What a Coach!

So even though the Barracuda didn't deliver all the goods in Phoenix, the trip was so well worth it!  On Sunday, Mr. Jerry Briesath who did the original BCA training film on "How To Play Pool Right" worked with me for about 3 hours and wow wow wow!  He is a master teacher!  I came home with a fabulous drill!  Take 3 or 4 balls and toss them on the table randomly.  Take ball in hand - Any positional error must be re-shot until perfect position on all balls.  No hard shot positions allowed.  You MUST get easy shape on all balls or you have to start over. What a fabulous drill.  Jerry says you will learn more shots faster with this drill than any other method and it is the only drill that makes you CORRECT your errors!  You can bet I will be at the table for awhile on this one for sure!
My first match in Phoenix was with one of the top players.  I won the lag, then busted the 9 on the break - woo hooooooooooie!  I then won the 2nd game.  The 3rd game I messed up and she got one.  We went back and forth the next few games, then I get on the hill first.  I failed to close it out and she caught up!  At hill hill now, we go back and forth, some safeties etc. and she's on the 9.  I'm thinking "this is over", but she misses the 9!  HOWEVER, she leaves the 9 in no man's "tweener" land.  I've got a really hard back cut into the corner pocket and playing safe from this spot would be just as hard, so I go for it.  I have a natural scratch in the side if I pocket this 9, so I put draw on the cueball to avoid that side pocket.  I execute perfectly and the 9 drops.  I then watch in horror as the cue ball, having been "let loose" now, goes 2 rails and heads straight into the OPPOSITE side pocket.  OMG!  And that is ALL I'm gonna say about matches this trip!  LOL!
I highly recommend you check out Jerry's video which you can find on thepoolschool.com.  It is one of the most informative videos and covers a LOT of information. I watch it often, then go work on key points.  I only wish he lived in California!  But if any of you in Southern Cal would like to "go in" with me, we could get him out here for coaching!  Just let me know!
Until next tournament, shoot well and have fun!

Phoenix Here I Come!

The Barracuda is leaving town!  It's off to Phoenix for the first Arizona Women's tour event of the year.  Having come in second at a tourney at Hard Times in Bellflower, the confidence is coming back!  It is really unbelievable how "mental" the game of pool is.  You can know all the technique you need and what to do, but execution and staying mentally focused is key.  Playing the table instead of your opponent is also a key factor.  However, knowing their weakness can be vital - like playing safe by leaving bank shots when you realize they suck at banks!  Or knowing that if you miss, they will probably run out, so HIDE THAT WHITE BALL and hope they don't kick it in!  Ha!
After having endured about 2 months of scratching, miscues, bad rolls etc., I am finally starting to purge the "curse".  And boy - that kind of bad luck can REALLY mess up the mental aspect of the game.  So off to Phoenix for me and as LUCK would have it - I will be able to spend some time with one of the greatest pool coaches in the world - Jerry Briesath, who created the "How To Play Pool Right" video for the BCA some years back.  This guy not only knows all there is about the game, he communicates it simply and can get you doing things at the table you never thought you could do, and quickly!  Best coach I have ever worked with!  The entire trip will be well worth it due to this impending "lesson"!
Stay tuned for the tourney results!