The following is an explanation and the results of Landon Shuffett’s last drill before he leaves for the U.S. Open. Landon was 12 in July and is in 6th grade.
The routine is a variation of a Dominic Esposito Pro Skill Drill.
This is a progressive Ghost-like exercise with a starting goal of running 3 balls 5 times and continuing with 4 balls, 5 balls, 6 balls, 7 balls, 8 balls and eventually running 9 balls 5 times. This is similar to playing the Ghost but after a miss you still run the remaining balls (BIH) but you receive no point for that broken run.
Procedure:
Break 3 balls. Spot all balls pocketed from the break. Balls pocketed on the break may be put on one of the 3 spots: head, center or foot. The goal is to run 3 balls 5 different times after the break. And then move up to 4 balls and eventually progress to 9 balls (hopefully).
When a miss occurs take ball in hand and run the remaining balls. Please keep in mind there’s no reward of a point for a broken run….you just finish that game of 3 balls or 6 balls or whatever you’re on as efficiently as possible and limit your overall misses.
Once you progress to 9 balls the balls pocketed on the break finally stay down. The runs with 8 balls were plenty challenging because balls made on the break come back up to one of the 3 spots of choice.
This drill was done on a 9 ft. Diamond Pro with 5-month old 860 Simonis Cloth and 4.5 corner pockets and new Aramith Balls.
Landon began the drill with a run of 81 balls without a miss. Below are the charted results of the exercise that took 2 hours and 10 minutes.
(3) 3, 3, 3, 3, 3…..15 balls made with no misses
(4) 4, 4, 4, 4, 4…..20 balls made with no misses
(5) 5, 5, 5, 5, 5…..25 balls made with no misses
(6) 6, 6, (4-2), (1-5), (4-1-1), 6, (2-4), 6, 6 54 balls made with 5 misses
(7) 7, 7, (1-6) 7, 7, 7 42 balls made with 1 miss
(8) 8, (4-4), (1-7), 8, (4-4), 8, (5-3), (1-5-2), 8, 8 80 balls with 6 misses
(9) 9, (5-4), (3-1-5), 9, (5-4), (7-2), (5-4), 9, 9, 9 90 balls made with 6 misses
In total Landon pocketed 326 balls with 18 misses. I did not include break shots in the 326. Landon’s speed range on the break was probably 16mph to 23mph with an average of around 20mph.
Stan
The routine is a variation of a Dominic Esposito Pro Skill Drill.
This is a progressive Ghost-like exercise with a starting goal of running 3 balls 5 times and continuing with 4 balls, 5 balls, 6 balls, 7 balls, 8 balls and eventually running 9 balls 5 times. This is similar to playing the Ghost but after a miss you still run the remaining balls (BIH) but you receive no point for that broken run.
Procedure:
Break 3 balls. Spot all balls pocketed from the break. Balls pocketed on the break may be put on one of the 3 spots: head, center or foot. The goal is to run 3 balls 5 different times after the break. And then move up to 4 balls and eventually progress to 9 balls (hopefully).
When a miss occurs take ball in hand and run the remaining balls. Please keep in mind there’s no reward of a point for a broken run….you just finish that game of 3 balls or 6 balls or whatever you’re on as efficiently as possible and limit your overall misses.
Once you progress to 9 balls the balls pocketed on the break finally stay down. The runs with 8 balls were plenty challenging because balls made on the break come back up to one of the 3 spots of choice.
This drill was done on a 9 ft. Diamond Pro with 5-month old 860 Simonis Cloth and 4.5 corner pockets and new Aramith Balls.
Landon began the drill with a run of 81 balls without a miss. Below are the charted results of the exercise that took 2 hours and 10 minutes.
(3) 3, 3, 3, 3, 3…..15 balls made with no misses
(4) 4, 4, 4, 4, 4…..20 balls made with no misses
(5) 5, 5, 5, 5, 5…..25 balls made with no misses
(6) 6, 6, (4-2), (1-5), (4-1-1), 6, (2-4), 6, 6 54 balls made with 5 misses
(7) 7, 7, (1-6) 7, 7, 7 42 balls made with 1 miss
(8) 8, (4-4), (1-7), 8, (4-4), 8, (5-3), (1-5-2), 8, 8 80 balls with 6 misses
(9) 9, (5-4), (3-1-5), 9, (5-4), (7-2), (5-4), 9, 9, 9 90 balls made with 6 misses
In total Landon pocketed 326 balls with 18 misses. I did not include break shots in the 326. Landon’s speed range on the break was probably 16mph to 23mph with an average of around 20mph.
Stan
