from D- to A

Why do you have to be the best? Can't you just have fun? Maybe that's not your style? I'm not insulting you whatsoever. I guess I'm just saying how I am? I just wanna have fun. Sure I wanna get better but it isn't an overwhelming passion. Playing pool relaxes me, I get to hang out, relax, listen to music, chill with friends and drink.
 
Papa Lou said:
My goal has been to reach A level playing skill (using ratings systems on colostate.billiards.edu for 10ball racks) in as short a time period as possible. I was a completely social player. Played maybe 5 times a year type of thing. I got an 9ft Olhausen table March 2 and I've been on a mission ever since. When I'm not playing/practicing, I'm on youtube watching and re-watching matches. I want to do this on my own with no outside coaching just figuring it out for myself and watching others play. I was below a D- when I started. Now I'm probably about a B or so. It's only been 6 months. My goal is A level by the end of the year (9 months of play). How feasible do some of the experienced players here believe that is? Has anyone ever accomplished it that quickly?
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This post is a bit interesting. I applaud your efforts and love your zeal for the game, but I have a few thoughts, and I mean this only in the most constructive manner. First, it is great that you have improved a lot in this past 6 months, but it is HIGHLY unlikely that you have reached a B level in that time period, especially without any professional coaching. I only say that so you can be realistic about where you are and what you need. D to B in 6 months is a monumental jump. As a point reference, I would say that a B player will beat the 9 ball ghost about 50% of the time, and is a favorite to get out when given ball in hand in 9 ball on an open table. If you can do that in 6 months, then you have some real potential.

Second, why in the world would you say that you have this passion for improvement in the game, set a lofty goal to be achieved as quickly as possible, then handicap yourself by saying you don't want any professional help. That makes no sense to me. If it is due to financial limitation then I get it, but if you really want to get there quickly, the best way to do it is to get a good instructor to get you the proper fundamentals. Everything keys off that, and often times not doing so will allow you to develop bad habits that will significantly slow you down. Do you think Tiger Woods (or any golfer) would have gotten where he is today without his great swing coaches. Nearly every professional sport utilizes professional coaching, so why wouldn't you want to do it in pool.

I hope you the best and above all I hope you enjoy playing the game, But if it were me, I would look into a quality instructor and get on a good plan for progression.
 
Papa Lou said:
My goal has been to reach A level playing skill (using ratings systems on colostate.billiards.edu for 10ball racks) in as short a time period as possible. I was a completely social player. Played maybe 5 times a year type of thing. I got an 9ft Olhausen table March 2 and I've been on a mission ever since. When I'm not playing/practicing, I'm on youtube watching and re-watching matches. I want to do this on my own with no outside coaching just figuring it out for myself and watching others play. I was below a D- when I started. Now I'm probably about a B or so. It's only been 6 months. My goal is A level by the end of the year (9 months of play). How feasible do some of the experienced players here believe that is? Has anyone ever accomplished it that quickly?
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I just realized that you asked if you could do it in the next 9 months which I failed to address. I know there are 5 pages of info that I have not read, and I am sure many people have echoed my above post about instruction, but unless you are a legit prodigy, it is nearly impossible to go from D- to A in 15 months, especially on your own. That is a very unrealistic goal. That being said, you can make a whole lot of improvement with focused practice and play during that time, but I think becoming a legitimate B player in that time is a more realistic goal if you can put in 20 hours a week. Realize though that the jump from B to A player is a pretty big one as well, but can be achieved with continued pursuit of the game.
 
Scott Lee said:
Eric...I'm MORE than skeptical. IMO, this is another incarnation of PocketPoint. You and I both know that NOBODY can work a real job double time (75 hrs a week is what the OP posted), and still have time to practice any significant amount of time. Plus the fact that the OP is publicly eschewing any kind of pertinent instruction (I want to figure it out on my own), along with a superficially impossible timeline. This guy is yanking our chains. I could be wrong...perhaps the OP will post a video to prove themselves.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
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This is my original thought as well, but I hope not.
 
Keith Jawahir said:
I agree with this. At around the C+ to B level, your physical game is not far from that of higher tier players. What really separates people at that level is the mental conditioning, which you simply cannot get by practicing by yourself. What I've found most useful, and have been endlessly thankful for, are B+/A and up players who will play practice sets, give me pointers, and put the pressure on me of knowing that when I make a mistake, they'll punish me for it. My game has recently skyrocketed by playing higher caliber players who force me to play smarter, after having been stuck at a C+ level for years.
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I agree whole heartedly. I took a long time off and have become a solid B player in a years time. I owe it to competing against A players and making affordable wagers. Having skin in the game helps. It also helps to know that if you miss you will sit for awhile. Practice, focusing on your table speed, which I believe is the toughest part of the physical game helps also.
 
philly said:
I agree whole heartedly. I took a long time off and have become a solid B player in a years time. I owe it to competing against A players and making affordable wagers. Having skin in the game helps. It also helps to know that if you miss you will sit for awhile. Practice, focusing on your table speed, which I believe is the toughest part of the physical game helps also.
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also to add, it is NOT EASY to get to C+. I was recently reminded of how much work I've already put in and how far I've come, when I was whining about how incredibly difficult it's been for me to cross that line to B player, while others seem to just breeze their way up in skill levels.
 
Well, that is what I get for posting without reading the thread first. This is an old post without any ongoing content. OOPS!
 
mantis99 said:
Well, that is what I get for posting without reading the thread first. This is an old post without any ongoing content. OOPS!
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You must be at a level C- for posting.

:thumbup:

Keep working at it for years and I'm sure you'll get to a B.

Jeff Livingston
 
This whole thread kinda sounds like something i am kinda trying to do...
But I'll accept help from anyone, and i just want to be able to hold my own.
 
A year or 2? Nonsense.
I'm a solid C on Monday and by Saturday night I "know" I'm an A player!
Could be those night time beverages clouding my judgement though.
Nah!!!
 
As for the timeline, I think it depends on the person and their situation. Joe Batchelor (A Mosconi-era player) said he ran 100 six months after he started to play at age 16. Someone else pointed out that he was probably playing 8 or more hours a day. Also, he was likely in a pool hall or area where he could see people run 100 every week.

Of course that's not the average person, but I think it is possible with the right person and time and motivation.

I was talking to a prospective student who wanted to try the "10000 hour" theory at pool. He had already been playing for a while, so perhaps he had in 500 or 1000 hours. Unfortunately, he was not yet up to running three balls consistently. After an evaluation of his current status, he decided not to put in the other 9000 hours.

BTW, the "10000 hour" theory is, pretty much, bogus as it has been presented. Those who are interested in the subject of elite performers should get the book "The Sports Gene" and/or read what the original researcher had to say about how his research has been warped.
 
The learning curve from a D player to a C player is a "hop-skip and a jump"......

from a C player to a B player is a "stones throw".......

.from a B player to an A player is a "journey of ten thousand miles" or "hours" for some ....and

from an A player to a Pro can be a lifetime quest for many.
 
Bob Jewett said:
. Joe Batchelor (A Mosconi-era player) said he ran 100 six months after he started to play at age 16.
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The key issue here, to be great at anything in a relatively short time......
is to start before you are 16.....that's when the body and mind is a sponge.

start playing pool seriously at age 40 and you are facing a long road to greatness
 
michael4 said:
The key issue here, to be great at anything in a relatively short time......
is to start before you are 16.....that's when the body and mind is a sponge.

start playing pool seriously at age 40 and you are facing a long road to greatness
Click to expand...

Bingo ,,


1
 
hey good luck on your journey. but realize that thats what it is- a journey, that takes years.

sure, some run faster than others etc. but this is truly a tough game, and i think just accepting that you are on the road will help you move along whenever you get stuck. sometimes its frustrating and you want more, and you want to get better and beat those so and so's. but take a step back and realize what you are committing to and enjoy the ride, the stories, and the people you meet. i think that helped me whenever i was not pleased with my progression, to get rid of that constant pressure to over achieve and have some fun. in a way, i think it actually helped me progress without that stress to reach a certain level.
 
I agree, no one wants to put down the OP or anyone who catches the bug. But I also have to agree that anyone who claims that they watch videos or any solid player play, know in their heart how "they" play and think "I want to play like that in X time is absolutely delusional (and that's not being mean).

I'm going to say that if you are coming from playing 5 times a year (i think that what he said) and then buried yourself in your basement practicing then they is no way that you truly know what B speed is. And asking anyone to accept that a person "you may of broken the mold" went from a D to a B with Youtube as their coach, with people like Expertvillage out there putting out content.

If you have indeed done this amazing jump in skill level then please post that video cause you are about to put every instructor out of business, but i'm guessing that you may be editing some of your best racks as we speak into one solid video and it is through this that you may of realized how difficult it is and you may not be that B player that you believe you are.

But anyway best of luck to and you endeavors and may you reach a satisfactory level for yourself.
 
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