Question About Pros

[sixpack]

I don't know the exact answer, however you have to keep in mind most pros learn as kids or early teens. Kids learn at a much different rate than adults, and they pick up skills far easier than adults do. The key development years for a kid trying to develop into a professional sportsman is roughly 11-16 for boys and 10-15 for girls.

The ages and ranges may be a little off but you get the idea. But this explains why someone like Wu could start at 10 and win the world championships at 16. Adults need a bit more time to develop their skills and I think probably practice more deliberately since they they aren't building motor memory as quickly.

For more info, check this out. It's not about pool but about talent identification in general for developing kids into professional sportsman. He also debunks the 10,000 hour 'rule'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SZBBXddQxI

I think a huge part of the difference between how kids learn and how adults learn is fear and expectation. Kids aren't afraid of trying things. They aren't afraid of looking foolish for the most part and they don't hurry the process because they hone in on what they like about something and do that until they master it.

Adults like to set expectations and goals and plan to meet them. They set up practice routines and track their statistics. And generally don't take the time to hit a shot 75 different ways just to see what would happen. The don't play 25 shots off the corner of the side pocket trying to see if they can make the cueball does something cool.

I think the hand/eye coordination is important at a young age and it's possible you can't develop it later or build new synapses or whatever the prevailing theory is today. But I've seen people pick up all kinds of pursuits later in life (including pool) and almost instantly get to a very high level. But not without a lot of time and a lot of joy in the process. And a little bit of a plan.

 

[Zphix]

If you can do that, you have most of the physical skills down pretty well. What separates the pros from the almost pros is consistency. That one miss or miscue that you made ended your run. A pro won't make that mistake. They inherently pay attention to detail on every shot. That has to be ingrained into your subconscious to where it becomes automatic.

They also have superb cb control. How is yours? CB control can never be underestimated. It's the difference between an easy run or a hard run. A poor safe to a good safe to a lock up safe.

You also have to learn to control pressure situations. How best for YOUR mind to deal with them to where they don't adversely affect your game, but enhance your game.

Along with consistency is proper fundamentals. Guess what pros usually work on when they take lessons- that's right, fundamentals. Right back to the same thing the beginners work on.

I've been working on CB control the most lately and it is coming along quite well. I was really surprised by it today. I'm also finally naturally seeing better position routes as well. I'm confident in my stroke and fundamentals and have no problem taking the longer guaranteed shot, or the cut to come naturally three rails.

I still have a long way to go before I'm happy with my game. I have absolutely no intentions of slowing up anytime soon.

CB control has always been my weak point and I'm going to refine it until it's a strength. An from today was I was down to 3 balls, and had to drag the CB down the rail 5 diamonds to end up straight in to play a stop shot between two balls. It wasn't the route I'd take in a game but I wanted to see if I could and I did so perfectly.

It is getting there for sure and it's exciting.