Instructor

J

Jason Robichaud

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think my next jump will require the help of an instructor.

Area to improve:

Kicking - I am good at kicking but would like to learn a diamond system.

Safe play - I can almost hock everytime I play one. I need to see the natural lines to lockups better.

I would be very open minded to an instructor ripping my game apart and starting new... if that is required!

Now... Pick one. If you could see any instructor, who would it be?

I want video so I can see it later when the game dips!
 
Jason, if you're coming through to play Turning Stone, shoot Lee Brett off a message. He's in Toronto right now and he may be able to help you. Very reasonable rates, just let him know exactly what you want to work on.
 
Jason Robichaud said:
...
Kicking - I am good at kicking but would like to learn a diamond system.

Safe play - I can almost hock everytime I play one. I need to see the natural lines to lockups better. ...
Click to expand...
In the absence of actual lessons....

Get Byrne's books (Standard, Advanced, World of) and at least try each of the many systems he describes. It's probably hard in NB, but see if you can find someone who plays 3-cushion well.

Play one pocket to learn safeties. I think you have to spend time on the table to learn these, but you can get some ideas from videos.
 
Jason Robichaud said:
I think my next jump will require the help of an instructor.

Area to improve:

Kicking - I am good at kicking but would like to learn a diamond system.

Safe play - I can almost hock everytime I play one. I need to see the natural lines to lockups better.

I would be very open minded to an instructor ripping my game apart and starting new... if that is required!

Now... Pick one. If you could see any instructor, who would it be?

I want video so I can see it later when the game dips!
Click to expand...

If you are talking Diamond Systems, Jimmy Reid imo knows more about Diamond Systems than any other instructor. He also plays better than most. Not only that, but he has a DVD that contains some Diamond system information and you can see that Jimmy knows it be heart and it isn't choreographed for the camera. I've known many people who learn the Diamond system(s) (as they are many) but eventually the best players do not use the Diamond System for kicking.

Scotty Townsend is one of the better kicking professional players out there. He has given me a lesson on kicking and I kick better because of it.

In one of the matches I did commentary at, Roberto Gomez shared some of the "secrets" of kicking on the match that we did together.

Since I bought and study Jimmy Reid's DVDs "Almost Everything I Know", my kicking has improved.

Joe Villalpondo's www.pooliq.net videos have excellent diamond system kicking in them and I kick better because of his videos as well.

Kicking is an art, NOT A SCIENCE. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't learn the mathematics of the Diamond Systems. It means that you should use the knowledge of Diamond Systems to compliment the art of kicking.

Safeties?: Learn the tangent line and how to change it. It's in Joe V's DVD. Learn the 30 degree rule and you will rule safeties.

Oh yeah, practice all of them. That'll help also. :wink:

Good luck,

JoeyA
 
There are many good instructors and many things I would look for but if I were to pick one and only one person to learn from it would be Bob Jewett.

Never met the man, read his stuff and only know a little about his prior accomplishments. I don't even know if he is teaching. So its just an opinion and every one has one.

I think he is is truly under appreciated for his talents.
 
JoeW said:
There are many good instructors and many things I would look for but if I were to pick one and only one person to learn from it would be Bob Jewett.

Never met the man, read his stuff and only know a little about his prior accomplishments. I don't even know if he is teaching. So its just an opinion and every one has one.

I think he is is truly under appreciated for his talents.
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Bob gave me a pool lesson at the Galveston tournament and I have taught others his "secrets".
JoeyA
 
the BCA posts a list of certified BCA instructors online. Check out their web site, find one in your area.
 
8Ball48043 said:
the BCA posts a list of certified BCA instructors online. Check out their web site, find one in your area.
Click to expand...

Jason doesn't need just any BCA instructor because he would be teaching him how to play. What he needs is a top instructor to take his game to pro level. :)
 
Wolven said:
Jason doesn't need just any BCA instructor because he would be teaching him how to play. What he needs is a top instructor to take his game to pro level. :)
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If I had to add an instructor to the material that I have already suggested, I would have to add in Stan Shufett. He's done an incredible job with his son, Landon. You will probably have to travel to Kentucky to get the lessons.

JoeyA
 
Bob Jewett said:
In the absence of actual lessons....

Get Byrne's books (Standard, Advanced, World of) and at least try each of the many systems he describes. It's probably hard in NB, but see if you can find someone who plays 3-cushion well.

Play one pocket to learn safeties. I think you have to spend time on the table to learn these, but you can get some ideas from videos.
Click to expand...

Get Mr. Jewett, and get busy getting better!
 
JoeyA said:
If I had to add an instructor to the material that I have already suggested, I would have to add in Stan Shufett. He's done an incredible job with his son, Landon. You will probably have to travel to Kentucky to get the lessons.

JoeyA
Click to expand...

I have Jimmy Reid and Joe Villalpondo's DVD's. Have not gone through JR stuff yet.
Joe presents his info in very nice easy to follow format and sounds like an excellent teacher.
Also Advanced Pro Book and DVD by Henning have maps for kick shoots.
Still I'm curious who the guru of pool instruction in north america is.
 
What a tough question to answer. You can literally get hundreds of answers, none wrong. I have "Winning one pocket" describes many kicking systems on a variety of conditions. But that dosen't answer your request for who is best at instructions.

Good Luck........Paul
 
Stan Shuffett...ask a few pro's such as Stevie Moore, see what Yu Ram Cha, and others said after working with him. He is unique in that he is trained to teach. He imho is one of the best!
 
Jason Robichaud said:
Who is considered the top instructor? Snooker has one, does pool?
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I don't think this question has an answer. The best instructor for one person, may not be the best instructor for someone else. Consider that RandyG, Scott Lee and myself all present very similar information in our classes. We sometimes teach together, but each of us has a different teaching style. So while the message from all 3 of us might be the same, the way we get it through to our students is different.

In other words, the best instructor is the one who communicates best wtih a particular student.

Steve
 
I think that Bob Jewett wrote the outline for teaching pool instructors. So that would make him the dean of Pool Instructors.

http://www.sfbilliards.com/default.htm

click on BCA Instructor course outline that was originally published in 1998.

Here is a link to his site with many articles

http://www.sfbilliards.com/misc.htm

Obviously the man can teach. He is an engineer and knows the physical and theoretical limits of pool playing and he is / was a champion. I believe he played in the US Open this year but did not do all that well. Heck he is my age so I expect that skills do drop off a little.

In addition to all that he seems to know just about everybody and is a major financial supporter of some events. Not many can compare to his personal commitment to the game. It is a shame that more people on this forum do not recognize the very real accomplishments of this highly professional and modest individual.
 
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