Pro players who did not start playing at a very young age?

Tramp Steamer said:
Even if any of this was true, why would you, as an adult, be leading this naive young man down a path to ruin. It's shameful.
And, you and I both know, the only cute young girls you ever see are the ones whose boyfriends are sitting out in an idling car in your driveway. :thumbup:
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I don't see how anybody is leading me down any path. For one, I choose which path I take regardless of what anybody tells me, and for two, I'm not pursuing professional pool as a means to live; I am pursuing life coaching for that. I simply want to be able to play professional speed as I'm sure some AZB posters can.

I think that people are misinterpreting my intention when I say "pro speed." I don't mean to say living as a pro I simply mean being able to play to the same caliber as a pro does on the table. I'm passionate enough about pool to play to that skill level but nothing beats the feeling of helping people create breakthroughs in their lives. I live to help people shatter their limiting beliefs.

:thumbup: and, Tramp, I'm sure you understand that because that's your intention in telling me to not pursue pool as a career. You also help people =)

-Richard
 
The general consensus is that people my age are still lost and living with impossible ideologies in mind. They weigh the possible gains more heavily than the possible failures. I'm not a normal representative of people in my age group. That should be obvious because I play pool ;)

Honestly though, I have a good head on my shoulders and I'm intelligent. I won't make a stupid decision and I won't do something to sabotage my future, fellas.

I know what I want to do with my life - many people I know are still struggling to determine a major in college. I know how to get there, and I know how it will feel when I get there.

Think about it like a client wanting you to paint one of three pictures immediately but he wants the other two as you're able to find the time to paint them. You focus on the first painting first, when it's done you move on. That's what I'm doing with pool, martial arts, and life coaching. Pool just happens to be one of the paintings I'm working on but it certainly is not going to be my masterpiece.

-Richard
 
Zphix said:
I don't see how anybody is leading me down any path. For one, I choose which path I take regardless of what anybody tells me, and for two, I'm not pursuing professional pool as a means to live; I am pursuing life coaching for that. I simply want to be able to play professional speed as I'm sure some AZB posters can.
I think that people are misinterpreting my intention when I say "pro speed." I don't mean to say living as a pro I simply mean being able to play to the same caliber as a pro does on the table. I'm passionate enough about pool to play to that skill level but nothing beats the feeling of helping people create breakthroughs in their lives. I live to help people shatter their limiting beliefs.
:thumbup: and, Tramp, I'm sure you understand that because that's your intention in telling me to not pursue pool as a career. You also help people =)

-Richard
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Well, do us a favor and at least cover your backside. By that I mean have something to fall back on when pool wears a bit thin, and believe me it will.
All the best. :smile:
 
JB Cases said:
And had world class coaching and intense training the whole time. Taiwan is a hyper condensed pool scene, especially at that time.

I could turn you into a champion if put you into that scene.
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I don't care who was teaching him ,, from picking up a cue to winning a world class event in 2 yrs is very impressive and certainly way out side the norm ,, of course that's why they nicknamed him the son of pool


1
 
Tramp Steamer said:
Well, do us a favor and at least cover your backside. By that I mean have something to fall back on when pool wears a bit thin, and believe me it will.
All the best. :smile:
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I don't understand this post. :confused:

I said I'm going into life coaching/psychology not professional pool.
 
one stroke said:
Iv always been curious how someone can be a life coach in thier early 20s ,,


1
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I can't be a general life coach. I can only help the people who are going through things I've gone through or help through the life stages from the Loner to the Limit Breaker. It's not like I can help absolutely everybody, and I don't have the "life experience" to be credible to everyone, but I'm building my credibility another way.

Simply put - I've helped some people who are in their 50s, and I've been rejected by some people are 15. I know I can't help everybody OneStroke.

-Richard
 
one stroke said:
Iv always been curious how someone can be a life coach in thier early 20s ,,


1
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The same way anyone starting out in any career path should. Educate yourself, take on the jobs/cases you are qualified to, gain experience, take on more challenging jobs/cases, rinse and repeat. For a life coach, someone in their 20s may be better at working with a teen than an "expert life coach" in their 50s

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
 
Zphix said:
I don't understand this post. :confused:

I said I'm going into life coaching/psychology not professional pool.
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Some where along the line I got the impression that you were wanting to be a pro level player.
My bad. I owe you and Helfert both an apology.
To tell you the truth I need to quit this place. I've worn out my welcome.
Good luck, nonetheless.
 
Life coaches can't 'help' anyone in the sense most of you mean it. A life coach can help a person help themselves. It's more of a collaboration with the coach employing tools designed to allow the client to recognize their blocks and design their own solutions.
It doesn't matter how old the coach is or what life experience he has. What matters is how well he can ask questions and use intuition to collaborate with the client.
It's kind of like judo - you are using the clients own experience and beliefs for them.
Zphix will be an excellent life coach. He has all the natural tools he needs and with some good training he'll be off to the races.
Unless someone goes into a degree with good job prospects I can't recommend they go to college. Four years of hard work in the trades or your own business is probably a better bet now.
 
Tramp Steamer said:
Some where along the line I got the impression that you were wanting to be a pro level player.
My bad. I owe you and Helfert both an apology.
To tell you the truth I need to quit this place. I've worn out my welcome.
Good luck, nonetheless.
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I want to play pro speed yes. I would like to be able to get a weekly special one day and be at the table running racks quietly in the corner. Top amateur/grandmaster speed might be more apt in that case.

I do think it would be fun to be able to play Open tourneys and last more than 2 rounds though. Sean McKay is a good example - he's a pipe fitter who plays very high quality pool. That's what I'd like and I think I could get to master level in 3 years.
 
sixpack said:
Life coaches can't 'help' anyone in the sense most of you mean it. A life coach can help a person help themselves. It's more of a collaboration with the coach employing tools designed to allow the client to recognize their blocks and design their own solutions.
It doesn't matter how old the coach is or what life experience he has. What matters is how well he can ask questions and use intuition to collaborate with the client.
It's kind of like judo - you are using the clients own experience and beliefs for them.
Zphix will be an excellent life coach. He has all the natural tools he needs and with some good training he'll be off to the races.
Unless someone goes into a degree with good job prospects I can't recommend they go to college. Four years of hard work in the trades or your own business is probably a better bet now.
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Thank you six pack. Your post means alot to me.
 
Zphix said:
I don't mean to say living as a pro I simply mean being able to play to the same caliber as a pro does on the table.
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I find it a little odd that people think they can accomplish an actual professional level of play that the actual professionals only reach by committing their lives and careers to the game. Even the top pros must keep a dedicated intense focus to the game and remain in constant competition to maintain a professional level of play. One can see that in the slipping of skill from people like Schmidt or Gabe Owen when they pull away from the game to pursue other endeavours.

How someone can see the top pros slip when they are not 100% focused on the professional game as a career, yet think they themselves can reach pro level without even putting that type of commitment into the game that the pros do in the first place is beyond me.
 
Back in 1998 when I was 21 or 22 years old I posted a question on rec.sport.billiard. I wanted to know if there were any great players that started out later in life. I was no different than the rest of the players that had gotten passionate about the game and at one time wondered how good they could become. I loved pool and I desperately wanted to improve. I don't recall all the responses I got and I suppose I could probably find my post and all the replies but I'm certain the answers were the same as what we've seen in this thread.

Anyway, a year or so later I quit. I was so discouraged at the pace of my improvement and when I coupled that with what I saw while watching the great players up close -- I just didn't think I could get there.

I joined the Air Force and off I went. I didn't play much pool for the next ten years or so while I got my life sorted out. Got married. Finished school. Had kids. Started a career. I did the things most of us do. But in the back of my mind, pool was always there.

I've been playing consistently for over 5 years now and I've continued to improve. Now as I approach 40, I can say that I'm happy with the way my life has turned out BUT I now believe that I could have gotten there, especially if I had all the knowledge about the game then that I have today. Actually, sometimes I wonder if I could still get there. Of course, I'm not talking about playing world class pool here but I'm talking about being competent enough on the table to consistently take out a pro. I suppose that's still the goal and if I don't get there -- I'll be okay with that. The journey REALLY is the fun part.

So Zphix -- YOU ABSOLUTELY can get there.
 
Tramp Steamer said:
Even if any of this was true, why would you, as an adult, be leading this naive young man down a path to ruin. It's shameful.
And, you and I both know, the only cute young girls you ever see are the ones whose boyfriends are sitting out in an idling car in your driveway. :thumbup:
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You can only dream my friend. I lived it then and I still am now! :grin:
 
BasementDweller said:
Back in 1998 when I was 21 or 22 years old I posted a question on rec.sport.billiard. I wanted to know if there were any great players that started out later in life. I was no different than the rest of the players that had gotten passionate about the game and at one time wondered how good they could become. I loved pool and I desperately wanted to improve. I don't recall all the responses I got and I suppose I could probably find my post and all the replies but I'm certain the answers were the same as what we've seen in this thread.

Anyway, a year or so later I quit. I was so discouraged at the pace of my improvement and when I coupled that with what I saw while watching the great players up close -- I just didn't think I could get there.

I joined the Air Force and off I went. I didn't play much pool for the next ten years or so while I got my life sorted out. Got married. Finished school. Had kids. Started a career. I did the things most of us do. But in the back of my mind, pool was always there.

I've been playing consistently for over 5 years now and I've continued to improve. Now as I approach 40, I can say that I'm happy with the way my life has turned out BUT I now believe that I could have gotten there, especially if I had all the knowledge about the game then that I have today. Actually, sometimes I wonder if I could still get there. Of course, I'm not talking about playing world class pool here but I'm talking about being competent enough on the table to consistently take out a pro. I suppose that's still the goal and if I don't get there -- I'll be okay with that. The journey REALLY is the fun part.

So Zphix -- YOU ABSOLUTELY can get there.
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BasementDweller, I like your style. If you ever make it to DCC, then we should play some. friendly like (but to the death of course!).

I've been passionate about this game for going on 20 years now. Started out much like BD here, and prolly the OP as well. I muddled through my 20's, but managed to make some decent moves along the way. One of the decent moves was to get a college degree and to keep pool as a recreational pastime. Now, at 38, my game is as good as its ever been despite playing 10 hours or less a week. The trade off is that I do fall out of stroke every now and then and no, I don't play pro speed and at this point have accepted that I likely never will. BUT...and this is a HUGE but...I am looking to retire in a mere 10 or so years at the age of 48. That's without being eligible for any pension whatsoever...all on my dime.

So, my advice to you, or anyone else really, is to at least consider the path that avoids debt and absolutely, no matter what you do, put some coin back on a per pay period basis. 20% of income is the least I was willing to save annually. At this point, the financial security was absolutely worth sacrificing playing "pro" pool.

Good luck and shoot straight. Keep us posted on your progress. I hope to see you win the US Open or some big event(s) one day (edit: this goes for Zphix or BD).

Best,

JL
 
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jalapus logan said:
BasementDweller, I like your style. If you ever make it to DCC, then we should play some. friendly like (but to the death of course!).

I've been passionate about this game for going on 20 years now. Started out much like BD here, and prolly the OP as well. I muddled through my 20's, but managed to make some decent moves along the way. One of the decent moves was to get a college degree and to keep pool as a recreational pastime. Now, at 38, my game is as good as its ever been despite playing 10 hours or less a week. The trade off is that I do fall out of stroke every now and then and no, I don't play pro speed and at this point have accepted that I likely never will. BUT...and this is a HUGE but...I am looking to retire in a mere 10 or so years at the age of 48. That's without being eligible for any pension whatsoever...all on my dime.

So, my advice to you, or anyone else really, is to at least consider the path that avoids debt and absolutely, no matter what you do, put some coin back on a per pay period basis. 20% of income is the least I was willing to save annually. At this point, the financial security was absolutely worth sacrificing playing "pro" pool.

Good luck and shoot straight. Keep us posted on your progress. I hope to see you win the US Open or some big event(s) one day (edit: this goes for Zphix or BD).

Best,

JL
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Good advice. So of course, it will be ignored. ;)
 
HawaiianEye said:
If you can do this, you are a pro already. :)
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Hmmm....maybe I didn't word that right.

If you played a handful of open tournaments and along the way you beat a few pros but wasn't really a threat to beat them all -- you're not really a pro in my book. You're just a legitimate A player.

I suppose it would come down to how often you can beat a professional. Then again, it really doesn't matter anymore because we now have Fargo Ratings and I think they will be here to stay AND eventually I think they will give us all something to gauge our true skill level by. Everything else will just be arbitrary.
 
jalapus logan said:
BasementDweller, I like your style. If you ever make it to DCC, then we should play some. friendly like (but to the death of course!).

I've been passionate about this game for going on 20 years now. Started out much like BD here, and prolly the OP as well. I muddled through my 20's, but managed to make some decent moves along the way. One of the decent moves was to get a college degree and to keep pool as a recreational pastime. Now, at 38, my game is as good as its ever been despite playing 10 hours or less a week. The trade off is that I do fall out of stroke every now and then and no, I don't play pro speed and at this point have accepted that I likely never will. BUT...and this is a HUGE but...I am looking to retire in a mere 10 or so years at the age of 48. That's without being eligible for any pension whatsoever...all on my dime.

So, my advice to you, or anyone else really, is to at least consider the path that avoids debt and absolutely, no matter what you do, put some coin back on a per pay period basis. 20% of income is the least I was willing to save annually. At this point, the financial security was absolutely worth sacrificing playing "pro" pool.

Good luck and shoot straight. Keep us posted on your progress. I hope to see you win the US Open or some big event(s) one day (edit: this goes for Zphix or BD).

Best,

JL
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Thanks JL. Great advice you posted.

Maybe just maybe I'll get to the DCC one of these years. If I do, I'll look you up. I'll just say "Anybody see that young retired guy wandering around with money falling out of his pockets?"
 
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