11.29.06
Posted in Competing, My Training, Practicing at 1:24 pm by Cherry Bomb
During the blizzard and highway skating rinks last night, two hard core pool players braved the snow and made it out to my clinic. CJ, from the last clinic, and Dan, a clinic-newby.
It was a particularly rewarding clinic for me last night because though they were both at different levels, they had both reached the benchmarks that we set for the evening. By the end of the night, Dan was shooting stop shots and CJ was drawing the cue ball back to the rail from the middle of the table. This was a huge step from where he started the evening.
After the clinic was over, Chris Byrne, my cue sponsor, stopped by and we worked on his website for a bit. I’m SO lucky! He not only makes an incredible cue but he’s also a really genuine person. Anyway, if I could just give him just a small plug, here it is!
After Chris took off, leon (he’s the one in the very front) and I duked it out. In case I hadn’t mentioned, just before I left for Charlotte, my baby, Table #10, the only Goldcrown in Table Steaks finally got refelted with new rails. It was in desperate need of both. It’s the table where all my clinics are held. Anyway, that’s where Leon and I played.
Good news: new rails and felt on table. Not-so-good news: It was FREEZING!!! The temperature in that corner is typically a few degrees below the rest of the place since it’s right beside a giant window. However, it was particularly cold last night since it was about 5 degrees outside. For whatever reason, there was cold air blowing from the vent directly above the table too. Burrrrrrrrrrr!
We called it Extreme Pool. Leon won the first set 7-3 and I won the next, 7-2. That was all we could stand.
On a side note, I stopped by new Shakespeares on Monday. It’s really coming along quite nicely but realisitically, it will probably be at least another month or so before they are officially open. The building they moved into was a warehouse before they were there. There wasn’t even any plumbing in there before they moved in. And, as we learned from the Colorado Cue Club, it takes a new grease trap to pass the many inspections to pass other inspections, to get licenses, etc. etc. etc. So, let’s hope it’s open by the new year. We’re all very excited.
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11.26.06
Posted in Misc at 12:01 pm by Cherry Bomb
The following article can be found in the December issue of Inside English.
I’m often approached by players who say “I want to improve. How do I become a better player?” They may play in leagues or just socially with their friends, but they insist they want to take their game to the ‘next level.’ That’s great. I’m always very excited to meet or hear from any player who is as interested in and as passionate about this game as I am. I’m very willing to share any experience or insight that might be helpful, upon request of course.
Well, here’s the catch. Ya’ gotta put your money where your mouth is. Meaning, most of the time, when players ask me what I’ve been doing to improve my game, they don’t realize that not only do I read about pool, watch and study the pros, and take formal instruction I also put in the time. I practice for hours and hours a day almost every day of the week and that’s the only way I’ve been able to come as far as I have in the past three years. My practice sessions are structured to focus on specific areas of my game. I practice with a purpose and I don’t just bang balls around.
During my clinics I’m asked, “How do I know how much english I need to come three rails?” Or, while working on stop shots, as I move the ball further away I may hear, “How much lower do I need to aim to get the same results?” I can answer these questions and help you shoot the shots when you come see me. But, the only way to consistently repeat these results is to practice. It’s just that simple.
No amount of accumulated knowledge can compare to the training and conditioning of your body. It’s not productive to complain about your progress if you don’t work hard. I encourage you to get out to the table and hit balls. It saddens me to see players with great potential not give themselves a chance because they don’t take the time to strengthen their weaknesses.
I understand it can be difficult to make the time to practice when you’re busy with life. However, if you don’t, then you can’t expect miracles when you compete. Actions speak louder than words. Don’t be disappointed by your performance when you’re not working up to your potential. The only way to improve is to invest the time. No amount of instruction, leagues/tournaments, books, or videos will help you accomplish your goals if you don’t help yourself. Practice is fun. See you on the tables!
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11.13.06
Posted in Misc at 12:43 pm by Cherry Bomb
I’m leaving for Charlotte tomorrow to spend a week with the future in-laws. Don’t have an exact schedule of events but I’ll have my cues with me. If you are or will be in the area and would like get together to hit some, email me.
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11.11.06
Posted in Competing at 6:40 pm by Cherry Bomb
I’m currently blogging from Cheyenne, Wyoming where I just got knocked out of the VNEA Rocky Mountain Singles. I feel pretty proud of the performance I delivered this weekend, especially since I hadn’t practiced the entire week before or even hit a ball but for league on Wednesday night. Being sick last weekend really forced me to stay at home and relax.
I also incorporated a new relaxation technique that my good friend Kevin introduced me to. Well, the technique’s been around for a while, but it’s new to me. I’ve been doing it at the beginning of the day and in a quiet bathroom stall just before all my matches.
I chose to play in the Mens/Open A division for two reasons. #1 – As a AAA, it’s a 4-3 race in the womens. I have to spot one game in a race to 4. That can be tough action! #2 – I really wanted to challenge myself and play against better competition. Though the Open A division is still a race to 4, it’s an even race and there are very, very strong players there.
The tournament began last night for me at 7p.m. I played nearly flawlessly in my first two matches. I didn’t lose one game until my third match last night when I lost 4-2. I played an opponent that played incredibly slow and I allowed him to just suck the complete life out of me. I was very disappointed. I vowed to have a fresh start in the morning and continue with my relaxed, confident presense.
My first match today was at 2 o’clock. He was probably the toughest competitor I had come up against in the tournament. He was the only one to have a table run against me. He played great so I knew I really had to stay in the game. It was especially difficult since we were on the very end table where there were people walking by between every single shot. At 3-2, I broke and ran to win the match. I was very proud of myself for finishing him off. I am notorious for being ahead in a match and winning on the hill. I would win my next match 4-0, finishing with a table run too. I really focused on not letting my opponent back into the match during this entire tournament. I didn’t want to give up one ball, much less, one game.
Anyway, I would inevitably meet up with my slow-playing friend again and I swore I would not let the same thing happen. I took all the necessary messures prior to the match. I took a break. I washed my hands. I did my breathing and relaxation exercises. Unfortunately, I don’t think any of it helped.
Well, he started off strong. He ran the first two tables and just like that, I was down 2-0. He was playing exceptionally well but I would eventually get my chances. Quite honestly, no matter how hard I was trying not to let this person get into my head, I couldn’t. In fact, the harder I was trying. The worse it was getting. It was just drawing more and more attention to it. All I could think about was how disrespectful he was. You see, not only was he a slow thinker, mover, and player, but he had these really annoying habits. For instance, he would jump to the table after almost every single shot to see what I left myself. He would stand in the corner and talk to his friend while I was shooting. He would poke at the ball and jump nervously on every single shot but still make it. UGH!!!! Although I tried not to watch, I still let every single one of these things get to me.
WHY??!?!???? What am I supposed to do?!???? How am I supposed to handle these players? Trying to ignore it just draws more attention to it. Addressing it also does the same. I guess I just need more exposure to it so I can get used to it. I wish I could’ve had a heroic comeback story to write about and I was able to overcome this player, but I was not… In every other match this weekend, I have played nearly perfectly. AAA players that I admire came to tell me how great my stroke looked. Spectators that I’d never met complimented my matches. I played well enough to win my division and yet I was brought down by one of the weaker players I met up with. Well, he played particularly well in that last match, but I’m still supposed to beat him. The same Samm that played against all those other players would’ve also beat him 4-0.
Finish: 9-12th out of 64 players in the Mens/Open A division. I just cashed and I’m pretty proud of my showing this weekend and I’m definitely proud of my overall performance.
I learned: I definitely need to find a way to deal with non-ideal opponents. It’s a shame and almost a waste of my great performances this weekend on 9-12th. One more match would’ve put me in the calcutta and re-draw. Everyone loses their loss. I REALLY wanted to make it to the re-draw. I truly believed I could’ve won it all if I could’ve just won that last match.
Oh, well! Next time!
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11.02.06
Posted in Competing, Event, Misc at 2:57 am by Cherry Bomb
(I started this post a week ago and I think I might actually be ready to finish it.)
Relaxing and Reflectling – As I loaf around in my pajamas, with my laptop in my lap, pondering the recent events from this weekend and more, the solution seems very clear to me.
Over the past three years, after attending the Cue-Tech Pool School and training with Tom Ross and the monk, I have done nothing but focus on my mechanics. Well, that’s not entirely true. What I mean is- I’ve busted my tail laying the groundwork and focusing on having a solid foundation. My number one priority when practicing has been fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals.
Well, it’s not that I’m complaining because it’s been what I’ve needed up until this point. Also, and don’t get me wrong, it’s not that my fundamentals are perfect. But, they are consistent. I can trust in my mechanics and know they generally won’t break down on me. Other things may go wrong, but it’s usually not mechanical.
Basically, unless you’ve never competed in your life and have never been defeated and had the fear of that in your memory, simply practicing ten hours a day, six days a week is just not enough to win tournaments. Of course, it’s fantastic to have solid mechanics on your side, but when it comes down to it, solid mechanics is just not enough to win the match if you can’t compete under the pressure.
So, from this day on, I plan to devote as much as possible of my non-practice time to competing and not just exercising (drills & stroke-work that is). The more I’ve been competing, whether it’s in qualifiers or in weekly $5 tournaments, the more and more comfortable I’m becoming with adjusting to various playing conditions; such as, disruptive opponents, undesirable environments, and pressure situations. I LOVE IT!
Since the weekend I played in the Amateur Nationals in Tulsa, I returned home with a new attitude. Quite frankly, for the past couple years, although I had been training intensely, I never felt I was “ready to compete with the best.” Therefore, I held myself back from playing in qualifiers and many top-level tournaments. Well, you know what?! That’s just silly!
I was allowing others to determine for me whether I was “ready” or not. How could I possibly know without even trying? When I looked around the room (and what a fine, fine room it was, too) in Tulsa, I realized that I could compete with just about anyone else in there. Okay, so I’m not savvy enough with 9 ball to consistently win against all of them, but I now believe I at least have what it takes. I can shoot the same shots and get the same results as any of ‘em!
However, my advantage is… (Karen Carpenter said it best) I’ve only just begun…
That’s right! I have only played in a handful of qualifiers so far in my very brief tenure as a competitive player. I have so much more to learn and so many more tournaments to play in. As I looked around the room, I realized that most of these girls play in qualifiers every single weekend and I do this once a year, if that. And here I am, hangin’ right there with all of ‘em. It was in that moment that I realized I wanted to do it! I WANT TO DO THIS!!!
It’s not that I realized I “wanted to go pro” or even that I necessarily want to start playing in more qualifiers. Those may just be consequences of this epiphany. It was just such an intense high when I was in the same room with so many fine players. Everyone pursuing this game for their own personal reasons, but we all come together with the same mission (in so many words), to master the art of pocket billiards among the best.
Once I returned, I couldn’t wait to book my flight to Houston to catch the last Hunter stop of the year. What have I learned from all of this?? I’ve learned that I need this. I NEED to play against more competition like this on a more consistent basis. I need it for my game, I need it for my mental strength, and I need it for my soul. I plan to hit as many of the 2007 Hunter qualifier stops as possible.
I LOVE THIS GAME!
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