Teaching young players. How old, and what to teach?

J

jwyatt8171

Registered
I have a couple of nephews, and a neighbors kid that wants to learn to play pool.
I'm wondering what or how to teach these kids to play?
The youngest is age 7. and oldest is 14.
I have taught a couple of my nephews and friends some very basics, but at the age of barley being able to hold the cue over the table i'm not sure where to begin, or if there is any literature for the kiddo's.

As far as my skills....well play like an APA 3 sometimes to a 6 at times. So im up and down. My teaching skills are yet to be rated :wink: Not sure i have the patients i used to have. :sorry:

I have a Brunswick Gold Crown III and wouldn't mind buying additional cue lengths for them if needed. I just don't know where to start.

Thanks for any info
 
jwyatt8171 said:
I have a couple of nephews, and a neighbors kid that wants to learn to play pool.
I'm wondering what or how to teach these kids to play?
The youngest is age 7. and oldest is 14.
I have taught a couple of my nephews and friends some very basics, but at the age of barley being able to hold the cue over the table i'm not sure where to begin, or if there is any literature for the kiddo's.

As far as my skills....well play like an APA 3 sometimes to a 6 at times. So im up and down. My teaching skills are yet to be rated :wink: Not sure i have the patients i used to have. :sorry:

I have a Brunswick Gold Crown III and wouldn't mind buying additional cue lengths for them if needed. I just don't know where to start.

Thanks for any info
Click to expand...

Start them just shooting any ball straight into different pockets at medium speed. Try to get them to stroke not poke. Of course you have to teach them the bridge first and that is probably impossible for anyone under 8-good luck.
 
Last edited:
check your PMs. we're in Greensboro & my son is almost 14.

there was a thread maybe FEB/MAR, of someone who wanted to do a field trip of pool for his son's class. lots of good advice. but i can't find it in "search". maybe an AZBer can help out here?
 
I think the first thing to teach them is etiquette and respect for the game as well as for their competitors. Then stroke.

Given that children have a short attention span and are not likely to be dedicated enough to be interested in drills, I would think you should try to introduce them to some fun games that would be easy. Don't want to kill the youthful enthusiasm.
 
First thing I'd do is...

Best indoor activity at that age is learning a musical instrument.
Best outdoor is soccer or baseball.

Play pool afterwards if there is time or if they have absolutely no aptitude for music or sports.
 
In my opinion, one is ready to start learning how to play pool when one is ready to concentrate for 30 minutes at a time and ignore the distractions.

If either of the potentials is checking their cell phone every other minute--they are not ready and won't be until they can leave the cell phone alone for 30-minutes. While you are giving a lesson, have then turn it off or put it in airplane mode.
 
MitchAlsup said:
If either of the potentials is checking their cell phone every other minute--they are not ready and won't be until they can leave the cell phone alone for 30-minutes.
Click to expand...

If that's the case, then put a fork in it: pool is done.

These are kids. They want to have fun, so make it fun: take a fundamental and make a simple game out of it. Stroke a ball directly into the pocket. Stroke a ball into the rail so it comes back to the tip. Put a ball in front of each pocket and see how many balls they can pocket (run balls...but make them simple).

Or, teach them one-pocket.
 
center-ball is very important for people learning pool. dont teach them english yet. learning to estimate how the balls roll, especially the cue ball, is very fundamental.
 
lost said:
First thing I'd do is...

Best indoor activity at that age is learning a musical instrument.
Best outdoor is soccer or baseball.

Play pool afterwards if there is time or if they have absolutely no aptitude for music or sports.
Click to expand...

Boy am I glad you weren't my dad
 
My eight year old and I have mini 8 ball tournaments. Race to 10 or whatever. All he does is has to shoot object ball into the pocket. If he misses, I get ball in hand cue ball and have to try and run out. Because if I don't, he usually runs out his next inning. It's Somewhat of a new way to play the ghost...But I'm involving my son. He has the benefit of stroking through center ball utilizing different bridges (rail, closed, open, etc) and watching his fundamentals (elbow up and straight, feet, etc) while also enjoying a chance to take a game over his old man. We had a battle royale one night, hill hill 12 to 12 where I broke dry, and he ran out to 13-12. The look on his face was priceless and after that he asks to play pool everyday now.
 
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