My 8 yr old daughter has been showing increasing interest in pool over the past few years, and is at a point where she is asking for drills to make her better. I have given her two to start with which she has been doing almost daily. I am wondering what drills the instructors on here would generally start a child this age with. I realize that a good lesson would be the best place to start, but that is not an option right now. Any input would be appreciated.
Drills for kids
- Thread starter mantis99
- Start date
I have a 10 year old daughter who just started learning and here is what we are doing to make it fun for both of us. The intent is to work on stroke fundamentals while still making it like a game. It's not a drill, but I thought I would share anyways because it is holding her interest. (Once she gets better, the first solo drill will be the stop shot.)
Scatter all 15 balls around the table and then make the balls in any order. I place a ghost ball behind the object ball for her so she can see how to aim and then remove before she shoots. You alternate shots even if you make a ball. It is not about pocketing the ball.
The object is to contact the object ball on each shot and not miscue or miss. A miss or miscue is a point. Whoever has the most points after all the balls are down looses. So it's not about pocketing the balls as much as hitting the ball.
I am a right handed player, so I play her left handed which is something I need to learn how to do so I don't use the bridge so much. So she learns, I learn, we pocket balls as a team and compete against ourselves to not miss contact with an object ball (which isn't as easy as you think if you have never played opposite handed).
Once she gets her stroke under control, we will play to make a ball in the pocket with alternating shots. A ball not pocketed is a point and whoever has the most points after all balls are down looses.
Scatter all 15 balls around the table and then make the balls in any order. I place a ghost ball behind the object ball for her so she can see how to aim and then remove before she shoots. You alternate shots even if you make a ball. It is not about pocketing the ball.
The object is to contact the object ball on each shot and not miscue or miss. A miss or miscue is a point. Whoever has the most points after all the balls are down looses. So it's not about pocketing the balls as much as hitting the ball.
I am a right handed player, so I play her left handed which is something I need to learn how to do so I don't use the bridge so much. So she learns, I learn, we pocket balls as a team and compete against ourselves to not miss contact with an object ball (which isn't as easy as you think if you have never played opposite handed).
Once she gets her stroke under control, we will play to make a ball in the pocket with alternating shots. A ball not pocketed is a point and whoever has the most points after all balls are down looses.
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A simple drill that can help improve power is the "over the spots" drill. Put the cue ball on the foot spot and hit it straight up the table to return straight back. (If that's too hard, shoot along the headstring.) Build up distance always trying to keep the cue ball right in the center of the table.
It's good to substitute a stripe for the cue ball. Put the stripe "pointed" forward so that a hit without side spin will make the stripe roll like a tire. The goal is to keep the ball rolling "on the stripe" up and down the table.
This drill and a couple of other simple mechanics drills are in this "Basics Clinic" handout: http://www.sfbilliards.com/basics.pdf
The one-handed drill is good to develop stroke if she is tall enough for a stance with a vertical forearm. She may need to use her bridge hand to help guide the front of the stick at first.
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Slim Limpy
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Thanks for the response so far. She is currently doing 2 drills already. The spot drill suggested by Bob is the first one. Currently she averages about 3/5 successfully bringing the ball back to the tip of the cue. For te second I place an ob where the 1st diamonds intersect I the corner. I then place the cb acrossed the table where she can correctly reach it and have her shoot a straight in shot. She is successful I about 3/5 for this also. As she improves I will move the ob another diamond out.
We take these drills and compete to see who can do it more times correctly out of 5. She is VERY competitive so this gives her good motivation.
She seems to like these so far, but I woe really like to know if there is a specific progression or drills that a young player should be using.
We take these drills and compete to see who can do it more times correctly out of 5. She is VERY competitive so this gives her good motivation.
She seems to like these so far, but I woe really like to know if there is a specific progression or drills that a young player should be using.
Drills for Kids
I have 3 students between the ages of 6 and 8 right now. Here is a sample of the things we work on.
Along the end rail we roll in the object ball and try to have the cue ball follow it in. If they are successful, I move the balls back a ways like a progressive drill and do that for a while. I have found that the over the spots drill gets boring, but making balls is fun for them.
After we do this for a while, we do an obstacle course. I put the 1 through 6 balls randomly on the table, and they have to roll the cue ball around the balls without hitting a rail or the other ball. This helps them develop soft speed control and they really like it.
After we do this for about 10 minutes I set up a triangle of balls so they can roll in one, then the other and then the third. This is like a mini pattern.
The skills I work with them are stroking straight, speed control, and basic pattern play.
These kids are improving and they keep coming back for more.
Hope this helps.
I have 3 students between the ages of 6 and 8 right now. Here is a sample of the things we work on.
Along the end rail we roll in the object ball and try to have the cue ball follow it in. If they are successful, I move the balls back a ways like a progressive drill and do that for a while. I have found that the over the spots drill gets boring, but making balls is fun for them.
After we do this for a while, we do an obstacle course. I put the 1 through 6 balls randomly on the table, and they have to roll the cue ball around the balls without hitting a rail or the other ball. This helps them develop soft speed control and they really like it.
After we do this for about 10 minutes I set up a triangle of balls so they can roll in one, then the other and then the third. This is like a mini pattern.
The skills I work with them are stroking straight, speed control, and basic pattern play.
These kids are improving and they keep coming back for more.
Hope this helps.