Father/Son Advice

R

RareHare

Registered
My 14 year old son just discovered the pool table that's been in the basement since before he was born. He's started playing every night. I'm torn between just letting him play and wanting to correct things. I know my son. He'll take a little advice, but not too much (otherwise it becomes homework). Assuming I can only give him a few tips a week, what should they be? Start with stance? Bridge? Then what?

p.s. I don't know anything about pool that I haven't read in my Byrne's book.
 
Leave the Byrne book down by the table and maybe he'll pick it up and start reading it himself. If you try to give him too much advice it will seem like homework, like you said, but if he thinks it is HIS idea to read up and improve his game then it's all good.
 
The Byrne book got me into pool. When in high school, I used to go to the library and page through it. I must've read it cover to cover 100000x.

I miss how I used to feel when reading it. Every page was new information that I couldn't wait to try out.

Leave the Byrne book --- good move.
 
RareHare...If you know how, teach him a couple of easy trick shots...ones that he can reproduce, at will, with a little practice. That will do more to spur his interest, because he'll be able to do something his friends can't!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

RareHare said:
My 14 year old son just discovered the pool table that's been in the basement since before he was born. He's started playing every night. I'm torn between just letting him play and wanting to correct things. I know my son. He'll take a little advice, but not too much (otherwise it becomes homework). Assuming I can only give him a few tips a week, what should they be? Start with stance? Bridge? Then what?

p.s. I don't know anything about pool that I haven't read in my Byrne's book.
Click to expand...
 
RareHare said:
My 14 year old son just discovered the pool table that's been in the basement since before he was born. He's started playing every night. I'm torn between just letting him play and wanting to correct things. I know my son. He'll take a little advice, but not too much (otherwise it becomes homework). Assuming I can only give him a few tips a week, what should they be? Start with stance? Bridge? Then what?

p.s. I don't know anything about pool that I haven't read in my Byrne's book.
Click to expand...

I'd just let him play & be himself, unless you want to steer him for some reason....
 
smoooothstroke...I disagree! Knowing how to do a couple of trick shots, especially as a teenager, is a skill that is admired by their peers. That will, along with the available things to learn from, hopefully spur him to improve his process, and create an accurate, repeatable, and sustainable stroke. Professional lessons are something I got at age 18, and wished I'd started earlier. Now I give the lessons, and I now work with kids as young as 7 or 8. We've had 10 yr. olds in pool school, and they did quite well, considering they had to sit still for a couple of hours at a time! LOL

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

smoooothstroke said:
Show him some pool videos,matches not trick shots,maybe seeing the game played by the best will spark an interest.
Click to expand...
 
excellent advice already!

I like the idea of just leaving the book handy and I like Scott's idea, in fact if you don't know any trick shots learn a couple to teach your son. I remember learning a couple of set-up shots when I was fifteen. No real stroke or english required, just hit the balls in the right place. I wowed my friends with those shots although I wasn't real thrilled with them myself after learning that it was all in how the balls were set up and almost nothing to do with ability.

Another suggestion, play with him just a little bit and see if he wants you to play with him more or less. Better to make him come to you. While playing with him shoot a shot or two that obviously took superior knowledge to his and see if he asks how you did it. Again, he has to come to you. He sounds a lot like I was and if you seem keen on him playing he will probably quit. Of course I'm not sure that wouldn't be a good thing. I'd have very mixed feelings about my son following in most of my footsteps I took as a young man!

Hu
 
Father Son

Get him on the computer to explore the games.DR. DAVE has a greatweb page.vhttp://billiards.colostate.edu/high_speed_videos/new/HSVB-14.htm
 
take him to a small

take him with you to a small tournament where he can play. Even if he is not very good it will lite a fire in him to impove and want to compete. Thats what I did with my son Manny and he went on to win a national title in jr 8ball this past year. And that was in his 1st year of playing.

PS. He now regular wins the local 8ball tourney he started in. And oh! by the way, Manny (kansas city kid) , is only 11 years old.


H.P.
VNEA jr finals

http://www.rackemmag.com/2009VNEAJuniors8.htm
 
Last edited:
Don't force the issue. Observe him. Offer to play a few games with him, and see how he approaches the game. Is he serious, or is he just fooling around. Talk to him. Let him know there are options for him if he is serious about the game and wants to improve. Some pleple just want to play and have fun. Others get the bug and are doomed to play for life! Let him let you know what he wants to do. Help him if he wants it, or just let him enjoy the game if that's his choice.

Steve
 
Really great advice here. I'm one of the "doomed for life" group, but I didn't get to start until I was 18! :grin-square:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

pooltchr said:
Don't force the issue. Observe him. Offer to play a few games with him, and see how he approaches the game. Is he serious, or is he just fooling around. Talk to him. Let him know there are options for him if he is serious about the game and wants to improve. Some pleple just want to play and have fun. Others get the bug and are doomed to play for life! Let him let you know what he wants to do. Help him if he wants it, or just let him enjoy the game if that's his choice.

Steve
Click to expand...
 
1/1

RareHare said:
Yes Scott, all good advice. I'll leave the book out. I'll play when he asks.

p.s. Nice website. I sank the Triple Side Bank Shot on the first try! We won't talk about the following 20 tries.
Click to expand...

LOL you should of quit after the first try.

I have a nephew who is 15 and begging me to take him to a pool hall.I will borrow some of this advice and see what happens.
 
Fathers and Sons

I like the idea of leaving Byrn's book near the table; or maybe Ray Martin's 99 Critical Shots.

Unfortunately some sons will accept advice from anyone other than Dad. It would be too much like admitting that parents exist. (Who was it that said parents were invented to give kids someone to ignore?) :rolleyes:

Anyway, I would leave the book/s around, and maybe show a little interest by watching the boy play (without advice; only to demonstrate fatherly interest). Offer to play a few games, again without advice... but to show that you also know something about the game! If you leave it alone, he probably will ask for some table advice from time to time.

If he starts getting serious, get him in touch with a good teacher.

Good luck on all fronts.

RL
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top