Being Sneaky/Clever Giving Advice

I wrote back in March that a friend didn't know I played pool.  After he looked through my pool blog, he would tell me later he could tell I played well just by seeing photos of me, because my chin was so close to my cue.  Read more about that here.

I have a confession. While that did indeed occur....And while my friend did tell me that that is the sign of a good player... I really only wrote about it as a way to remind another friend (who I know reads my blog) the importance of being low on our shots.

I know, shame on me for being sneaky and underhanded.

But I have an excuse!

Don't we all?  lol

You see, I am the type of "coach" that will not change anyone's stance or bridge or teach someone how to hold a cue or anything like that. I mostly talk about strategy. Therefore, I coach/help people who already know how to play pool. I simply fine-tune their knowledge about strategy.

I also talk about mental toughness and share advice that can help us be more confident.  I also might talk about how one "walks into a shot" or how effective sitting up straight is, things like that.  But I don't change mechanics.

I'm not an expert at that, so I share what I know best - strategy and mental toughness advice.  Further, changing up the physical part of someone's game can really throw them off. And because I'm not knowledgeable in that area, no reason to make them worse hahaha.

However, I AM an observant person. So when I see something, I might try and bring it up in a way to not affect someone's game.

And this happened back in January.  I noticed during a session that one of my students/clients/friend wasn't low on her shots when she was shooting. She doesn't get super low on her shots anyway, but I noticed during this session her body was up higher when she shot; more than usual for her.

I was hesitant to say anything, but thought better of it. I knew in my heart if she was lower on her shots, she would be more successful.

So I causally said about two hours into the session, "Hey, I wanted to show you something..." and then I got in my stance and was low on my pretend shot over the pool table.  I continued, "I wanted you to see that when I separate my legs a little more, I get lower on the shot, AND I am actually more solid in my stance."  And then I kind of bended my knees a little bit up and down (kind of like a soft bounce) to show how solid it really feels (and looks).

She looked at me and said, "Yea, well I can't see the shot well when I'm low in my stance.  And today I am real tight in my neck and shoulder area right now.  I think I need a massage or something."

I confided carefully, "You know I don't like to talk about mechanics..." She replies, "Yes I know."
 
I continued, "And you kinda of already shoot not being real low in your stance, and that's your style. But I noticed you seem to be higher than usual on your shots today."  And she added, "Yea, besides my neck being stiff, I'm a little hungover, too."  ahahha

Yes, that will do it as well - if we don't feel good, we don't always get in our same stance.  Remember, the stance is part of the all-important pre-shot routine, so anything that disrupts your usual form is no bueno (I will write about this in a future blog).

At the end of the session, I brought it up again. I shared, "Okay, I'm just going to show you this one more time." I get down low on my shot, pretend to shoot with my cue again, just holding my stance for her to see.  I bounce a little again so she sees with my legs apart how much sturdier I am and lower on the shot I am.

I felt like she was apprehensive about the subject. I could tell she didn't really want to talk about it.  I decided not to press it any further; she was used to her stance and I was okay with her being okay with that.  Plus, the last thing we want is someone to NOT try something b/c we are bringing it up a lot lol.

And then she went on her marry way, and a month later I wrote that blog post deliberately. lol.

It seemed to me she really was okay to not be low on her shots. And while I get that is part of her routine and she had been successful all these years not real low in her stance, I knew from my own personal experience about this very thing, that she would feel more solid on her shots and consequently make more shots if she was lower on the ball.

Fast forward two months from when I wrote about "That Chin", and we had lunch together. We talked about pool (of course!), but we also caught each other up about what is going on in our lives at home and work.

At one point she told me she had been getting lower on her shots. I looked up from my ham steak, "Wait, what did you just say?!"

"I've been getting lower on my shots."

I then felt I needed to confess....

I asked her, "Do you by chance remember that blog post I wrote where I shared photos of top players who have their cues close to their chins, and how being low on their shots helps them by more consistent?"

"Yes, I remember," she confirms.

"Well, I actually wrote that because I know you read my blog and I was trying to give you examples of the importance about being low on shots."

She replies, "I have been doing that more and I am starting to feel much more comfortable being lower on my shots.  And I have noticed a difference!  I am playing a lot better."

"Omg really?"

I was so happy for her!

Maybe this wasn't sneaky after all and instead a clever tactic!

After she reads this post, maybe we can find out from her why she even started to try to get lower on her shots.  What was the catalist?  What helped change her mind to try it?  Was there more than one reason?  Inquiring minds want to know!