It's not rocket science
Most humans must be told 8 times before they remember what they were told.
Most lower level players have a tendency to watch the ball go in the pocket,
not looking at the overall rack and what the player is doing...stroke etc.
Remember the 8 time rule for most of us.
If you want to improve it's basically a template.
Find the stance for you and all the basic mechanics. Repeat them until they become second nature.
Learn the 4 strokes and all the variations of each one through stroke technique in increments of 3 (distance=short, medium, long) Hours on the table and repetitve strokes until your arm falls off. Muscle memory and the 8 time rule are in full bloom now.
Add as much knowledge as you can from anywhere you can acquire it and try it out ( apply it).Game play cant be taught for you to remember everything involved.You can't watch Shane run 10 racks and think you are coming out a better player because of it, while you sit there star struck. Pick up what you can and let your own brain do it's thinking. Now you have something working.
Play up 1 or 2 levels,, and down 1 level. It's ok to play a top player on occasion as long as you know what to look for.
You improve when your arm is in motion not while you are sitting in the chair drinking a bottle of water getting ready to rack.
It will not hurt to play top players but I wouldn't make a habit of it.(walk,trot,run)
While he is running out and his muscle memory is getting even stronger and in tune yours is sitting there Stale and cold picking up a bottle of water.
If you do play top players and they show you something,,,,get to a table and practice it at least 8 times....or just look at him and say...I will not remember that next week but thanks for the tip