Is there a way to get better as a player through predominantly league play? Valley league - 9ball, no sandbagging. Right now, I play an in-house league and also the forementioned league. 2 nights per week. I know that to achieve the best results, it takes a lot more practice than that but what if your only practice nights are your league nights. How can you use this time to improve on your skills and mindset without getting discouraged? Due to time constraints, this is my situation. My game is on and off, I can play great for a few months, then hit a slump. Sometimes this is from week to week. In the spare time I do have for practice at home, I hone in on my psr and fundamentals as well as some position play and then during matches, I try and pay close attention to this as well. That is about all I have time for at the moment. Would I be better off to skip leagues and just work on fundamentals and drills at home. Tournaments are pretty scarce near us and I hit many of the ones that are. I don't want to lose the competitive edge that leagues offer but I want to grow as a player as well. Thanks!
practice through league play
- Thread starter lawful777
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Disclaimer: I am not an instructor.
The major problem with using league play (or play in general) in place of structured practice is that things you consistently do "wrong" or shots you consistently miss only come up now and then during a game. You may only see a shot once in a night! So how can you improve when you get one or two chances to do it correctly?
When I play league matches, I pay attention to things I do poorly, choose one and practice it at home. A recent example is bridging over an object ball. During a match, I miscued and gave my opponent BIH. When I practiced at home, I spent time (30-45 balls at least) pocketing balls to practice that bridge. My PSR and fundamentals aren't great and I practice those as well, but I still put time in for at least one other technique/shot. I will usually incorporate those things into general practice after that. (Maybe pocket 5-10 balls instead of 30.)
I also try to maintain a realistic expectation for improvement based on my personal time constraints. When I'm feeling really frustrated, that's usually what I look at first. If I play poorly, I may look back and realize that I barely practiced in the days leading up to the match.
The major problem with using league play (or play in general) in place of structured practice is that things you consistently do "wrong" or shots you consistently miss only come up now and then during a game. You may only see a shot once in a night! So how can you improve when you get one or two chances to do it correctly?
When I play league matches, I pay attention to things I do poorly, choose one and practice it at home. A recent example is bridging over an object ball. During a match, I miscued and gave my opponent BIH. When I practiced at home, I spent time (30-45 balls at least) pocketing balls to practice that bridge. My PSR and fundamentals aren't great and I practice those as well, but I still put time in for at least one other technique/shot. I will usually incorporate those things into general practice after that. (Maybe pocket 5-10 balls instead of 30.)
I also try to maintain a realistic expectation for improvement based on my personal time constraints. When I'm feeling really frustrated, that's usually what I look at first. If I play poorly, I may look back and realize that I barely practiced in the days leading up to the match.
Banks
Banned
League play should be where you are testing yourself and finding your weaknesses(through actual play). If you're competitive about it, save the 'practice' for home or at least not while playing your matches. You can easily gauge your play on how you apply yourself to those matches. If you're trying new things during your match, it probably won't work out as often as you'd hope. Play around with shots and such at home, but put your head into it during your league games. Most places with league have additional tables, so go ahead and practice things on those, but when it comes down to your match do what you know you can and leave the practice to when you'll get another chance to try something. Playing smart takes the cake 95% of the time over trying something new. That's my 44 cents.
Take notes...no kidding. Take a small notebook and diagram shots you miss...then you have something to focus on when you have quiet time on a table. Humans have a strong tendency to forget their failings, so unless you take notes you'll forget the shots you miss--until you miss them again. Don't forget to note HOW you missed it (right, left, thin, thick, scratch, etc.) and generally what english you used. Then later, shoot them until you're not missing them. Don't forget to also practice mirror-image versions of that shot (cutting left to the left corner pocket versus right to the right corner, etc.).
As far as league goes, 2 nights a week playing league with no practice is better than 2 nights a week playing yourself and never competing, but you absolutely need to have opportunities to practice your weaknesses without the stress of competition. The competition/stress is vital to getting better, but you need the time to work on that part of the game you're weakest on, or you'll just reinforce the bad things you're doing. And if you practice with a partner, make sure he's at least as good or preferably better than you.
As far as league goes, 2 nights a week playing league with no practice is better than 2 nights a week playing yourself and never competing, but you absolutely need to have opportunities to practice your weaknesses without the stress of competition. The competition/stress is vital to getting better, but you need the time to work on that part of the game you're weakest on, or you'll just reinforce the bad things you're doing. And if you practice with a partner, make sure he's at least as good or preferably better than you.
Shoot every shot from the "desperation point".
I dont think league is the best way to improve your game. The problem is you will end up watching your team play more than you will play yourself. If you have a structured practice session you can get a lot more table time and probably improve a lot faster. I would also say you might benifit more from playing in local tournament.
One of my favorite Efren lines is when he says he learns more watching low-level players than high-level. I play league myself, and I've learned a hell of a lot about pool helping the lower-skilled players on my teams improving their games. I was stuck at the same skill level for about a year and a half, and after I took an active role in my teammates' games, I've been rising quickly and steadily.
Efren actually used to practice what he called "crazy shots" he saw total novices try and slop in. Only crazy people would try something like that, so he was not likely to see pros try it. I'm sure that's where the "Z-Shot" came from, among MANY others...
I don't know how league goes around your neck of the woods, but around here it's a genuine waste of time if you're looking to improve your game and have a limited amount of time in which to do so.
League night usually takes 3-4 hours and if you are doing that twice a week you're devoting 6-8 hours per week to playing pool. I think that time would be better spent practicing an hour per day at home then sitting around watching others play and playing one match.
It's not even really close to be honest. 8-10 matches per month or 30-40 hours of cumulative practice?
League night usually takes 3-4 hours and if you are doing that twice a week you're devoting 6-8 hours per week to playing pool. I think that time would be better spent practicing an hour per day at home then sitting around watching others play and playing one match.
It's not even really close to be honest. 8-10 matches per month or 30-40 hours of cumulative practice?
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If you're asking me, I haven't played in a league since 1991...I started out in the original "Busch League". I played 4-6 hours every day back then, and on league night would play on an open table throughout the team's match (coach wanted it that way, I was the designated hitter). Agree that league alone doesn't cut it, but the competition under pressure is pretty important to getting better. A lot of guys tear up the Ghost in their garage/basement, then can't run three balls in competition.
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Thanks for the opinions everyone....good info. here. One thing I liked a lot was the post about taking notes. I have a mental note of a couple shots that I have been having trouble with lately. I will have to start addressing them by practicing them at home when I have practice time. Thanks again!
These days I pretty much only play league and I've noticed that I've become lackadaisacal and careless because I know I'll get another chance to shoot. So I usually struggle when I do play in the occasional tournament where chances are few and missing once means losing several games at a time.
However, one good thing though is that I'm not as hard on myself as I used to be and I've become more social and outgoing, which has made the game a lot more enjoyable. I used to go to tournaments with the "lone warrior" attitude and play to win without talking to anyone, but playing league with my friends has shown me that I was missing out on a lot of good times because of that single-minded attitude.
However, one good thing though is that I'm not as hard on myself as I used to be and I've become more social and outgoing, which has made the game a lot more enjoyable. I used to go to tournaments with the "lone warrior" attitude and play to win without talking to anyone, but playing league with my friends has shown me that I was missing out on a lot of good times because of that single-minded attitude.
Can you get better? Yes.
But, if you want to make worthwhile improvement you MUST practice.
Without some structured routines, and just continuing with the schedule
you described - you will likely remain an intermediate player forever.
Dale
Very true about the pressure. I actually think there is more pressure playing a league match than a tournament match. In a league match you feel the pressure to play well for yourself and your teammates whereas in a tourney you are just playing for yourself.
The answer's in the question. You're playing competitively, so you get to practice the pressure of competition. You're playing frequently at locations that presumably have more than one table, so you have 4-6 hours available for rigorous practice. You're also in the company of other players, both your team's and the other teams', so you can ask for and give advice, and both will help strengthen your fundamentals and widen your horizons.
Try to avoid playing a challenge table during your matches; take a table all to yourself (you'll probably have to pay for it but you'd pay for practice anyway) and practice the things you know you need to work on.
Take notes during your matches and everybody else's. That way you're basing your growth as a player on 4-6 hours of actual games every week instead of just your own.
