I've been playing league for 5 years now. Every year slowly getting better, started the first year winning maybe 40 percent of my games. The second year I went and bought a table and shot alot better but unfortunately I just seemed to clear the table for the other guy to finish after I'd mess up. The 3rd and 4th year I shot about 50 percent I'd say. Now this year I buckled down hard and focused on every shot not taking anything for granted. We just finished on Wednesday night and for the year I ended up winning almost 80 percent of my games. It's not a handicapped league so they are real wins. But I think I just finally GOT IT this year. LOL I dont know maybe I am on the slow end of the learning curve, but how long did it take you to finally get it and when did u realize it?
First time you GET it........
- Thread starter tjmc25
- Start date
I played in BCA leagues for about four years before I got my first First Place Shooter trophy.
I'm working on the first place shooter trophy yet, we have a best shooters tourny next week. One shooter from every team fight it out. I still have alot to work on and I know that, but with hard work and great training aids from Joe Tucker, I think I am on my way.
In terms of league I got to 80% just this year, after playing like 5 league seasons spread across 10 years. I opened the season with massive 25 game win streak but after a while I lost the drive. I started feeling really secure that I "got" pool in general about 4-5 years ago (maybe a couple of years after my first runout). I was wrong then but it's ok, I am glad there's still more room to go up 
I played APA for about two years in my first year I was bumped to a seven in eight ball and a nine in nine ball. I was shocked in truth to go that high that quick. It was a hardcore learning curve to give that much weight game wise and point wise to my opponents. My second year was the nuts though as I seemed to breeze past my opponents. I would clear tables and run racks of nine ball. It was a great feeling to walk in and hear the other team whispering about our team that we had some great shooters. I went undefeated in that season and then when we got to the playoffs I lost to a friggin two. Hung up an easy eight ball after a long safety battle meaning I played safes she played out of them miraculously leaving me safe at every turn.
If a TWO is having a safety battle, something is seriously wrong.
Re read the post and read the part about miraculously safing me lol.
learning curve
Well one thing that has helped me alot is that I have access to some very good shooters to shoot with. I have several friends and family members that are 8 or better in bca 8 ball. A couple of weeks ago I shot in a 3 man 8 ball team tourny where we lost our first match as we should have, this was a good tourny. Our prize for losing was playing a local team with 2 masters on it. I didnt think I could even come close but I knew I could only control what I did so I just shot my game. It got down to the end and I was on the 8 and he had 2 balls left, one duck to get position with on the other which was a pretty hard shot. He left me nothing on the 8, could only bank it, no cuts were available. But it hit me as Im looking over the shot, I played the 8 into his duck, knocking it in, and leaving him a very very tough bank. I figured if he makes it he wins, as the 8 hung in the pocket after knocking his 3 in. But I was going to make him make a tough shot to beat me. As luck had it he missed the bank, and I got to push in the 8 for the win. Great feeling of beating one of the probably 3or 4 best local shooters. My confidence is soaring now, I just have to put in the work. Which I am willing, I dont have a ton of time to put in but I would guess I've been shooting anywhere from 10 to 14 hours a week, not including time at league and playing at the bar.
Well one thing that has helped me alot is that I have access to some very good shooters to shoot with. I have several friends and family members that are 8 or better in bca 8 ball. A couple of weeks ago I shot in a 3 man 8 ball team tourny where we lost our first match as we should have, this was a good tourny. Our prize for losing was playing a local team with 2 masters on it. I didnt think I could even come close but I knew I could only control what I did so I just shot my game. It got down to the end and I was on the 8 and he had 2 balls left, one duck to get position with on the other which was a pretty hard shot. He left me nothing on the 8, could only bank it, no cuts were available. But it hit me as Im looking over the shot, I played the 8 into his duck, knocking it in, and leaving him a very very tough bank. I figured if he makes it he wins, as the 8 hung in the pocket after knocking his 3 in. But I was going to make him make a tough shot to beat me. As luck had it he missed the bank, and I got to push in the 8 for the win. Great feeling of beating one of the probably 3or 4 best local shooters. My confidence is soaring now, I just have to put in the work. Which I am willing, I dont have a ton of time to put in but I would guess I've been shooting anywhere from 10 to 14 hours a week, not including time at league and playing at the bar.
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It took me just over two years of playing to "get it" and have everything click. Most of my playing was done side-by-side with my schooling at a university. I played maybe two or three nights a week. I withdrew myself from the school for a semester and lived at home, working long nights on the weekends, but shooting every night possible.
When I got let go from the pool hall I worked at, I started going to an actual player's hall, facing players that were almost guaranteed to be better players than me. Somewhere in my time there, I got it.
When I got let go from the pool hall I worked at, I started going to an actual player's hall, facing players that were almost guaranteed to be better players than me. Somewhere in my time there, I got it.
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