kaznj said:
A little thicker than a mink's.
Instructors that won't tell you what speed they are
- Thread starter Jen_Cen
- Start date
A little thicker than a mink's.
Jen_Cen said:
It really does not matter what his "rating" is at this point.
What matters most from any instructor is that there needs to be a bonding and respect for the person that is teaching you...This particular instructor has not achieved that with you, so you will not feel comfortable getting instruction from him/her no matter what the ratiing turns out to be.
That respect can be achieved in many ways other than the what is your rating question, but without the other knowledge about a particular instructor, the ratings question (to help quantify) that instructors abilities can be a start.
In this case though, it is apparant that you are not on the same plane regarding game philosphy (aka: table management), so it really does not matter what this person would teach you, you would probably just dismiss it is incorrect.
I would seek out a different instructor. I would start by deciding what top player you most naturally shoot like....Not necessarily the one you like the way they shoot most.
Find a player that matches your style of play, and then find out who is doing/did thier instruction.
Most likely (no matter what the ratiing) that is the instuctor you are going to respect and listen to most.
BLACKJACK is one guy whom i believe can teach, when he gives advice, i listen....
SPINDOKTOR
SPINDOKTOR
Jen_Cen said:
Hey Jen, I'd think twice if somebody who call himself an instructor tells you this. A safety is a key part of the game or of the match or title for that matter. It is just as important as a key shot on a run-out. If ever you plan to decide to move to the SF Bay Area, PM me and we can arrange for lessons. I am a semi-pro to pro level in my area and give spots to BCA instructors here for money matches or in tourneys. At your level, I think we can iron out the kinks in your fundamentals and then proceed to advanced skill levels.
I thing you just got a Very Big Grincubc said:VBG means? Theres too many acronyms in this world
(unless Joey thinks you're a Very Bad Girl with possible Venous Blood Gas!)
I think that any instructor should be willing to openly and honestly answer whatever question you have, including his background in pool, and that includes performance in competition. I think you should avoid any instructor who is unwilling to answer any direct question that is pool related.Jen_Cen said:
But I think that if possible you should seek out a local instructor. For the $1500 it will cost you to get about 8 hours of one-on-one with a school, you could probably get 30 to 50 hours of one-on-one with a local instructor. Of course, you may have no one in your area who can teach you, but try asking around. A big advantage of a local teacher is that it is much easier to do follow-ups. If there are several around, try a few hours from each.
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JDB said:
Knowledge in pool goes hand-in-hand with ability. As our skill level increases, so does our knowledge, and knowledge without the skill to put that knowledge to good use is both rare and often useless.
There is a useful epistemological distinction between "knowing that" and "knowing how." If the best way to play shape for a given shot is a two-cushion follow shot with inside English, it is less likely that someone who does not know how to execute the shot will know that that is the correct shot, than it is that someone who knows how to execute the shot will know that that is the correct shot.
Luther Lassiter once said that he didn't give lessons because he didn't know what he was doing. It was "knowledge that" that he was referring to, obviously, and not "knowledge how." Lassiter knew exactly how to play the game, he just couldn't explain what he was doing. A very skilled player could no doubt learn a great deal from watching Lassiter play, but a lesser-skilled player probably would learn very little from watching him play, because they wouldn't have the skills to put into practice what they were watching. As a result, they wouldn't gain much "knowledge that" of how to play the game.
OTOH, it doesn't take a player of Lassiter's caliber to play the game very well, or to teach. If I were looking for an instructor one thing I would want to make sure of is that they possessed both "knowledge that" and "knowledge how," and that they were a strong enough player that they could put their "knowledge that" to good use pedagogically when demonstrating how to play the game.
I think it is perfectly reasonable to ask an instructor how well they actually play.
That I think is the big problem finding the competent local instructor that "fits" your own personality. Not always an easy task.Bob Jewett said:
Jen,
It's also important to determine what you want to learn. If you are interested in fundamentals, then a C-level player would be just fine. If you are interested in advanced pattern play, you'll want at least an open player. Finally, if you're interested in game theory or advanced position play, an A player should do.
These are just guidelines of course, but it's important to figure out what exactly you want to work on.
- Steve
It's also important to determine what you want to learn. If you are interested in fundamentals, then a C-level player would be just fine. If you are interested in advanced pattern play, you'll want at least an open player. Finally, if you're interested in game theory or advanced position play, an A player should do.
These are just guidelines of course, but it's important to figure out what exactly you want to work on.
- Steve
If this has been mentioned as a suggestion, I apologize in advance.
My biggest suggestion for getting better if you're looking to pay for it is to go to your local room and find the best player available. Go up to them and say, "I'll play you for $10 per set plus the time, race to 7, even-up." Be ready to play five sets and let them know that.
You'll be down $100 at the end of it but you'll also have HOURS of experience against a good player. What's more, you can also say as a stipulation, between sets you can ask any question about what you did or what they did. Personally, I think this is much more enjoyable for both parties and much more valuable.
What's more, most pro-caliber players will accept this action simply to stay busy.
My biggest suggestion for getting better if you're looking to pay for it is to go to your local room and find the best player available. Go up to them and say, "I'll play you for $10 per set plus the time, race to 7, even-up." Be ready to play five sets and let them know that.
You'll be down $100 at the end of it but you'll also have HOURS of experience against a good player. What's more, you can also say as a stipulation, between sets you can ask any question about what you did or what they did. Personally, I think this is much more enjoyable for both parties and much more valuable.
What's more, most pro-caliber players will accept this action simply to stay busy.
Maybe he didn't asnwer you because he agrees with you in that his ranking has nothing to do with his ability to teach and promote proper form and mechanics of the game. If you really do still believe that then the point about his ranking is mute. I myself might be inclined to ask who he might have instructed. As someone else said, do a search on here and look at his posts. I myself have seen great posts from instructors posting on here. Are there other instructors in your area you might consider? There are also numerous courses you can pick up online from noted instructors. Of course you won't get the personal experience and someone else motivating you in person but if you have good self motivation, some of these courses are quite good. Because of my work schedule, I can't schedule an instructor even though I'd much prefer a live instructor. Well good luck whatever you decide.
Jude Rosenstock said:
I like the variables you mentioned and have used your approach more than once and it is fun, especially if you have one or more golden matches.
I like to say that if I want to discuss anything during a set, they automaticaly win the set. It's no fun to get distracted and playing cheap but sometimes, the questions just can't wait.
JoeyA