Trophy Effects

On my Monday night league, we had our end-of-season award ceremony and then a singles tourney.  This league calls that tournament "The Turkey Shoot."

I kinda felt like a turkey! 

At the awards ceremony, I have to admit it was pretty dang cool!  I wish my boyfriend could have been there to see all this.

My team won FIRST place in the league/playoffs.  Here is our awesome plaque (with our names on it!!):

(click photo to enlarge)

And then the individual awards were given out.  I was SO surprised!  I had no idea I won two awards (and $25 for EACH award!):

Most break and runs for a female and most rack and runs for a female! 

And THEN I was also given a trophy for each of these individual awards!

And THEN our team was given a trophy for 1st place - and I mean, we EACH received a big trophy with our names on it!  (I guess the plaque was for the pool room we played out of.)

I was elated!  I don't have a lot of trophies to my name, even though I've played pool forever.  So, it was so awesome!

Here is a pic of me and the three trophies:

(click photo to enlarge)

And here's how I REALLY felt:

(click photo to enlarge)

I posted the close up on FB and one of my friends said, "You were holding more trophies than Adele after she won 12 Grammys!"  LOL!  Funny funny.... :)

I have written before how I love trophies - it's a symbol or recognition to me.  Some people may have a million of the dust collectors, but I don't have that many.

Then we had the tourney!

Suffice it to say I found out that not only do I have title tournament jitters and ruin tourneys with expectations, I now know I have trophy pressure!

See the two pics above?  See that HUGE trophy in the background on the table?  That was the first place trophy for the Turkey Shoot!  OMG, I WANTED that trophy!  It would have been THE biggest trophy I've ever received in my life!

After I won several matches, I found myself in the hotseat.  I walked over to the new table they put us on, and on the very next table was this magnificent beast!   I think I slobbered a little.  I wanted it SO badly!

Well, I don't know if that was the reason I lost that match, but I did.  Wanted something badly and expectations can KILL your focus on the game in front of you.

I'm not saying that's why I lost, because I mostly felt like I was playing "catch up" the whole time instead of being in control of the match; this short race to 3 Nine-ball!

I barely squeaked by my teammate in the next match 2-1 to have a rematch with the girl I played in the hotseat.

The men were already done - hardly anyone was there watching.  Just me, and all her supporters for her.

I played my little heart out but I was playing too fast.  Even though I am the better player and the whole time there was never a doubt I would I would force a second set, it just didn't happen.  I lost 2-3 AND the dang trophy............

I texted a few girlfriends about it, as they were asking for updates.  Two of them texted back, "We'll MAKE you a big trophy!"

LOL.  Love my friends!

Rut Oh

Been playing bad lately.    Not sure what is up but it sucks lol.

One week I go 6-0 in league, and just 3 weeks later I go 0-5 in the same league.  Granted we were playing a much better team, and I only had two opportunities, but that's not the only indication I'm playing badly.

I played poorly in the Omega tourney.  Yep, I actually played in my own event!  Although I was ahead in both of my matches, and I played REALLY well at the beginning of both of those matches, I lost focus and lost.

I also played in a singles tourney for my Monday night league on Saturday.  I placed 2nd, even though I was the best player in the tourney.  I am not sure what happened, but I am just not playing well right now.

The timing really sucks too because I have the BCAPL Texas State tourney coming up in less than a month and anyone that reads this blog the past few years know that is the one tourney I've always wanted to win.  Well, saying that is already pressure, lol.

I keep hearing I'm playing fast.  Not just in early February when I wrote about this, but also this past weekend.  And I'm not sure why that is happening.  What happened to playing slow and deliberate and taking time on my shots?

I need to figure all this out asap!

I honestly think because I haven't been competing in tournaments more, that it's affecting me.  I am losing focus in tournament matches for sure. 

I am still playing great for team events, but when it comes to playing for me, that is another story.

Hopefully this rut (or whatever is going on) will turn around soon.

Actually Studied

I admit it. 

I've been slacking.

I haven't watched a video, practiced, or read anything about pool in a LONG time.

Well, Thursday night, I actually put in the DVD player a one pocket match (Buddy Hall versus Ray Martin) with Ronnie Allen and Bill Incardona commenting.  THEN, I read the 8-ball section of Phil Capelle's Play Your Best Pool (my #1 recommendation for 8ball!!).

Whew, look at me!