Deflated

I'm trying to figure out what exactly is going on with my pool game.

I did surprisingly well the first weekend out of hibernation (last lady twice while playing real good with a smooth stroke, good pre-shot routine, and taking my time on my shots) to all of a sudden not winning games I'm suppose to win just two weekends in a row later.

I won a ladies event on a Friday night, but there were only 5 total females in the tourney.  Then the following day in scotch doubles I play badly and only get 3rd place.  Then play league and should have won 5 outta 6 games, instead lost 3. 

The next weekend I play two straight pool matches and I lose both of those.  To players I can beat if I'm playing well.

I am more than deflated and upset right now.

I seriously feel like a kicked dog.

I wanted to start my new straight pool season off with a few wins. I want the league trophy so badly, I want the wins so badly!  I could use that desire as my excuse - I kept my eye off the ball in front of me and was thinking of the future - but I know that's not true.  What IS true:  I am not playing my best and I am not taking my time.  My pre-shot routine is off.

I started off both straight pool matches on fire, only to not "stick it" to my opponents when I was ahead.  I let up, started to think too much, didn't play my best, let the matches slip away....  blah blah blah.

I lost the first straight pool match Friday night 100-77.

At the end of the second match on Saturday morning, a friend stopped by to watch me.  Score 75-75 when he walks up.  A few safes back and forth, and I leave my opponent a window by accident and he runs 8.  I foul.  He runs 8.  I then miss two very key shots (break shots) and he runs 6 and beats me 100-81.  I was up 42-18 earlier in the match, too.

But, starting off well means nothing if you don't cross over the finish line.  :(

My friend who watched the end of my match shares with me that I played all the right shots... I simply missed two important balls, and messed up that one safety. 

Both my opponent played well toward the end of the matches, but if I would have taken advantage of their misses in the beginning-to-mid part of the game, I just know I could have won both.  It burns to lose to peeps you feel you can beat, esp since the wins means so much to me in this league. :(

I felt relieved my friend said I played the correct shots.  That's gotta count for something, right?  He's one of the top shooters in the higher division so to hear my choices were correct made the loss sting a tad less.

But, to stop being negative for a moment..... I can tell the straight pool DVDs I have been watching have really improved my route to the break shots.  I feel ecstatic about that part of my game!  But, you can't tell any of that by the score and my ZERO winning percentage so far for the season.  ARGH!

I am extremely upset. (can you tell?  lol)

And, I'm scared right now, too.  I am timid to even schedule another straight pool match; scared of the consequences. 

I know I need to not care about the wins. 

I know I need to focus back on playing each shot to my fullest potential.  Key in on that object ball last to help me stay down.  Take my time, too. 

As frustrating and debilitating as the losses were, it was weirdly "fun" (dare I use that word) to try and overcome my nerves and the score and test my mental toughness to try and fight back in those two matches.  I haven't played competitively in a while!  It felt good, even though the losses hurt.  Ohhh, reminds me of that quote, "no pain, no gain."

Maybe I have some fight left in me after all?

BTW, 4 big tourneys in 5 weekends coming up for me.  I better prepare by envisioning my good pre-shot routine over and over in my mind during the weekdays, huh?