When did the light come on?

Cannonball55

Cannonball55

This is cool
Silver Member
Hi,

i know that all of us remember the day when we went to the pool room, started hitting balls and thought to ourselves "hey, i'm kinda good!"

not necessarily implying that the jump in speed was over night, although i've heard several people say that they remember well when "it all came together". I honestly think that the first big jump in skill comes when the muscle memory kicks in and the preshot routine/warm up strokes & backswing are done in rhythm and without any thought .for some people, it is realized in live game action; we all remember the initial feeling of joy when we first begin to execute sucessfully and naturally .

Let's face it, some people are very gifted and they are born with the light on ( at least dim ) but even the top players can recall spending hours and hours hitting balls and gradually noticing improvement, or in other words, noticing their own light shining brighter and brighter .

So when did the light come on for ya'll ? when did it all come together for you personally . I know most of us are'nt pros ( im not even close ) but i do believe that by the fact that we take such an interest in pool that most of us are past the "bangers" level

your thoughts ...
 
I don't know if I qualify to answer this, since I really suck now...

But 20 years ago I was 'trained' by two of the best local players in my area (IMO), and one night I was playing on the next table and I overheard one of my friends tell my opponent that I'd only been playing for a year, and he said something like, "You're kidding", or something like that.

I never really knew how well I was doing until that moment. The 'light' burst through and for the first time I felt like a real competitor...

Maybe one day I'll feel that way again...
 
Playing at a high level

You see more very young players playing at a high level now than you did 25 years ago. The young kids have access to great training aids and can watch champions play almost daily on cable tv or dvd.

25 years ago, the only way that you could see the game played at it's highest level was if you happened to stumble in on a top level game or obtained the experience by going on the road and getting in the grease with the best players in every town that you went through.

Back then, you could be the best player in a small town having never even seen a really good player in action.
 
Cannonball55 said:
i do believe that by the fact that we take such an interest in pool that most of us are past the "bangers" level
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I don't think these two are necessarily related...

I think the question you are asking relates to the jump from new to the sport to making balls (beginner). This level of improvement is fairly quick, but is far from the light being on. Going from beginner to intermediate takes longer, and going from intermediate to advanced, even longer.

The important light that comes on should be the one during your intermediate level that indicates "I know how to make balls, but I don't know how to play."

-td
 
For me it happened the day that I found out ......if you look at the spot you want to get to, and visualize the path to get there, then get your mind out of the way....it can happen.

td
 
hnmmmmm

:thumbup: When I realized I could really play was about my 1st or 2nd year playing, I started beating everyone in my little town.. (not too little but hey) and some of the seasond players (that HAD no respect for upcoming players) I would play and beat and they would say something in the regards to " You can't play , your just some young punk that cant play and will never be able to play good". So of course the determination kicked in. The next few times somone ever said anything along those lines or even this one, I am SURE everyone has heard this one " I've been playing pool longer than you have been alive!!!" and I would say... " Damn you shoulda payed attention that whole time instead of just bangin em around , you would be REALLY GOOD!!" Point being, since I started playing seriously I have been paying attention the WHOLE time. And now 10 years later I show no fear against ANYBODY. RAAWR!!!! my two cents:thumbup:
 
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When the lights came on

A little history first. I played my first few years in a game room inhabited by guys my own age (13 to 17). After about 6 months of playing all day every day I was the house champ. At seventeen I got up the nerve to move up to the real pool room and try my luck. Armed with a sufficient bank roll I enter the room on a Friday night and began watching a ring game composed of all the best players in the area. I asked could I play, they asked to see my roll. I joined the game and in a matter of 3 or 4 hours they all dropped out except for one. We continued to play and I drilled him. The lights were on BRIGHT
 
I crossed the line one afternoon while playing my mentor...up to this point I was climbing the ladder as a local player getting better by the month. I had been working with my world beater teacher Andy for about 2 years and things started to click. I was up our 2nd set 7/3 going to 9 and Andy stood up to rack proclaiming to the packed room/rail....you all better watch this set!....this is the most improved player in the tri-county area right here! :).....I dogged a little but won the set 9/7.....theres nothing like all the guys you look up to shaking your hand after you beat "the man"......good times!

G.
 
I first learned how to play at about age 6 from my great uncle who had a table in his basement. We got fairly good at shotmaking, but had no idea how to place the cue ball.

Years later, I went to a pool hall with one of my tennis buddies to play some eight-ball. It was the first time I saw someone use any kind of spin.

When I first learned how to draw the ball "the light went on."
 
More of a strobe light here, but the flashes of light aren't fast enough with longer dark spots :D
 
Icon of Sin said:
I dont think I will ever be good at this game... no light here.
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don't be so hard on yourself, all of us are capable of playing like efren ( at least in our minds )
 
I think this is a tough question. Pool so far for me is a total journey. The better I get, the more demanding I am on myself. The days that things just work are great, so maybee I see the light now and then, but still tying to catch up to it.
 
I didn't start playing until I was 27 or so. It came when I quit drinking alcohol, and stopped playing pool exclusively in bars.
 
When I was younger my brother and I had a table in our basement. When we got bored of normal play we would sometimes play 1 handed. It was "legal" to us to use one foot if needed(so long as you were wearing a fairly clean sock lol) and I broke 1 handed using my foot and snapped the 8 on the break in the pocket I intended to. I wouldn't say the light turned on but I do recall saying to myself "well that was kinda cool"
 
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