Tricking my team into learning!.

8

8balllark

Registered
I have a devious request of you folks.

My team are all good middle of the row C players, The last season we all hit a wall and had a horrible year. They are all good guys but also very stubborn in there ways and all share a distaste for drills and each of us of course have our strengths and weaknesses.

So my plan this season is to create, use and devise some alternate "GAMES" we can play Against each other.Something constructing that would make them get out of there comfort zone and hopefully learn something new, along with myself!

I have a copy of Target pool, im hoping that would be a good start, also came across a Bob Jewett version of target pool using playing cards I think would be fun as well.

Any of you folks have any other ideas for helping out?
 
I would say one of the best games to practice cueball control, is backward 8-ball. Or atleast thats what i've allways called it.

The same rules as 8-ball, but you don't shoot with the cueball. You shoot with either the stripes or solids and pocket the balls caroming from the cueball. Very good practise for cueball control =)

And of course play a lot of straight pool, that will teach everything...
 
When I have my team over to play, we usually play bank, carom, and safety pool. It's a fun break to the usual 8/9 ball games.
 
Backward pool

Jocke said:
I would say one of the best games to practice cueball control, is backward 8-ball. Or atleast thats what i've allways called it.

The same rules as 8-ball, but you don't shoot with the cueball. You shoot with either the stripes or solids and pocket the balls caroming from the cueball. Very good practise for cueball control =)

And of course play a lot of straight pool, that will teach everything...
Click to expand...

We used to play backward pool because you get a lot of play for your quarters in a bar. Best way to learn what is or is not a scratch because in essence you are purposely scratching. Caroms and combos. Great practice for rolling the cheese in nine ball. If you scratch whitey spot cue and BIH for opponent.
 
Three-Ball (3B) is a great game that can accomplish three important team exercises at once:

1) It teaches players to find a pattern for a 3 ball run-out.

3 ball run outs are very common in the final stages of a game between two B or C players. Whichever player can run 3 the easiest tends to win more games. Plus, players start to subconciously plan three balls ahead, another fundemental of good position play.

2) It helps a full team roster warm up in minimal amount of practice time.

Some leagues provide a 30 minute minimum practice period for the visting team on the game table/equipment. How many racks of 8 ball are you likely to get through in 30 mins if two D players matchup for practice? NOT MANY! 3B games/rounds are fast. It gets everyone involved and loosened up. Nobody waiting for two SL2s to pass the 8-ball back in forth for 4 innings.

3) Comraderie and Shark-proofing

3B makes a great gambling game (a la Skins in golf). Whenever I've played 3B with friends for small bills, it doesn't take long for everyone to start (loudly and obnoxiously) rooting AGAINST the guy who made a ball on the break AND then (loudly and earnestly) rooting FOR the guy who is one shot away from making the point and rolling the pot over into the next round. It's the team "ballbusting" that helps break egos and get everyone laughing on the same page. Plus, sinking the last ball while your teammates all try to get you to break concentration (Noooooonan!) is a great tool to learn to tune out the sharks.

I wouldn't recommend playing 3B in this manner right before a match, but AFTER the match and over a few beers is the PERFECT time.
 
modified version of cowboy is a great game and works good with 2-5 players as turns shift quickly. Your team will notice immediately how much they need to improve.
Use balls 7, 8 & 9 spotting the 7 on the foot spot, 8 center table and 9 on head spot. Object of the game is to pocket any ball and billiard the cb into another ball to score 1 point and continue shooting. When a ball gets pocketed it immediately get spotted to its game starting position. Start the game with BIH behind the line and all scratches receive BIH behind the line. If you score a point but scratch you keep the point but lose your turn. You must call the pocket and intended ball you're going into.

This is also a great ring game to start at any pool room for say 1 coffee per hit?
Would someday LOVE to see 5 pro players playing it on a stream!
 
Joe T said:
modified version of cowboy is a great game and works good with 2-5 players as turns shift quickly. Your team will notice immediately how much they need to improve.
Use balls 7, 8 & 9 spotting the 7 on the foot spot, 8 center table and 9 on head spot. Object of the game is to pocket any ball and billiard the cb into another ball to score 1 point and continue shooting. When a ball gets pocketed it immediately get spotted to its game starting position. Start the game with BIH behind the line and all scratches receive BIH behind the line. If you score a point but scratch you keep the point but lose your turn. You must call the pocket and intended ball you're going into.

This is also a great ring game to start at any pool room for say 1 coffee per hit?
Would someday LOVE to see 5 pro players playing it on a stream!
Click to expand...


Joe-

To score a point and keep shooting do you have to both pocket the intended ball and the carom? Do you have to call the pocket and the ball that you carom into? Do you play to a certain number of points to complete the game?

Once the game is over-is there a tally sheet to figure out a due to/from coffee tab?

Sounds interesting and helpful to practicing both pocketing balls and predicting cb paths.

thanks

take care
 
Try playing runout 8 ball.

you take the balls 1-8 break them and take ball in hand or put it behind the headstring.

You play 8 ball rules. Alternate breaks and keep track of how many runouts each player has after 10 racks.

It will help with them close out the games when they have an open shot.

When they get good at this you can add in blocker balls. change it up and use stripes 9-15 plus the 8 for variety.

Hope this helps.



8balllark said:
I have a devious request of you folks.

My team are all good middle of the row C players, The last season we all hit a wall and had a horrible year. They are all good guys but also very stubborn in there ways and all share a distaste for drills and each of us of course have our strengths and weaknesses.

So my plan this season is to create, use and devise some alternate "GAMES" we can play Against each other.Something constructing that would make them get out of there comfort zone and hopefully learn something new, along with myself!

I have a copy of Target pool, im hoping that would be a good start, also came across a Bob Jewett version of target pool using playing cards I think would be fun as well.

Any of you folks have any other ideas for helping out?
Click to expand...
 
3RAILKICK said:
Joe-

To score a point and keep shooting do you have to both pocket the intended ball and the carom? Do you have to call the pocket and the ball that you carom into? Do you play to a certain number of points to complete the game?

Once the game is over-is there a tally sheet to figure out a due to/from coffee tab?

Sounds interesting and helpful to practicing both pocketing balls and predicting cb paths.

thanks

take care
Click to expand...
Yes you have to pocket a called ball and called carom but you do not have to call any rails before the carom.
You can play a race to a certain amount of points.
We used poker chips to pay off coffee units after each shot ;)
"No splashing the pot or table with misgruntled chips"
 
DoubleD said:
It sounds to me like this game would simply encourage lesser players to hit even harder than they normally do.

Instead of 'tricking' your teammates into improving, why don't you simply recruit better players and kick the lazy ones off the team? Seems like a good 'trick' to me and nothing promotes work ethic like the threat of losing the job.

dld
Click to expand...

Don't go by that sound then. This might be the best offense game I've ever seen and people will not be banging balls at all if thats what you were thinking.
 
Joe T said:
modified version of cowboy is a great game and works good with 2-5 players as turns shift quickly. Your team will notice immediately how much they need to improve.
Use balls 7, 8 & 9 spotting the 7 on the foot spot, 8 center table and 9 on head spot. Object of the game is to pocket any ball and billiard the cb into another ball to score 1 point and continue shooting. When a ball gets pocketed it immediately get spotted to its game starting position. Start the game with BIH behind the line and all scratches receive BIH behind the line. If you score a point but scratch you keep the point but lose your turn. You must call the pocket and intended ball you're going into.

This is also a great ring game to start at any pool room for say 1 coffee per hit?
Would someday LOVE to see 5 pro players playing it on a stream!
Click to expand...

This is a very strong practice game. I know of at least one local pro who says this is the best practice game. I play this sometime and I always notice an improvement in matches following those practice sessions. Cowboy is an excellent practice game.


Back to the original post getting your team to improve, I think video and review of games would help to I.D. the greatest possible improvement for low end players. I think this improvement is decisions making. Making the right shot for the current situation. Execution is a huge separator I agree with that but I see so many poor decisions that cannot have good results. I know decision making improvements would help most any pool league team. Review of video recorded matches in a non confrontational way setup the table go through possibiliities etc all of this would definitely make for fast improvement.
 
One game I have used to focus on defense is 9-ball...but the only way to win is to 3-foul the other player.

Steve
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top