Same every time

Driller

Driller

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Every time I shoot in any local tournament I have the same thing happen to me every time. During warm up and during my first few matches I shoot at a very high level. But this always draws alot of attention from the locals and they compliment me, ask alot of questions and all. Lots of people start to really watch my matches. Then my game always goes way down. I don't know how to stop this cycle. Is it just more tournament experience that I need? Or maybe another mental approach?
 
yes and yes

You do need more experience and a different mental approach. When you are focused on the job at hand it isn't so easy to be distracted. I also recommend a different practice routine that doesn't make your speed as obvious. I think every gambler knows devious ways to sharpen and tune their shooting without showing obvious speed.

I also have to recommend making yourself less approachable. You don't want to be a total jackass but short answers or just a nod and focusing back on the table will minimize the distracting comments.

Hu

Driller said:
Every time I shoot in any local tournament I have the same thing happen to me every time. During warm up and during my first few matches I shoot at a very high level. But this always draws alot of attention from the locals and they compliment me, ask alot of questions and all. Lots of people start to really watch my matches. Then my game always goes way down. I don't know how to stop this cycle. Is it just more tournament experience that I need? Or maybe another mental approach?
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Driller said:
Every time I shoot in any local tournament I have the same thing happen to me every time. During warm up and during my first few matches I shoot at a very high level. But this always draws alot of attention from the locals and they compliment me, ask alot of questions and all. Lots of people start to really watch my matches. Then my game always goes way down. I don't know how to stop this cycle. Is it just more tournament experience that I need? Or maybe another mental approach?
Click to expand...


You are not suffering from terminal uniqueness.A lot of pool players (including myself) can totally relate.My practice game and my match game can be like apples and oranges.It's not even the same stroke.In practice I can throw all nine balls out (fairly well spread) and run them out time and time again. In a pressure game, sometimes running three balls can be a chore.

POOL IS A MENTAL GAME!!!! Acclimitization(is essential) definitley helps, however,in the mental realm it isn't everything.There are many more mental skills to be aquired.Concentration,focus,stroke and relaxation all need to be combined simontaneously.I wish I could help you more and teach you the mental game,however,it's something that I'm investigating (books, vids,tapes etc.) and only consider myself at the kindergarden level myself.:confused:

When I get to grade two, I'll get back to you.:D
RJ
 
Also keep in mind that as the tournament proceeds, the weaker players are weeded out and you are playing better and better players. And these folks will leave you with difficult shots.

I have seen this happen at regional league tournaments. Players will say they are not playing well. They are, it is just they are left with difficult shots by the better players who make it to these tournaments. Everyone there is an exceptional player. They didn't get there by leaving people with easy shots.

Other than that, ignore what other people say good or bad (this comes with experience) and play as many tournaments as you can.

What irritates me these days is I will shoot an easy (for me) shot and someone will say "good shot". Well there is nothing spectacular about it.(Playing in tournaments which have lower skill level players.)
 
When people are watching your match, or even if you just think they are, it seems you might be performing rather than executing. When you are shooting, your entire focus has to be inside the 4 1/2 by 9 foot world in front of you. It isn't easy, but once you can do it, your consistency will improve greatly.
Steve
 
Thanks for the advice

I agree its all about focus. I think I need alot more experience in pressure situations. I also need to get used to sitting out between matches. It is hard to sit out and keep focus.

Thanks again
 
pooltchr said:
When people are watching your match, or even if you just think they are, it seems you might be performing rather than executing. When you are shooting, your entire focus has to be inside the 4 1/2 by 9 foot world in front of you. It isn't easy, but once you can do it, your consistency will improve greatly.
Steve
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I agree with this completely. Thursday night I couldn't lose and broke and ran several times, the music was blaring and there were about 30 people close to the tables, I didn't hear any of it. Sunday was the same scenario and I heard everything and played terrible. Focus is the key.
 
Driller said:
Every time I shoot in any local tournament I have the same thing happen to me every time. During warm up and during my first few matches I shoot at a very high level. But this always draws alot of attention from the locals and they compliment me, ask alot of questions and all. Lots of people start to really watch my matches. Then my game always goes way down. I don't know how to stop this cycle. Is it just more tournament experience that I need? Or maybe another mental approach?
Click to expand...

This might be a little bit difficult to understand, but it's about your status and ego. Your ego tells you're a level X player. When people gather around to watch you play and compliment you, your social status goes up and that affects your ego, your self-image as a poolplayer. Bob Fancher talks about this in his book Pleasures in Small Motions. The reason you start shooting worse now that your status has gone up among your peers is that you are actually afraid of moving up to the next level in status as a poolplayer. And you are subconsciously afraid because if others start seeing you as a threat and not the "nice guy and ok shooter", your status will increase the pressure you are applying to yourself to start shooting better, although your game hasn't gone up at all. You don't want to be regarded a better player than you actually are and the pressure starts mounting up and you might actually end up worse than in the first place.

So, what you need to do (besides reading Fancher's book ;) ) is to ignore the compliments. I mean you can say thank you and so, but you need to ignore the positive and negative remarks and realize that the social status doesn't necessarily mean anything. You just play your game and don't let others interfere on your self-image as a poolplayer, because that image is created mostly by you and you only.

Just my two cents, I hope I gave you a fresh point of view on this issue.
 
During your warm up you may be more focused and more relaxed. As you keep playing you start to tire and lose focus. You are not as sharp mentally and physically and you are forgetting to do the little things like staying down in your shot, not moving your head and etc. Plus the warm ups are meaningless. There is no pressure. Plus during warm ups if your are really shooting good you get a false sense of security that you really in stroke and then you unintentionally start to lose your focus.
 
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Driller said:
Lots of people start to really watch my matches.
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We have a lot in common. I have the same damn problem!

Except people start to watch my match, wondering when I am going to go on a two ball run. They start asking questions like "Why would a shooter like you even bother to enter a pool tournament?"

It's hard to say my "game" goes downhill after that, really.
 
Blocking things out doesn't work for me. Whether they are thoughts or things happening around me. I figure if something enters my stream of consciousness, it's already too late to block it out.

What I try to do is acknowledge, understand and respond to thoughts that coax me away from the job at hand/here and now. I also try to integrate myself to the environment: music, sweators, etc. Once you realize that good players were once beginners, and begginers eventually get to be good players, other's assessments lose in importance.

Then all there is left is your love for the game, which is *the reason* behind your ability to focus anyway.

May seem complicated but it isn't. It's ONE state of mind.
 
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