frustration sets in...

J

JakeDaSnake

Registered
So I play a lot of 8ball/9ball in my college rec room where the cloths are worn as can be and people treat all the equipment like s***. It's hard to even find a good house cue to break with. Aside from that, I have gotten pretty decent all around over the course of the school year (which is probably why my grades suck). I have my english down pretty well. What really gets me upset though, is the fact that I put hours upon hours into my practice and I get beat by some banger who has no idea what he is doing. Of course, this doesn't happen much, but when it does, it just gets me down in the dumps. I can go from pretty much running racks one day, to not being able to make a ball the next. I get angry fast because i take pool so seriously. once i get angry:mad:, I might as well break down the stick and go back to the dorm, because i things only go downhill from there. Anyone else like me? Any tips for controlling my mental state? Sorry for the long post, I tend to not sum things up very well. Thanks
 
Jake...Since you say you've only been playing a year, I'd suggest you try to shoot more shots, using just the vertical axis of the CB (topspin/follow, center/stun, and draw) and stay away from sidespin for a while. I bet you'll play better, and you'll learn when you really need sidespin, and when you don't. Most people start using english right away, and never learn that top and bottom (not side) spin make the CB curve. You should be practicing straight in shots, from varying distances (close first), and see if you can get the CB to stop dead. When you can do that, you can shoot the same shot, with an angle, and start learning where the CB goes on a stun shot (stop shot with an angle), a rolling CB, and a sliding CB with draw still on it, when you get to the OB. Everything starts with the stop shot...it's the most important shot in pool.

P.S. Getting angry is a waste of time and energy. When you feel your self getting mad, put your cue down for a few minutes, take some deep breaths, and relax. Then go back to the table and continue.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
I am pretty decent on the stun shots, and have learned that if i use stun on, lets say, a 1/2-3/4 ball hit, the cue ball will travel only a little ways on its 90* angle and stop short. I also know how to bend the natural angle with draw/follow. Of course, I still have a long ways to go. I guess my biggest problem area is judging the correct path of the cue ball around the table, starting with the initial 90*. The correct speed/power to line up the follow up shot after 2 or more rails gives me a little trouble right now too.
 
It's good you recognize how much your anger is screwing up your game. A lot of people think in the back of their heads that it doesn't really matter, they can still shoot mad... but it makes a huge difference in how you play.

The single best thing you can do with your anger is... fake it 'til you make it.
By that I mean, fake being calm. You can be mad about the shot you just blew, and maybe even chew yourself out mentally if you want. But don't show anything. Get your stick and walk away and sit down. Don't mutter to yourself or start swearing.

DON'T HURT THE STICK.

Letting your anger show by smacking the stick down on the table, whacking the shaft on the rail, whacking the tip on the floor (I'm a pro at this stuff)... all it does is further hurt your mood and also potentially ruin your cue. I've toasted one before and it's bad feeling. Don't let 5 minutes of anger cost you hundreds of bucks in equipment.

If you can reach a point where you don't hurt the stick, you're halfway there. Anger is a hole you must climb out of. Your game won't improve itself and help you climb out. Your opponent sure as shìt won't either. Only you can help yourself out, and controlling outburts and finding a reason to smile (even if it's just one nice shot out of 30 bad ones) is the key to that.

PS Oh, one more thing - don't be mad about stuff that's beyond your ability or beyond your control. If you're facing a tough shot and miss it, don't get mad. You were supposed to miss it, that's why it's called a tough shot. If your opponent got lucky, why flip out over it? You didn't do anything wrong and he didn't either really. There's nobody to get mad at so don't bother.
 
Jake, Scott has given good specific advice,I'll be more general.Obviously you've caught the bug.You will probably playing for the rest of your life.Think of it as one long pool game.Keep your win percentage high and always identify when you do something wrong and take that to the practice room and work on it.When learning something new,think of your progression as taking one step back for two steps forward in improvement.Enjoy yourself,pay attention and ask questions. JMuck
 
One time I was playing pool after having a few (bad idea), and I got mad and hit a ball with the butt of my cue and cracked the clear coat. That was the last time I EVER took it out on the cue, believe me. It ain't worth it. I have a feeling I wouldn't have done that, though, if there was no beer involved.
 
I think a good quality in a player is when you can not look at him and tell if they are losing or winning,attitude is a very important part of ones game and has to b mastered as well.Good Luck Petey
 
Stay in school, get your grades up..tranfer to a major colleage..nothing you already probably would like to do,to succeed in life..pool is the greatest game in life to me.
Scott gave you some sound advise..I would only say..take some lessons,an pratice,practice...then pratice some more..get out an play in some pool rooms in your area.
Watch others play..get to know who's..who..in your area. Play in some cheap friday/sat.
Night tournaments..join a league..grab some of your classmates an fourm your own team an learn togother..five heads are better then one..some times..lol. pool is a great
Journey.I've met some great folks over the years..I have yet to totally get frustrations butt.keep your head down,an watch the show.

P.S
An old man once told me..you can only do one thing at a time..you can be mad.or you can play pool..you just can't do both.

Peace
 
There's lots of good advice so far. I'll try to expand on this gem.

peteypooldude said:
I think a good quality in a player is when you can not look at him and tell if they are losing or winning,attitude is a very important part of ones game and has to b mastered as well.Good Luck Petey
Click to expand...

IIRC someone else on this forum once said when Irving Crane was asked what his secret was, his reply was, "Show no weakness."

Don't let your anger show or whine about test scores or your love life or a pain in your whatever.

Play in the moment. Don't let your emotions or anything else bothering you show. Just focus on each and every shot you are making when you are at the table (especially the easy ones).

Once you've developed a good consistant pre-shot routine: analyze what you want to do for a shot, go through your pre-shot routine, set up for the shot, turn off all your internal chatter (and if you are still talking to yourself inside your head when you are about to shoot -- stop, step back and reload) and take the shot. If you make it, repeat the process. Just learn to enjoy the process.

When you miss analyze what is was you did wrong, acknowledge it, learn form it and then let it go. Don't fret over what you can't control when your opponent is shooting. And, when your opponent makes a good shot and/or wins congratulate them (as opposed to say getting beat, getting POed at yourself, never analyzing what you did wrong and acting like a sore loser).
 
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I'm in that place right now after a crushing loss to a weaker player, and it sucks. I headed straight home and right for my copy of Capelle's A Mind for Pool in the hopes of it offering some perspective. It did (thank you, Philip). If you don't have a copy, I recommend getting one.

After I calmed down, I faced the fact that my game still has holes big enough for me to fall through. I took stock of the holes that got me tonight and will start doing drills for them. It's just part of growing as a player, as it was for the stronger players I've beaten.
 
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