Nervous during League Play

thyme3421

thyme3421

Playing since 1.1.05..ish
Silver Member
I did a couple of searches and couldn't find what I was looking for in the threads.

I can play for 8+ hours on my own and my game doesn't drop. I can play with someone or different people for hours on end, and my game stays pretty strong. Play for money, I play fine.

But the minute it hits 4:00pm on Sunday afternoon, and it's time for a league game.... I can't put together a 2 ball run, much less run the table, or at least 4 or 5 and then play safe like I'm used to...

It's the first league I've ever played on...
It's nerves, I know it is, I don't know why it is... and I can't figure it out!

Any advice or tips or anything from anyone to settle nerves before I get up to lag?
 
thyme3421 said:
But the minute it hits 4:00pm on Sunday afternoon, and it's time for a league game.... I can't put together a 2 ball run, much less run the table, or at least 4 or 5 and then play safe like I'm used to...

It's the first league I've ever played on...
It's nerves, I know it is, I don't know why it is... and I can't figure it out!
Click to expand...

I'm guessing it's because most of the time, you're playing just for yourself - not for anyone else. Hence, you don't have anyone else to let down if you tank.

But with league - there are other people affected by your performance. You've got this pressure on you to do well - maybe it's pressure from your teammates, maybe it's pressure you're putting on yourself not to disappoint your teammates, maybe some of both.

Your next league night, when you step up to play, try and put everyone else out of your mind. Make yourself think it's just you and your opponent - pretend that everyone else sitting around are just railbirds, watching a match. Play like you play when it's just YOU.
 
If you keep it in your head that its ALWAYS just you against the table, then things will work out for you. You must be letting something in your head other than you against the table.
 
Being nervous

There is nothing wrong with being nervous. That just shows that you want to do well. The secret is learning to play your game, or even raising your game when you are nervous, and when it matters.
 
nerves

Pool is generally an individual sport. If you win or lose, you have only yourself to praise or blame. League play distorts the game by making it a team sport. There are positive and negative results.

For the negative:

My guess is that you have 5 or more team mates hanging on every shot and maybe even hanging over your shoulder with advice. Even worse if they are able to call "time out" and "coach."

I am a league player myself. I have been guilty of over coaching in the past and try my hardest now to only give advice when I'm asked.

I've also been guilty of thinking too much about what others think about my game. My inner self talk will be all about not embarassing myself rather than about positive things.

When its just the opponent, you can get psyched out easy enough. But when you have an opponent and team mates, its even more easy to have your head in the wrong place.

For the positive:

When you get used to the concept, team play can really be an incentive to play your best. The natural first instinct is to try to prove who is the best on the team. Once everyone gets that out of their systems, I've found that we all have a mutual respect for each other. We realize that we all have good and bad nights. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We pull together as a team and it becomes us against the opponents. If you have a good team with good sports, I think you will lose the nerves very quickly.

Failing that, drink heavily:)
 
I assume you know your league-mates on a reasonably personal level? Who controls those relationships? Psychology is a very powerful thing.
 
I have said this many times over the years...There is no more pressure than a league match! If I'm practicing with friends I could care less what happens, and if I lose my money gambling what the hey, I'm a young guy and I'll make more! But something about having other people relying on your shooting brings the heat!
A wise man once gave me this advice after I had blown an easy yet pressure filled shot in league. He told me set up the shot the way it was, I did. He said now address the table just like you did before, done. Now do your practice strokes like before, I started stroking...Now relax your (sphincter)! It was funny but oh so accurate.

Marc
 
going alone with tts when you play don't be trying to impress your team mates with how good you are they probably already know, just play your game. just my opinion
 
I understand you very well. At home I can play well but when I play in tournaments, I am always nervous and I can't control it.
Try to control your breath while you are playing and make sure that you are going to pocket the ball before you shot, confidence wins games and it's the most important.
 
There is a lot of great advice here so far. Bringing your own audience to pool is tough. especially when you are all competitive. I have always performed better in tournaments then in league. Time helps this a lot, I'm not sure how long you have been doing the league thing, but after 5 years I really even remember they are there. Keep working on your rhythm and your routine through each shot till you get make your games as automatic as possible. Then you will forget about your team till the match is over.
 
Drop the ball in league

A lot of really good advice here. I've asked around at various places and have gotten tips like "drink a beer in 2 minutes... or a shot or 2".. or "take an aspirin, it's designed to relax"

Oh, by the way... I've only been playing 3 weeks... which makes 3 games. Won 2 by luck, not skill... which is still a win, but not nearly as satisfying.

ScottW said:
I'm guessing it's because most of the time, you're playing just for yourself - not for anyone else. Hence, you don't have anyone else to let down if you tank.

But with league - there are other people affected by your performance. You've got this pressure on you to do well - maybe it's pressure from your teammates, maybe it's pressure you're putting on yourself not to disappoint your teammates, maybe some of both.

Your next league night, when you step up to play, try and put everyone else out of your mind. Make yourself think it's just you and your opponent - pretend that everyone else sitting around are just railbirds, watching a match. Play like you play when it's just YOU.
Click to expand...

I've thought the first 2 paragraphs over and over... I don't think the team mates are actually putting any pressure on me... it's pressure I'm putting on myself. I play well, and I know I do... and here's my chance to prove it to everyone, and that's when I fumble.

selftaut said:
If you keep it in your head that its ALWAYS just you against the table, then things will work out for you. You must be letting something in your head other than you against the table.
Click to expand...

This is a really really good tip. I'm going to work on keeping this in mind... it gives me something to focus on, rather than not focus on something. We all know, when we're told "DO NOT think of an elephant sleeping with a monkey..." what's the first thing that comes to mind?
 
thoffen said:
I assume you know your league-mates on a reasonably personal level? Who controls those relationships? Psychology is a very powerful thing.
Click to expand...

Very interesting point that you mention here...
I just moved into the area in june, so everyone I'm meeting on league nights are fairly fresh meetings. There's still the question of who's dominant and who's not and who controls the conversation and the subtle body language of our non-verbal conversations...

The line that stands out the most is "Who controls those relationships?"
I'm probably just hung up on this particular post because I used to want to go into psychology, but realized that I didn't want to do 8 more years of school.
 
Some very good replies here, good advice, good insights. There's a book called "The Pleasure of Small Motions" about the psychology of pool that addresses some issues of establishing status, hierarchy, the pecking order, and why you really play pool, among many other things. I've read it through several times and still find new things about myself each time I read it. I suggest you get a copy (Amazon?) and see if you see yourself in some of these scenarios. Good luck!
:p
 
Some good advice.

Playing as a team, but competing as an individual takes time.

You have to realize that a regular league night is not going to make or break a session, and that you are only one player as part of a team; your win or your loss is not as important as you may want to believe.
 
For me, I find with league that the pressure of competing for someone else is what really affects me. I can gamble and lose $20 and I don't care because it's my money. But when I play league, if I lose it affects my team. That added pressure alone is enough to affect a game.

Funny, when I play scotch doubles or just straight alternate shot doubles, I frequently play better then any other times. Why? I suspect it is because I really don't want my partner to lose money. That is the same thing when I played 2 person scramble in golf. I hate to see my partner lose so my game goes up 2 notches.
 
thyme3421 said:
Oh, by the way... I've only been playing 3 weeks... which makes 3 games. Won 2 by luck, not skill... which is still a win, but not nearly as satisfying.
/QUOTE]


I'm curious as to which league format you are playing. BCA, APA, etc?
Click to expand...
 
I play better when I'm a little nervous, when I am not nervous at all is when I make mistakes, so I play off the nerves. Just remember to let your cuestick do all of the work, the cue won't choke.
 
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