. Additionally, I had been commuting a long distance to a new job for a bit, and I finally took the plunge to move. I sold my beautiful Diamond table, and I moved halfway across the state to a rural area with no pool tables. There are bar tables 30 minutes from my house, but I don't care much for them.
My new Diamond table is due for installation in July and happy days will be here again. However, in the last year, I barely hit a ball. About once a quarter, I made a trip to spend a day with a sparring partner.
My sparring partner and I are an even match, but we prefer different games. As a result, we have fairly consistent outcomes--I tend to win playing one pocket, and he tends to win playing nine-ball. This last year, everytime we played (even though I had a three month lay off), our sets ended (essentially) the same. I won playing one-pocket, and he won playing nine-ball. The scores were similar to our scores prior to my injury and relocation.
Despite my long lay-off, it's hard to say that my level of play was all that dramatically affected.
Of course this has me asking the question: If I can take a year off and play almost the same, when the table is installed in July, what should I do with my time at the table?
To play high level pool (these days especially with rooms closing down left and right) I think consistent access to a table is essential to be a good player. However, this last year has helped me see (in a way that I hadn't before) that consistent access to a table and a fairly willing heart is not enough.
I have come to believe that many people (or maybe just me) overvalue "practice" and undervalue time under stress playing better players.
Maybe I will try an action-fused year? If your Fargo Rate is 680 - 750, and you are reading this; you got action...after August, assuming our calendars can align, you live in the midwest, the spots right, and the stakes are reasonable.
Go easy on me, my shoulder hurts and I haven't hit a ball in 5 months.
kollegedave
