My response

[mr.jesdeh2o]

On my last post I talked about Little Joe and BCA certified instructors. I don't see where I said anything negative about BCA certified instructors. All I said was that they don't have to offer what Little Joe has to offer. I didn't say that they weren't any good or that they sucked. Those are negative statements. I also didn't say not to go to them. I distinctively said that I personally have not and will not go to them. This is a public forum were opinions are stated. I said mine loud and proud. People say how do I know what they have to offer when I haven't been to one. This is true, however I know that they don't know what he knows about the game. Whoever said I trust him, they are right. Yes I do feel very lucky. Why would I go to someone who doesn't know what he knows. Just to say it again, I don't feel that I said anything negative. When I said about them just teaching fundamentals, that was word of mouth from most people that have been to them. Whoever said that I said negative things should reread my last post. Everything I said was from my experience and what I've heard from word of mouth from most people not just one or two.

 

[ShaneT58]

Don't take this too negatively but you are not qualified to say that certain instructors don't know certain things unless you have actually talked to them and have first hand experience.

I'm glad you have found a good instructor but don't think he has all the pool knowledge in the world and nobody else knows it. I've seen Joe's videos and thought they were nicely done. Way too repeative for me but to each his own.

 

[HouseMan]

On my last post I talked about Little Joe and BCA certified instructors. I don't see where I said anything negative about BCA certified instructors. All I said was that they don't have to offer what Little Joe has to offer. I didn't say that they weren't any good or that they sucked. Those are negative statements. I also didn't say not to go to them. I distinctively said that I personally have not and will not go to them. This is a public forum were opinions are stated. I said mine loud and proud. People say how do I know what they have to offer when I haven't been to one. This is true, however I know that they don't know what he knows about the game. Whoever said I trust him, they are right. Yes I do feel very lucky. Why would I go to someone who doesn't know what he knows. Just to say it again, I don't feel that I said anything negative. When I said about them just teaching fundamentals, that was word of mouth from most people that have been to them. Whoever said that I said negative things should reread my last post. Everything I said was from my experience and what I've heard from word of mouth from most people not just one or two.

Yeah, well I think the Kirby Silver Surfer was better than the Moebuis Silver Surfer. So there!

 

[Scott Lee]

All I said was that they don't have to offer what Little Joe has to offer.

I know that they don't know what he knows about the game.

Why would I go to someone who doesn't know what he knows.

Everything I said was from my experience and what I've heard from word of mouth from most people not just one or two.

Exactly HOW do you know that we don't know what Little Joe knows? Since you have not been to, and according to your own statement, never willl go take a lesson from a BCA instructor, your "experience" is severely limited, and therefore you have no basis for your statement...only your opinion..to which you are entitled. Did Mr. Villapando tell you he KNOWS more than anyone else? I sincerely doubt it, since he is a professional (and a standup guy)...as are we. Take off the rose-colored glasses and open your mind. You might actually learn what you don't know.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

 

[T-dog]

Scott, this looks like the time to bring in the

"You dont know, what you dont know, till you know it."

Some people will never understand that statement no matter how hard you try to pound it into their head.

 

[mantis99]

I agree with all the above posts. You only seem to be reaffirming that your previous statements were in bad taste. You certainly are entitled to your opinions, and I would not fault you for that. However, if you are going to state them in a place that may affect other people's living, or choices on where they spend their money, then your opinions should be grounded in experience with both sides, not hearsay. Your inferences in your original posts about the BCA instructors shed a negative light on them, even if you did not say anything negative about them.

It is great that you have found an instructor that you trust, and one that is helping you improve your game. However, you should probably stick to reviews of your lessons with Joe himself. You really can't make accurate statements about someone else's instruction because of things your firneds told you. Would you tell someone else a movie was bad because a friend said so. Usually you would say "I heard that movie was bad".

I also don't really like the fact that you had to tell us that you never have or will go to a BCA instructor. That infers that you think they are sub par. Seems like an awfully black and white opinion on soemthing you only know from what your friends have told you. Also, an experience with one BCA instructor does not allow them to all be classified as bad. We have already established that they are not all the same.

I don' t mean to be harsh with this post, but you were already out of line towards the BCA instructors with your first post, and have come out again with negative inferences, stirring this pot back up again. Instead of being a stand up guy and straightening things out about your first post, maybe even apologizing about the negative nature of your statments towards the BCA instructors, you chose to come out and defend a post that was obviously in bad taste, and even adding one more little jab.

I wish you success in your continued lessons with Joe, but keep statements to what you know, and reference your other opinions as hearsay from others if they are not from direct experience.

 

[ShootingArts]

sent you a PM

I sent you a private message.

Hu

On my last post I talked about Little Joe and BCA certified instructors. I don't see where I said anything negative about BCA certified instructors. All I said was that they don't have to offer what Little Joe has to offer. I didn't say that they weren't any good or that they sucked. Those are negative statements. I also didn't say not to go to them. I distinctively said that I personally have not and will not go to them. This is a public forum were opinions are stated. I said mine loud and proud. People say how do I know what they have to offer when I haven't been to one. This is true, however I know that they don't know what he knows about the game. Whoever said I trust him, they are right. Yes I do feel very lucky. Why would I go to someone who doesn't know what he knows. Just to say it again, I don't feel that I said anything negative. When I said about them just teaching fundamentals, that was word of mouth from most people that have been to them. Whoever said that I said negative things should reread my last post. Everything I said was from my experience and what I've heard from word of mouth from most people not just one or two.

 

[jay helfert]

It would be hard to find someone with more knowledge of pool than Joe. That said, it doesn't in any way demean any other instructors, BCA or otherwise. I was teaching a pool class at UCLA before there was any such thing as a BCA Certified Instructor. Does that make me better than them? Not really.

Pool is such a complex and many faceted sport, that a player can learn from a variety of sources. Fortunately there are many well qualified instructors available today. There weren't so many people willing to share their knowledge 25-30 years ago.

The last twenty years or so, I have mostly confined myself to "coaching" good players. I am able to help them more in the "mental" game and how to prepare for a match, and what to do during the match. I do from time to time, notice flaws in their game. I will take notes and go over these things after the match. If I could ever get Tang to keep his head down all the time, he would be right back on top. When he stays down on the ball, he just never misses.

Why I point this out, is that I am always coaching players who are better players than me. Yet, I can "see" flaws in their game and am able to relate to them in a way that helps the player improve. Any good instructor can do this as well.

 

[bigg7]

Bca

I think it really doesn't matter if one instructor has a little more knowledge than another.By that I mean if I am an APA 5 does it matter if one guy knows four different kick shot systems and the other only two?The most important thing in my opinion is that whoever is teaching you can explain himself so you fully understand what he is showing you.10 years ago I took a lesson from a BCA instructor who was just starting out I totally blew him off.4 years later Mike Dunklin told me to go see Mark Wilson and take a lesson so I did and my game immediately improved the only problem was it was almost the exact same lesson but I was more ready to listen to a champion than a regular guy.Now that first instructor is one of my best friends and after some teaching experience I learn something every time I ask him a question.

 

[randyg]

Not all pool instructors are good. Some don't even try to be. Some of them couldn't stand in Lil Joe's shoes. Everything has good/bad. This is a huge World. I search out certified mechanics for my Ford and a qualified Tax Person for my business, I even look at Movie Ratings.

One of the reasons the BCA has an Instructor Certification Program is to allow an Instructor the time to hone their skills. There are four levels, each with different education and duties. As each Instructor moves up the rankings they are supposed to become better educated. That dosen't always happen, but it's close. Another reason for our program is to help tentative students a guideline in searching for an accredited instructor.

There are many great Instructors in this World, not all BCA Certified.

Nobody knows it all. If I did, I could fix you over my cell phone while I'm on the golf course.....SPF=randyg

 

[Blackjack]

Nobody knows it all. If I did, I could fix you over my cell phone while I'm on the golf course.....SPF=randyg

Well said, Randy! That is the main reason why many of the top instructors are quick to refer students to other instructors that have more knowledge in certain areas. We may come from different schools of training, certification, but we all have the students best interests in mind - and IMO, that is what is most important.

 

[ironman]

Not all pool instructors are good. Some don't even try to be. Some of them couldn't stand in Lil Joe's shoes. Everything has good/bad. This is a huge World. I search out certified mechanics for my Ford and a qualified Tax Person for my business, I even look at Movie Ratings.

One of the reasons the BCA has an Instructor Certification Program is to allow an Instructor the time to hone their skills. There are four levels, each with different education and duties. As each Instructor moves up the rankings they are supposed to become better educated. That dosen't always happen, but it's close. Another reason for our program is to help tentative students a guideline in searching for an accredited instructor.

There are many great Instructors in this World, not all BCA Certified.

Nobody knows it all. If I did, I could fix you over my cell phone while I'm on the golf course.....SPF=randyg

Just to add one little thing here, a good instructor for me, may not be as good for you.

 

[ShootingArts]

A very valid point

You have a very good point here. Sometimes I'm not ready to listen to the person talking, sometimes I just am not ready for the information, sometimes something flat doesn't work for me at the moment. Many, many, times I have given something an honest try, working hard to incorporate it into my game and decided it was BS. Six months or a year down the road I revisit it and it works like a bandit.

That is my concern about individual reviews made public, they are all very subjective and usually only what the person thinks after first looking at something or being with someone. Often my first review would be far harsher than one I would write six months or a year down the road.

Hu

I think it really doesn't matter if one instructor has a little more knowledge than another.By that I mean if I am an APA 5 does it matter if one guy knows four different kick shot systems and the other only two?The most important thing in my opinion is that whoever is teaching you can explain himself so you fully understand what he is showing you.10 years ago I took a lesson from a BCA instructor who was just starting out I totally blew him off.4 years later Mike Dunklin told me to go see Mark Wilson and take a lesson so I did and my game immediately improved the only problem was it was almost the exact same lesson but I was more ready to listen to a champion than a regular guy.Now that first instructor is one of my best friends and after some teaching experience I learn something every time I ask him a question.