Looking for some advice before i decide to quit......

[Belloz22]

Hey everyone, as you all know i post here all the time, often giving advice and seeking advice - but now ive come to the point where ive got a decision to make in terms of my game and looking for your views.

Ive been playing snooker nearly 10 years, my highest break in a frame is 58 and from a line up its over a 100. But my game seriously struggles when it comes to playing frames against people. Anyway, ive been receiving coaching on and off for around 5 years with in my opinion very little sustained success. Ive took on everything the coaches have taught me, reducing my length of feathers, changing my sighting of shots, and various other little things. Each tine i go back to my coach he says himself he can find very little wrong except maybe i cue around 1mm to the left of centre.

The problem is, when i play practice frames i know im able to think about doing my technique right, and that gives me focus, and in the end i play well in practic because im making sure im doing everything ive been taught. The problem comes to frame snooker because i have always been told, my members here, my coach and my dad to never think about technique during a frame. However, when i do this, i find my technique is nothing like what i practie. My feathering becomes longer, i think less and do nearly everything opposite (dont know if this is my natural game ??) So i try to then focus on my technique to make sure i do it as i have been taught, but then it becomes a battle of concentration because im focusing so hard on keeping my technique like ive been taught, that im mentally exhausted following one shot, and then little confidence for the next - thus im struggling to string 2 balls together.

i really dont know where to go with the game anymore, its come to the point where im embarassed to play people beause for the amount of time ive been playing, every frame i play like ive never picked a cue up before. Even people with much worst technique than me are playing more consistently than me. I really dont know what i can do anymore to help my game. I find it impossible to not think about technique, and when i try not to my natural technique is nothing like what my coach thinks is best for me.

I know some people will say its because i dont put the practice in to makin the technique natural, but that aint the case - i spend hours on end drilling the new technique in, just doing single potting so i can concentrate on technique. But as i said, the moment i try to just think about position and potting the ball, my technique is nothing like i been spending weeks doing.

Is it the case of excepting i need to think about technique every shot?? the thing is, ive tried this and it slows my game right down cause i need to assure myself im doing everything correct. the problem then is that it is so mentally exhausting for me.

Im only posting this because i do feel like im not designed to play the game, i struggle to make breaks of 3 balls or more anymore and i really dont know where to go. its not the case of playing bad now and again, its every frame - but like i said, when i see my coach he states my technique is pretty sound.

How am i ment to continue when i feel i cant improve - is there some thought process i can adopt to suit my situation.

I really am begging for advice here because i dont want to give up the game - im not looking to be 100 breaker - but a consistent 30 - 40 breaker - but im at the stage where im so embarassed to play because im losing to everyone - even people who dont play the game.

Any advice will help alot - sorry for the desperation in this post

[the legend]

You probably wont like my advice but in my opinion coaching for anyone over the age of 16 is a waste of money.You should spend the money on practising,and just try to enjoy playing.Coaching is just putting pressure on you and raising your expectations and expectations are the biggest opponent to relaxing and playing to your own level.

[Tred]

FWIW, I think you should always try and play the same in matches as you do in practice. If concentrating on your technique is the only way you feel comfortable in a match then do it. If you slow your game down too much then it's harder to get a rhythm, this isn't disastrous but, as you say, does mean that you will tire more mentally because you'll be concentrating so much on every shot.

Of course, the flip-side is that the more you practice, the more it should become like second nature. When you reach this stage, then achieving a more natural rhythm in a match should be possible. When you play matches how many frames do you play? Try and practice in bursts equivalent to that...

[CoachGavin]

In my opinion coaching is for everyone and no one is too old to learn. It sounds like for some reason your technique is not natural despite the hours you have put in. Perhaps try just keeping one or two basic technical thoughts with you in a match such as slow feathers or pause and then just play the match. Don't get too caught up in technique and when you have finished the match then you can assess your cueing and what to work on in practice.

[Belloz22]

Thanks gavin.... So shud i keep in mind the technique ive been taught or the technique that feels natrual because they are polar opposites. Im taught to b slower, slow feathers, short feathering...... My naturally im quick, long feathers etc??

[hotpot]

Coaching will benefit anyone at any age especially one with technical flaws . I dont think you really need to set your mind on a long pause , short pause , slow or faster pause , the main thing is that you deliver the cue as straight as possible using the technique you feel most comfortable with . A lot of players will vary the length and no of feathers depending on the shot and how they feel , as quite a lot of players spped up when feeling confident .

the main thing is feeling in total control of the cue and feeling comfortable . I,ve recently changed my grip which helps me deliver the cue so much straighter , it feels strange now but it will become natural eventually .

it,s important not to stop enjoying the game when searching for improvements and lookig for solutions , this is easy to do and so many get frustrated and wrapped up in technical issues and stop enjoying the game .

[vmax4steve]

It sounds to me Belloz22 that the coaching you are receiving isn't working for you. There is no specific correct way to grip the cue, feather the cue ball, take your stance etc etc. Just look at all the pros on tv, all have different styles, but the one thing they all have in common is that they line up the shot and take their stance in a way that is correct for them so that their cue can be delivered straight, and keep their eyes on the object ball at the moment of striking the cue ball.
Take some time to understand just exactly how you line up the shot and take your stance. Practise playing the cue ball over the blue, pink and black spots from the brown spot. Put a chalk mark on the cushion exactly in line with these spots and use that as your focus point with the cue ball on the brown spot. Then stand behind the shot with your eyes on this chalk mark and then mentally talk yourself through the process of taking your stance by saying out loud exactly what you are looking at as you are walking into the shot and getting down into your stance. Then play a slow shot with enough strength for the cue ball to get back to the tip of your cue. Think of nothing when playing the shot, just focus on the chalk mark and play the shot and see where the cue ball comes in relation to the tip of your cue.
If the cue ball goes to the left or right of the tip of your cue then adjust the position of your stance to counter this deviation, talk yourself through the process everytime so that you remember just what you are doing. If this makes no difference, remember what you are looking at as you take your stance and change this to see if it makes a difference. Example: if you look at the chalk mark only as you get down on the shot, change so that you look only at the cue ball and see if this makes a difference, or flick your eyes from chalk mark to cue ball a few times as you get down on the shot.
Then again if the cue ball comes back to the tip of your cue when you play naturally then the one conclusion you can come to is that when you are playing in a match, your head is so full of the different techniques that you feel you should be using, that you are forgetting the basics of taking the stance correctly and keeping your eyes on the object ball at the moment of striking the cue ball.
For me lining up the shot in the correct and natural way and keeping the eyes on the object ball are all you should need to play snooker to a good standard, if you can't do this then any amount of coaching of different techniques as regarding grip, feathers, pauses etc won't help you at all.

[davisskeggsm]

Looking for some advice before i decide to quit......

In my opinion i feel that coaching for absolutly everyone you are never to old or to young to have coaching, at what any age you have a lesson it will always be benificial to your game and will help you game in the future
Good luck

Matt

[Belloz22]

So is the general consensus to ignore my coaching and follow what feels natural..... Or focus on doing what ive been taught ??

[CoachGavin]

I think main objective is cueing straight. Now if you cue better with less feathers then go that way. if I was you I would try cueing naturally and then work with that action to make it as reliable as possible. Try videoing yourself playing naturally and then correct any faults rather than using a cue action that seems too robotic and gets you thinking too technically. Keep your natural game and improve one aspect at a time.

[thelongbomber]

It sounds to me it's a problem of confidence and an inappropriate placement of your energy and focus when in match play. I'm a good match player with regular 40+ breaks and my match play is fairly free flowing and competitive. Yes, technique is the holy grail to improving your game, but when in match play, everything you have learned "conciously" is meant to be "unconcious" in match play. For example, the break off becomes unconcious for most players because a player consistenly plays it over and over in the same way throughout his playing career.

Sometimes, just changing your perception of the game can make the difference. Have a read at my blog and see if these articles make a difference for you: http://snookerdelight.com/snooker-ar...ection-part-1/

I'm happy to write an article addressing your specific concerns if you like also.

[Belloz22]

Ok thanks for the info..... I think my concentration will be on cueing straight.... My fustration lies though in my coaching saying my technique is quite good but then struggling in games when i feel like i shudnt focus on technique :s

I will def read your article and would love one directed for me.... If you want more info or an explanation of my struggles pm me

[highbreak 8]

The long bomber has it spot on , in his statement about the break off shot , to perform sports tasks ,IE serving a ball at tennis , the break off shot at snooker it is all mechanical , the brain does it instinctively , it was coined the inner game on a documentary on TV years ago , the yip's is caused by the brain's electrical signal's forgetting what to do .

You appear to be trying too hard, possibly a perfectionist in life , everything has to be done correctly . Try relaxing and don't take it as seriously, forget your technique , just play it's a game , you will Never win the world championship , so just play and you will overcome all your feathering , un achieving in the break building dept etc , the scary thing is you will jump from a forty break to 50 plus that's the way it usually goes .

[highbreak 8]

The long bomber has it spot on , in his statement about the break off shot , to perform sports tasks ,IE serving a ball at tennis , the break off shot at snooker it is all mechanical , the brain does it instinctively , it was coined the inner game on a documentary on TV years ago , the yip's is caused by the brain's electrical signal's forgetting what to do .

You appear to be trying too hard, possibly a perfectionist in life , everything has to be done correctly . Try relaxing and don't take it as seriously, forget your technique , just play it's a game , you will Never win the world championship , so just play and you will overcome all your feathering , un achieving in the break building dept etc , the scary thing is you will jump from a forty break to 50 plus that's the way it usually goes .

[thelongbomber]

The long bomber has it spot on , in his statement about the break off shot , to perform sports tasks ,IE serving a ball at tennis , the break off shot at snooker it is all mechanical , the brain does it instinctively , it was coined the inner game on a documentary on TV years ago , the yip's is caused by the brain's electrical signal's forgetting what to do .

You appear to be trying too hard, possibly a perfectionist in life , everything has to be done correctly . Try relaxing and don't take it as seriously, forget your technique , just play it's a game , you will Never win the world championship , so just play and you will overcome all your feathering , un achieving in the break building dept etc , the scary thing is you will jump from a forty break to 50 plus that's the way it usually goes .

Thanks highbreak, appreciate the support. Snooker attracts people that like details, competition and a real challenge. It's not a game for the weak hearted. People with some "anal-retentiveness" tend to appreciate the game more and excel, grow, and work hard to become better. It's natural, as well, to become frustrated and want to quit because we don't see the growth we expect of ourselves or because we have an elusive dream to be a world champion. Snooker does that to some people. It consumes them completely and in some cases, ruins their personal lives.

Sometimes it's a cueing and mechanics issue, sometimes it's ball positioning and break building, and sometimes it's our thought process and mental approach. I work on all of these all the time and I'm content knowing I'm not there yet. I don't let myself get brought down no matter what I'm going through because I see the game as a challenge that you never fully master. You just keep adding new ideas and tools that you use through practice, learning, watching, experimenting, and doing.

It's very possible that once you accept your minute imperfections, and understand the game from a different perspective, that your game can become better. If Alex Higgins had constantly looked at and worried about his cue action, he wouldn't be a world champion because he would never have tried. He had an idea that he could play, tried, and succeeded. We don't all have to be world class cueists like Murphy, Ronnie or Davis. Sometimes, that can come later in your playing career. In the meantime, relax, enjoy the journey and enjoy the game.