Snooker Coaching Prices...

[GeordieDS]

In my time I have had 4 or 5 coaches and not one of them picked up that my lead leg was on the line of the shot so spending big money on coaching is imo a waste of time unless you have aspirations on making a living from the game, if your a recreational player then just save the money you would have spent on a coach, buy a good cue and practise,practise then practise some more

[jb134]

In my time I have had 4 or 5 BADcoaches and not one of them picked up that my lead leg was on the line of the shot so spending big money on coaching is imo a waste of time unless you have aspirations on making a living from the game, if your a recreational player then just save the money you would have spent on a coach, buy a good cue and practise,practise then practise some more

Fixed that for you.

[Terry Davidson]

In my time I have had 4 or 5 coaches and not one of them picked up that my lead leg was on the line of the shot so spending big money on coaching is imo a waste of time unless you have aspirations on making a living from the game, if your a recreational player then just save the money you would have spent on a coach, buy a good cue and practise,practise then practise some more

I somewhat agree with you and it sounds like you had some poor coaches. However, coaching (from a decent coach) can help those players who just want to improve their standard and not be practicing and getting the same flaws or faults ingrained into their cue action. Not noticing where your stance was set up wrong in my opinion was a terrible oversight on the part of those 4 or 5 coaches.

Let's face it, there are coaches for any sport at all and a lot of players and teams get regular coaching and I would have to say in almost everyone's opinion good coaching has helped improve a player's or team's skills. The problems arise when a snooker player thinks he is going to get that 'magic bullet' in just one lesson from a coach and it just doesn't work that way. Also, as a coach I find it very frustrating to give a player a lesson and correct a few faults and give him some drills to work on and then have him come back in 1 or 2 months with exactly the same faults. This happens over and over again, where the student just doesn't bother to dedicate themselves to the proper pactice required in order to improve their skill level.

By the way, I charge $50hr (about 30GBP) and that includes video analysis (at my facility) and a record of the drills if the player wants it at no extra cost. I can also do video coaching using Skype if the player has the facility to set that up.

Terry

[itsnoteasy]

Sometimes Terry,(not always) people do try , but if you have an ingrained fault, get shown the correct way then are left to your own devices , it's so so easy to slip back into the fault again, especially if there are a few months In between lessons, and it's a fault that you don't feel , if that makes sense.

[Terry Davidson]

Sometimes Terry,(not always) people do try , but if you have an ingrained fault, get shown the correct way then are left to your own devices , it's so so easy to slip back into the fault again, especially if there are a few months In between lessons, and it's a fault that you don't feel , if that makes sense.

This is the reason I offer a DVD which will show the fault(s) and also a recording of the drills. If the student wants it they can take this home with them for easy reference.

Terry

[Byrom]

This is the reason I offer a DVD which will show the fault(s) and also a recording of the drills. If the student wants it they can take this home with them for easy reference.

Terry

This is a good idea - Lots of coaches should do this - a sort of before and after on DVD to remind the person what they learned and how they looked playing before the coaching and then after the faults are corrected. Easy for someone learning to slip back into old habits.

Some coaches in my mind will be better at different areas of the game too.

I think it is down to a player to practice what they have been shown though - and the basics are the main bits actually - surprising how many of us get them wrong - and how many people actually skip or rush past the important so called basic bits wanting to run before they can jump.

At a higher level - sometimes it can be just a little tiny thing the coach might spot or the player wants help with - and with some people that might go un-noticed - but in snooker sometimes that tiny thing might make all the difference.

Coaching in my mind is a two way street - the ability of the coach to spot a fault and give correct advice the dedication and patience of the person learning to practice and improve with that advice.

There are good teachers there are bad teachers - but there are good and bad pupils too -

[magicman]

Sometimes Terry,(not always) people do try , but if you have an ingrained fault, get shown the correct way then are left to your own devices , it's so so easy to slip back into the fault again, especially if there are a few months In between lessons, and it's a fault that you don't feel , if that makes sense.

This is why coaching is vital from an early age! Stop the faults before they get established. Indoctrinate the correct technique then learn everything else you need to learn.

If you're an adult player with existing faults then one lesson every two to three months just won't cut it I'm afraid. With the best will in the world, no coach is a magician. A player reverting back to bad habits needs to be spotted asap and stopped. In addition to this, some people want to learn but are incapable of taking instruction. I've coached people with a lifelong high break of ninety to making centuries within a week or two, and I've also coached people week in week out who ignore repeated advice or instruction over and over again.

If coaches are worthless then an awful lot of professional sports people could save themselves fortunes. The truth is the teacher is only as good as the capability of the pupil.

[mr.boy]

You can't easily see your elbow when playing. A coach can. At the easiest level, a coach can just spot which bad habits you have and tell you things to practice. It doesn't need to be rocket science.

I don't know snooker but I can't imagine it's any different than playing the piano/guitar, doing karate, learning to play tennis, etc, all of which I have done. You can learn anything on your own with enough determination but most people are not that good at self-analysis or that focused.

[ace man]

I am 100% self coached using tools like TSF/youtube/DVDs... To get significantly better, coaching lessons themselves here and there would not be nearly enough. I'd need to move to UK for a year and play snooker at the clubs with against high level players...a lot. Not an option as I would go bankrupt very soon.

[Byrom]

I am 100% self coached using tools like TSF/youtube/DVDs... To get significantly better, coaching lessons themselves here and there would not be nearly enough. I'd need to move to UK for a year and play snooker at the clubs with against high level players...a lot. Not an option as I would go bankrupt very soon.

That's interesting - couple of questions then if I may.

What is your standard?
How much do you practice?
What are the best three things you learned that helped your game?

[ace man]

That's interesting - couple of questions then if I may.

What is your standard?
How much do you practice?
What are the best three things you learned that helped your game?

Standard? Match HB 86, but have done 50+, enough times not to remember most of them...
There are days of course when a 16 is monumental achievement. Decent among balls, but not good with long potting.
Combined solo + match play only 10 to 15 hours per week. I play much more when on vacation.
Most helpful for me was learning to open the grip and drop elbow on backswing a little to avoid that dreadful see saw motion of the cue on longer backswing. Slower backswing and back pause were good additions too.
Unfortunately I started very late with snooker, at well over 30 years of age. Prior to that I played US pool with which I also started very late at 25. I occasionally still play pool, but only at tournaments,
I consider myself a decent hobby player.

[Byrom]

Not bad - devote a few more hours push yourself with a few targets and I bet you could get that 100 inside a year or two - Impressive to get to that standard taking the game up late in life and it must be difficult not having that many good players around you to push you on that bit more - there is a lot to be learned from just being around them - you pick bits up and it inspires.

[mg222]

i had the worst habits ever when i first started playing snooker,i was rushing the shots i wondered why i couldn't use a rest yet my mate could, and i played a whole frame playing with just a rest which half way though the game i learned with different positions of the rest Which from then on made me a better rest player.
i used to turn up at the snooker club like Billy no mates and do the same thing over and over again until when i reached an age where i felt confident in break building,
snooker coaching is fine if you want to spend your money on it it's the persons money at the end of the day he can do what he likes but there's no better buzz then learning from your own mistakes

I absolutely agree with you. Coaches are highly over-rated.

I have seen coaches complicate snooker with a lot of hogwash. Maybe to ensure you feel that 'you are getting your money's worth'. Yeah, right! And yes, I am sure there are a few good coaches around.

True, Snooker is a tough game. BUT if you break it down in parts, it is not so difficult. With all the learning information available in books and internet today, you can train yourself. Rest assured there is no bigger high then getting good in snooker by yourself [as Leo said].

There is a player at our club who has taken 25 individual coaching lessons at £25 each. I cringe when I see him doing the line-up practice. He is the worst player at our club!!

Of course, there will be a player taken coaching and improved, however, the point is he could have done it by applying himself. Its not like he has to invent anything, he has seen many players doing their routines. One is free to choose which path to take.

[mr.boy]

I absolutely agree with you. Coaches are highly over-rated.

I have seen coaches complicate snooker with a lot of hogwash. Maybe to ensure you feel that 'you are getting your money's worth'. Yeah, right!

True, Snooker is a tough game. BUT if you break it down in parts, it is not so difficult. With all the learning information available in books and internet today, you can train yourself. Rest assured there is no bigger high then getting good in snooker by yourself [as Leo said].

There is a player at our club who has taken 25 individual coaching lessons at £25 each. I cringe when I see him doing the line-up practice. He is the worst player at our club!!

Of course, there will be a player taken coaching and improved, however, the point is he could have done it by applying himself. Its not like he has to invent anything, he has seen many players doing their routines. One is free to use which path to take.

How do you know if you are doing it right when you are focused intently on the object ball, without someone watching? You can't turn and watch your cueing arm while you play, and you can't easily see your stance.

A lot of basic stuff you could probably "self coach" by recording yourself on video, as long as you know what a good player looks like, but people generally are lazy and having someone to give you a prod even on stuff you already know is very beneficial. That's why your piano teacher doesn't tell you each thing once - they tell you it, you practice and next lesson they tell you you're still doing it wrong because you start to ingrain bad habits with nobody to observe you.

[mg222]

How do you know if you are doing it right when you are focused intently on the object ball, without someone watching? You can't turn and watch your cueing arm while you play, and you can't easily see your stance.

A lot of basic stuff you could probably "self coach" by recording yourself on video, as long as you know what a good player looks like, but people generally are lazy and having someone to give you a prod even on stuff you already know is very beneficial. That's why your piano teacher doesn't tell you each thing once - they tell you it, you practice and next lesson they tell you you're still doing it wrong because you start to ingrain bad habits with nobody to observe you.

Very Simple. Zero Complication. I did a digital video DVD of myself. Shows cueing arm and walk-in and stance.

In fact you asked a great question in your second / third sentence and you just coached yourself by answering it in the fourth sentence!

To be very honest we are always coaching ourselves. Esp after mistakes, aren't we? At end of the day, as Leo said, if one wants to pay for coaching, go for it. Knock yourself out...