Today, I'll ask you--what might it take for you to be a pool pro?
Today, I'm sharing with readers my recent dialogue with an aspiring player. Use my questions in this series to assess your own pool game's strength and weaknesses. It's all up to you.
Feel free to answer the questions below and send me the answers if you'd like paid or free-of-cost assistance with your pocket billiards skills!
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Mr. Sherman:
I live in [address withheld] and have played pool, mostly 9-Ball, for many years. I'd like now to begin playing professional tournaments but first I'll need fairly extensive improvement in some areas.
To gain this I would like to retain your services over some extended time in private instruction. I have a fine Oldhausen 9-foot table in my condo or I can travel to your preferred location. Please contact me right away to set agreeable fees and dates.
Sincerely,
[name withheld]
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Good afternoon, sir.
Can you give me some idea of where you rank your game now and where you'd like to be? Some more details will help me set a lesson agenda for our work together in person and allow me to prepare in advance to best meet your needs.
I've posted some questions below. You can answer some, all or none of the questions as you see fit and make other comments as you like. My questions are so I can get an idea of what kind of training or drills or teaching clinic we should create together for you.
1) You wrote you need improvement in specific skill areas. In which areas of pool are you most competent, and in which areas are you struggling the most? Breaking in 9-Ball? Caroms and combinations? Safety play? Consistency at 9-Ball and other games or banking and kicking, etc.?
2) How often do you break-and-run Nine Ball on your personal 9-foot table? For example, if you break and there are no challenging clusters or problems on the table, and then you take ball-in-hand for the 1-ball (or lowest ball if you sink the 1-ball) are you fairly certain to run out the whole table to the 9-ball? What percentage is your estimate for running the rack off a good break where there are no obvious challenges in the spread?
3) Is your skill set consistent between tables? Do you play as well on tables when you travel to nearby rooms as you do on your condo's private table?
4) What kind of league or competitive play if any are you doing lately? Do you have a regular outing against friends or against strangers in competition? Do you have a league handicap or other skill rating now to self-assess your play?
5) Do you have any digital video or YouTube video of your practice or play you'd like to send me showing your stroke, shot routine and stance?
6) What other games or practice drills do you enjoy and do regularly beside 9-Ball?
7) Are you enjoying your Olhausen or are you struggling with aspects of your custom table such as cloth speed or action of the rails. Is it a fairly new table you have in the condo?
8) Would you rate yourself now as a semi-pro player or as a highly skilled amateur? What kind of commitment and pool pro training do you think you'd need to play pro pool?
9) Anything else you'd like to mention about your goals or aspirations that I might find helpful in training you? I have students who play in pro tournaments already but want to win more often (or dominate their league or go to Las Vegas with their amateur team, etc.) Others have played in leagues but never for cash and want just to get ready for lower level competition.
10) Any other questions you can think of that I may answer for you?
Based on your replies we can figure together how I can best help you. You might want a whole weekend or longer intensive with me one-on-one, or perhaps you just need an hour or two of my time at the table since there is something elementary with aim or stroke I can piece together for you, to help to get you going onto a better path.
I'd rather fix your game quickly and earn your trust and lesson referrals rather than setup a whole teaching event with you if that's what's required. [And that should be the attitude of all pool coaches in my opinion--Matt "Quick Draw" Sherman]
You never know... with my semi-pro and pro clients sometimes a long session is best and sometimes a monthly or bimonthly get together for a much briefer time is what is working for their needs. It's all based on the student's needs and temperament.
I follow up with e-mail also to answer students' continuing questions and to set practice and play routines if someone can't get to me in person, like my new student who flew in from Asia last month to work with me for a week but who wants ongoing support online without flying back to see me again until late in 2012--if he even needs me by then to hit his goals...
Sorry for the lengthy e-mail but I'd like to get a sense of what you'd like from me so I can tailor what you need personally. My clinics are consistent for large groups but I always tailor any one-on-one instruction to the specific student's needs.
Again, I'm not asking you to answer all my questions above or write a huge e-mail in reply, but any details you can give me will help me decide whether you need a long session, a brief one or ongoing work if you enjoy our first lesson together.
Thanks!
