whats the best pool school?

seymore15074 said:
Worst comes to worst means they'll be lying in an alley rotting with empty pockets and bullet holes; you are sending them down a terrible path, if you ask me. Play tournaments, travel a bit, that's fine; but eventually there will be complications trying to "make it on the road."

And school will be there, but other opportunaties in life will slip away the longer you wait to attend. Higher income, more earnings for a life-time, more experience, more opportunatey for promotions, etc...

I still stand my my advice to go for it, but you bring up a very good point. In "going for it" they will need to keep clean. The two biggest problems I hear about from road players is getting involved with the wrong gambling crowd and drugs. Most definitely they will need to dodge these pit falls to avoid the consequences you spoke about. Then again, I knew many guys from high school that drank and drugged their way into failing out of college and wrecked their lives. Granted, life for a road player is much higher risk, but no choice is without risk.

I think in the end they will find themselves broke and borrowing money for a greyhound ticket home. (An experience I personally had at 18. I am no worse for wear and a little wiser.)

michael <- nice that we can disagree without flaming
 
Maybe I misunderstood your question. I thought you asked about the best pool instruction...not how to run your life. In my opinion, Mark Wilson, in St Louis is the best.
 
smurf said:
Maybe I misunderstood your question. I thought you asked about the best pool instruction...not how to run your life. In my opinion, Mark Wilson, in St Louis is the best.

Sorry to have hijacked the thread but I thought it needed saying to one so young. I think the young man could also learn something about the reality of that life from reading Danny Diliberto's biography, Road Player. As great a player as Danny was, he was still broke a lot of the time (as he freely admits). A very interesting life but not a very secure one, and what are the chances of being as good as Danny?

I never attended a pool school, but if I were to choose one based on instructional articles I've read and things I've heard, Mark Wilson would be high on the list. Here's his link:

http://www.playgreatpool.com/index.html
 
Poolschool is a great idea. Attending one does not mean that your whole life is now irrevocably dedicated to pool.

Playing better pool is TREMENDOUSLY REWARDING; whether you become a student or a roadie.

I have had lessons with Mark Wilson in St. Louis, and with Jerry Briesath (Wisconsin summers/Arizona winters). You could not go wrong with a weekend of poolschool with either of these fine instructors - they don't come any better (this in no way demeans RandyG and Scott Lee; who both have tremendous reputations - I just haven't worked with them).

For gambling/road advice/strategy you would kick yourself if you didn't look up Grady Mathews and Danny DiLiberto. These road warriors are willing and able to share the knowledge that they have spent a lifetime accumulating. They are both lots of fun as well.
 
Rich93 said:
... I think the young man could also learn something about the reality of that life from reading Danny Diliberto's biography, ...
I think they would also get a lot from Freddy the Beard's books, including his "Gospool." Lots of good info in there about how to handle yourself among unfriendly company and many great stories. Maybe we need a separate thread about "what young hustlers should know for the road."

As for schools, I'd look at a local instructor first -- try smaller bites. Maybe instruction is not for the OP and his friend.
 
do yourself a huge favor..........invest your money on the ''monks''training videos.thing about ''pool schools is once you thru getting taught....your thru....but with the monks tapes you can watch them over & over & over until you've mastered every thing.if you can master these tapes completely i believe you'll be hard to beat.
im not a shill hyping his videos,...i have bought and used them and from time to time its still refreshing to go back and watch them. ne ways if you can master these tapes and need a stakehorse im me lol
 
Can you ask the videos questions if you have them? Or can the video point out any little flaws they might see in your game?
I'm not saying videos are bad, just not the first choice for learning.
Steve
 
Rich93 said:
Road players? I don't mean to be a smartass, but your earnings potential might be better served by putting college or a good trade before pool school.

We have fun on this board talking about legends of the road, but don't take it too much to heart. Almost every poster sharing stories about road players has made their living in some more dependable way. A goal of being a financially successful road player is like trying to be a professional basketball player - the odds against it are very long.

I wouldn't lecture like this except you're so young - at 17 I wanted to be Willie Mosconi so I know where you're coming from. At 19 I wised up, hung up the cue and focused on a more conventional profession. I realized that to make a decent living playing pool you really had to be Mosconi.
Outstanding post..
 
As far as a Pool school..i would go with an instructor..when i am in illinois i have Bert Kinister come over.(he is also avail.in Texas).he is great and VERY reasonable..check out his site www.bertkinister.com:)
 
pooltchr said:
Can you ask the videos questions if you have them? Or can the video point out any little flaws they might see in your game?
I'm not saying videos are bad, just not the first choice for learning.
Steve

yo dude .i didnt mean for you to think i was against pool schools but your reply is exactly what i expected from a teacher
r
as with every thing on this site your either agin it or afor it so chill out dude

maybe you have a grude against the world i dont know

but be sure to stay away from poke and eddy have a nice day
 
I'm not gonna voice an opinion on the "go to college vs. become a road player" but as far as a cool pool school goes I really enjoyed my session with Tom Simpson at his "beat people with a stick" clinic in Colombus OH.

We started by breaking down our most basic problems and then building them back correctly over a couple days; and of course the third day being "secret aiming systems of the pros" was awesome too. I highly suggest it to anyone who can afford it comfortabely and wants to boost their game.
 
diller47 said:
yo dude .i didnt mean for you to think i was against pool schools but your reply is exactly what i expected from a teacher
r
as with every thing on this site your either agin it or afor it so chill out dude

maybe you have a grude against the world i dont know

but be sure to stay away from poke and eddy have a nice day

Yo, Dude.
If you read my post, I stated quite clearly that I have nothing against videos...only that it is not, in my opinion, the best option. I personally have used books and videos for years. But when I went to pool school a few years ago, I understood just how much better personal instruction is when it comes to learning. That is the reason I became an instructor.
And no, I don't have a grudge against the world, or anyone in it for that matter.
Steve <----always chillin'
 
pooltchr said:
Yo, Dude.
If you read my post, I stated quite clearly that I have nothing against videos...only that it is not, in my opinion, the best option. I personally have used books and videos for years. But when I went to pool school a few years ago, I understood just how much better personal instruction is when it comes to learning. That is the reason I became an instructor.
And no, I don't have a grudge against the world, or anyone in it for that matter.
Steve <----always chillin'

so your instucting now...you should at least concede that there are more ways to teach a person,yes?btw would you still be an insructor if you recieved no money???

you can skin a sheep a thousand times but you can only sell him once at the meatmarket.....amarillo slim
 
diller47 said:
so your instucting now...you should at least concede that there are more ways to teach a person,yes?btw would you still be an insructor if you recieved no money???

you can skin a sheep a thousand times but you can only sell him once at the meatmarket.....amarillo slim

Thank You! You are helping make my point. People learn in many different ways. I talk with my students, and they talk back. They read something, then we discuss it. Then we go to the table and I demonstrate it. Then the student performs it. Then I have the student explain it back to me. By doing all of this, both the student and me are sure comprehension and learning are taking place. Some things may need to be explained two or three different ways before the student gets a firm grasp on the concept. Yes, there are many ways to teach a person, and a good instructor will use as many as necessary to make sure the student gets it.
And yes, I taught before I became a professional instructor...for free.
I don't do it any longer. I have learned that few players believe there is much value in something that costs nothing. There is a value to the information I share, and my students believe it is worth paying for.
How many books and videos can you buy for nothing? What do you think they would be worth, if you could? Why should instructors be any different?
Steve
 
Back
Top