JennBarretta
Pro Player
Well, I've just returned from Albuquerque, NM, where I had a terrible finish. It's been a while since I've had a finish like that, but the girls play so well these days that it's always a possibility.
I was so nervous before my first match...it was weird! Normally I have a few butterflies, but they go away as soon as I start playing. For some reason I was pretty out of it, and I played badly. I managed to hang in there and get to 8-8 where I ran out and got funny on the 9 and missed it, leaving it hanging in the hole. After I shot the shot a few times I realized that it was actually a low percentage shot for me, and that maybe I should have just ducked instead. This is a shot that I will drill until I don't miss!
In my next match I got off to a rough start, but then when the shot clock was called in, I picked it up and played well. My opponent handed me quite a few games, too. I think she felt like I did in my first match.
My third match was against Tracy Hines. She is an awesome player from Florida who will certainly be in the top 16 soon. I will not be surprised (and you shouldn't be, either!) when she gets on ESPN. The two of us played a great match, and in the end she won 9-7.
I've come away from this tournament having learned a few new things and I know which shots I need to work on between now and the Nationals. These days I don't beat myself up for having a bad tournament. I just try to learn from it and use it to make me a better player!
All the best,
Jenn
I was so nervous before my first match...it was weird! Normally I have a few butterflies, but they go away as soon as I start playing. For some reason I was pretty out of it, and I played badly. I managed to hang in there and get to 8-8 where I ran out and got funny on the 9 and missed it, leaving it hanging in the hole. After I shot the shot a few times I realized that it was actually a low percentage shot for me, and that maybe I should have just ducked instead. This is a shot that I will drill until I don't miss!
In my next match I got off to a rough start, but then when the shot clock was called in, I picked it up and played well. My opponent handed me quite a few games, too. I think she felt like I did in my first match.
My third match was against Tracy Hines. She is an awesome player from Florida who will certainly be in the top 16 soon. I will not be surprised (and you shouldn't be, either!) when she gets on ESPN. The two of us played a great match, and in the end she won 9-7.
I've come away from this tournament having learned a few new things and I know which shots I need to work on between now and the Nationals. These days I don't beat myself up for having a bad tournament. I just try to learn from it and use it to make me a better player!
All the best,
Jenn
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