Mentors

[Ralph S.]

One of the best ways to learn the game is to have a mentor. Someone who can teach you intracacies of the game and the proper way to play the game{s} of pool itself. Finding a mentor is a difficult thing to do. Last week I was shooting with a fella and some of the things he was doing was just blowing me away. So I started asking a few questions, and he was more than willing to answer and show me certain things that I was struggling with. Immediate positive results started showing, although they need to be practiced and honed.

I started asking more questions about him and how he learned to play. I asked him who taught him the game, or atleast the finer points of it. His response took me by surprise. Turns outthat he is a former road partner and room mate of Weldon Rogers Jr., who is a legendary player in the region of the country where I live.

I immediately started doing some research through various sources and found this to be true about his statements to me. He also has the game to back the statements. I asked him if he would be interested in working with me on my game and he said okay. He said that since he works a real job now, he would only be able to work with me on a part-time basis. The way I figure it, a part-time mentor is better than a no-time mentor.

How many here are fortunate enough to have someone help them on a regular basis in a mentoring or teaching capacity? I am also interested on thoughts on this subject, so I eagerly await any input anyone may have.

[Bassn7]

For the past year I have had the awesome experience of just this kind of a person. He's a BCA instructor who also works with one of the female pros. My game has jumped to a higher level through his help. We also compete in a race to 15 every week and take this match very seriously. Scheduling a specific time to practice and play is the key. It gives us both the most gain and focus.

[Williebetmore]

I've been lucky enough to find a former top road player who has given me lessons for 2 years. I improved twice as much in 1 month with him than I did in 1 year on my own. It is not enough to read it in a book, I think you will improve much more quickly if you have someone to watch and guide you (saves you from practicing bad habits, and pursuing dead end stroke fixes). I've also had a few lessons from Mark Wilson and Jerry Briesath (?is Mark Wilson the instructor the St. Louis poster has worked with?), and their input was fabulous. If you want to build a reliable, powerful, repeatable, pressure-resistant stroke these 2 guys can teach you (and quickly).