The hardest thing to teach lower skill level players
- Thread starter jdxprs
- Start date
If you figured out how to make that easy, you need to teach my wife...I sure can't! LOL
I think mechanics can be challenging to teach a new player. Especially if they have experience banging the balls about, in which case they've already developed bad habits. They keep wanting to go back to what is comfortable.
Playing the right patterns comes with experience. They may very well be able to make the right shot selection as a spectator but it's entirely different when your playing. I've seen players watch pros on tv and accurately call all the shots, then play a few games themselves running the balls backwards.
Playing the right patterns comes with experience. They may very well be able to make the right shot selection as a spectator but it's entirely different when your playing. I've seen players watch pros on tv and accurately call all the shots, then play a few games themselves running the balls backwards.
Look of it like this jdxprs every player may have something different in mind on what shot pattern is easier for them. I'd know I hear it all the time from my father in law who is on my pool team.
IMO, teaching someone to read the right patterns IS a tough one for sure. But truth be told, there are many times more than one pattern to a rack to get out successfully with. You can break the balls, get 20 good players to look at the table, and I guarantee you if you asked them all how THEY would get out on that table, you'd get at least 3 or 4 different patterns.
What I personally have the most trouble with is telling them (as in a timeout situation) how hard/soft to hit the cueball to make their next shot be successful. Ball speed, now that's a tough one too!!!
Maniac
Patterns are very difficult to teach without them knowing how to pocket balls and at least able to hit a stop shot from different length (stun if angled). But a good drill is to throw 3 balls out on the table take ball in hand and run the balls calling all 3 ahead of time. Teach them to look at where they want the cue ball to make the 3rd ball and work backwards from there.
None if this is easy to teach if the student doesn't want to learn it and understand they would have to practice.
jmho, Dave
None if this is easy to teach if the student doesn't want to learn it and understand they would have to practice.
jmho, Dave
Conversational Instruction.
After a shot is completed, the student gets a chance to look a the table and decide what to do, and gets in position (standing). Then instead of getting down and taking the shot, the student announces his shot choice and subsequent position point to the instructor. Shot choice includes the english to be applied to the CB and any special effects that will take at the CB-OB interaction <such as spin transfer>.
The instructor, then, informs the student of other shots he might have selected by asking questions about whether student considered shooting that shot and atempting that position. The instruction may also point out danger areas to be avoided on the position play after OB contact and comment on english used to obtain position. All the while the student in in position to take the announced shot. After the other options have been discussed the student gets to alter his original choice to proceed wth the original choice.
The student takes a shot; and we return to the top.
The purpose is to let the student determine how he sees the table and make a choice. Then have the instructor upgrade the students view of the table and of the potential shots and potential ways to obtain subsequent position(s). The result is that, over time, the student's inner dialoge (that we all have with ourselves) will align with the instructors view of the table and choices available.
The typical student is not read for this kind of instruction until he is at least an APA 5 and has figured out for himself that he is not correclty reading the table.
After a shot is completed, the student gets a chance to look a the table and decide what to do, and gets in position (standing). Then instead of getting down and taking the shot, the student announces his shot choice and subsequent position point to the instructor. Shot choice includes the english to be applied to the CB and any special effects that will take at the CB-OB interaction <such as spin transfer>.
The instructor, then, informs the student of other shots he might have selected by asking questions about whether student considered shooting that shot and atempting that position. The instruction may also point out danger areas to be avoided on the position play after OB contact and comment on english used to obtain position. All the while the student in in position to take the announced shot. After the other options have been discussed the student gets to alter his original choice to proceed wth the original choice.
The student takes a shot; and we return to the top.
The purpose is to let the student determine how he sees the table and make a choice. Then have the instructor upgrade the students view of the table and of the potential shots and potential ways to obtain subsequent position(s). The result is that, over time, the student's inner dialoge (that we all have with ourselves) will align with the instructors view of the table and choices available.
The typical student is not read for this kind of instruction until he is at least an APA 5 and has figured out for himself that he is not correclty reading the table.
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I actually think it's funny because I know a lot of league players who are all about pattern play and some of them have been playing for like 15-20 years. They play their patterns really well but I think over all of that time they could have a much better stroke or any stroke at all. Of course this doesn't mean all of time but I find teaching someone how to actually use a good solid stroke can be hard.... I think pattern play you kind of develop over time eventually... but I may be wrong.
jdxprs
Banned
20 good players, 3 or 4 different patterns. the best 3 of those 20 players, probably 1 way.
speed is easy. teach them the 1 through 4 speeds in the playing ability test.
When I was shooting league,the hardest thing to get across to my team mates was "focus",they couldn't even concentrate on stroking the ball let alone anything that REALLY mattered,like position for the next shot or the correct shot to be played.So I just gave up.
They may only be confident in pocketing the shots they are choosing and don't see the patterns.
Just the pressure of giving up the table and losing might be their reason for playing the easiest balls.
I have only been playing pool for about 1 1/2 years. I learned in my first 8 months that pattern player is super important.
-If you play the correct pattern you should very rarely need to stroke the ball. Especially on a bar box, which is where the APA is played.
-Is doesn't matter if you make a shot if you cannot get out. Its actually better to take the correct shot, even if its harder, miss that, and leave more traffic on the table.
Though I have been playing such a short time I am a constant gambler. I play any and every game, i.e 1 pocket, 6 pocket, 9 ball, 8 ball, japanese ring game, 10 ball, straight pool, banks. And I am willing to gamble at all of them with the right spot.
So I will tell you right now, ball speed and pattern play/shot selection are the 2 most important things to learn, and possibly the hardest to teach. You have to talk your player through MANY MANY MANY racks before they will start to see why and how you are supposed to play a rack.
-If you play the correct pattern you should very rarely need to stroke the ball. Especially on a bar box, which is where the APA is played.
-Is doesn't matter if you make a shot if you cannot get out. Its actually better to take the correct shot, even if its harder, miss that, and leave more traffic on the table.
Though I have been playing such a short time I am a constant gambler. I play any and every game, i.e 1 pocket, 6 pocket, 9 ball, 8 ball, japanese ring game, 10 ball, straight pool, banks. And I am willing to gamble at all of them with the right spot.
So I will tell you right now, ball speed and pattern play/shot selection are the 2 most important things to learn, and possibly the hardest to teach. You have to talk your player through MANY MANY MANY racks before they will start to see why and how you are supposed to play a rack.
Give them ball in hand and get them to practice running 4 balls ,they will start seeing a pattern,Watch pro matches with commentary,but the 4 balls is the ticket to seeing patterns,patterns and a plan for a compete rack is 2 different things,they got to walk before they can run
Keep your head down!
Agree. Actually, keep everything down and still. if you can't make the ball, patterns not too important.
Another hard thing to teach beginners. "Chalk goes on the table Blue Side UP!!" I see a lot of "experienced" players also put the chalk down with the open side down.
xtrmbrdr
Registered
As an absolute beginner let me give you some insight as to how I look at the table. Take 8-ball for instance, if I can spread the balls enough on the break to make a difference then I look at the table to see which balls, solid or strip, have an advantage. Once that is established I look for the easiest shot. Why? Because I know I am going to miss, at some point, or the CB is not going to go where I want or think it will go. Once that happens the pattern is gone and my opponent will leave me in a different position than I had expected. Time for a new pattern? In my mind, Yes! So all I really want to do is pot as many balls as I can as quickly as I can. Pattern? What Pattern? Just put a ball in the hole!
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