Anthony Beeler
IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL GAME APPROACH ANTHONY BEELER
We marvel at the playing skills today’s professional players possess. The game of pool is as physical as ever and yet there’s still one deciding factor that often gets overlooked: the mental game.
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he game of billiards is as much a challenge between you and yourself as it is you and your opponent. At Virtual Billiard Academy we see a lot of students struggling to perform while under pressure; many seem to have lost the enjoyment they once had for pool, and before enrolling in my class some seriously considered quitting the game altogether.
It is vital to play in the present moment. To play in the present moment you must have a sound pre-shot routine that you follow on every shot. At Virtual Billiard Academy we can help you develop a solid routine that will keep you playing in the present!
This article will discuss strategies to improve your mental approach, so you can become more successful and most importantly, gain more enjoyment, both on and off the table.
Have you ever watched the 1990 US Open 9-ball match between Nick Varner and Mike Sigel? Varner, after being behind 9-2 and corner hooked, was the mastermind of one of the greatest come from behind victories in the history of the game. Instead of being
I believe there are five specific principles that will improve your mental game; Play in the Present, Maintain a Positive Attitude, Relax Your Mind Between Games, Evaluate: Don’t Analyze, and Visualize Success.
PLAY IN THE PRESENT How often during a match are players thinking about what happened in the past or what may happen in the future? Dwelling on previous mistakes is never a good thing, the past is the past. All too often players lose several games in a row because they are annoyed with something that happened a few games back. Conversely, too often there is the tendency to begin thinking about the outcome or how good it will feel to walk up to your opponent and shake hands after the win.
8 | Billiards Buzz • May 2022
MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
deflated and getting down on himself due to the circumstances, he maintained a positive attitude and took advantage of every single opportunity given to him from that point on. It’s important to stay positive, keep your head up, and never show an opponent weakness. And if you feel yourself getting negative, take a moment, regroup, and keep trudging forward.
RELAX YOUR MIND BETWEEN GAMES Pool matches are long and there are lots of opportunities to overanalyze, stress and micro-manage. Take a moment to regroup, refresh and relax
