Best type of bridge for a child...

[btoneill]

I'm trying to teach my 7 (almost 8yo) daughter how to play pool. The biggest issue I'm running into right now is the bridge hand. She has tiny hands and I'm trying to figure out the best bridge for her to use. Right now I'm working on an open bridge for her, but she has lots of problems trying to get her thumb up enough to keep the cue in place.

Anyone have any ideas? She really wants to learn how to play, but is getting very frustrated with the bridge aspect...

Thanks,
Brian

 

[ctyhntr]

The open bridge is probably the easiest to learn. I imagine the attention span for a kid at that age, will get frustrated easily. Take a look at this, may help her pocket balls and keep her interested until she gets her bridge hand right.

http://www.seyberts.com/products/Junior_Shark_Guiding_Wheel-100144-39.html

 

[btoneill]

I thought about some of those types of aids, but I really don't want her to start off with a "crutch" that she then has to learn to stop using. She is stubborn, and once she finds a way to do something she never wants to change...

Brian

 

[ctyhntr]

Glad to hear that, I feel most kids are conditioned by the instant gratification culture of our society. I read Jeannette Lee used duct tape to train her bridge hand. How about low tack surgical tape or sewing the thumb forefinger together on a pair of pool gloves?

 

[btoneill]

Glad to hear that, I feel most kids are conditioned by the instant gratification culture of our society. I read Jeannette Lee used duct tape to train her bridge hand. How about low tack surgical tape or sewing the thumb forefinger together on a pair of pool gloves?

The glove idea might work, she does have a glove. For Xmas she got one of the Drake Bell kids pool packages from Robin Dodson (52" cue, case, and glove).

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

An open bridge would be easier for a small child to get the hang of because it would be easier for her to get her hand firmly planted than with a closed bridge. But perhaps until she grows enough to be able to get her thumb up into position and/or learn a closed bridge maybe she can use the "fist" bridge. Just have her plant her fist on the table, finger tips down/knuckles up, and stroke the cue in the notch between the index and middle fingers.

I know this is usually associated with beginners and bangers but hey, she is a beginner. Heck, as I recently posted in another thread I started out just shooting balls directly into the pockets without even using the cue ball and I outgrew that wanting to learn to actually play proper pool. :smile: If she sticks with it and wants to develop I'm sure she is going to want to be just like daddy and use the same kind of bridge you do. At this point though the idea is just for her to have fun and enjoy the game.

 

[Georgia Boy]

One thing you could try that a friend of mine used with his small son teaching him to play Snooker way back when with the same sort of problem was with an open bridge. Lay all fingers out on the table, then
draw the index finger back up towards the hand so it's bent at about a 45 degree angle with just the top joint in contact with the table. It just gave him a bit of help with less 'wobble' of the cue.

The other thing I have seen which is awful to look but sometimes works with very small kids is with an open bridge bring the index and middle finger both back to that same position and run the cue through the knuckles of those fingers.

Both worth a try to get her playing which is the main thing right now.

 

[btoneill]

But perhaps until she grows enough to be able to get her thumb up into position and/or learn a closed bridge maybe she can use the "fist" bridge. Just have her plant her fist on the table, finger tips down/knuckles up, and stroke the cue in the notch between the index and middle fingers.

Didn't think of the fist idea. I think we'll give that one a try tonight. And as for shooting balls straight into the pocket, that is one of the Mother drills that they SPF guys teach

Brian