Anthony Beeler when bad things happen. It’s the patient hunter that gets the pray.
5.IGNORE OTHER PLAYERS Not too long ago, I was working with a young player who was struggling. But a couple of strong finishes later he was feeling much better. At the next tournament he won his first four rounds. Now he’s feeling really good. In between matches a player he knows walks up to him and says: “I don’t know what you’re doing with your stroke, but that’s not the way you used to do it.” A few minutes later another player comes over: “I noticed that you aren’t coming straight through with your stroke.” Now the poor fella goes from making everything he shot at to being a total mess. You’ll have lots of well-meaning friends who want to give you advice. Stop them before they can say a word. Their comments will creep into your mind when you’re at the table.
6. FOLLOW A ROUTINE I tell my students to follow the same pre-shot routine before every shot. It keeps you focused on what you have to do, and when the pressure is on, it helps you manage your nerves. A good pre-shot routine helped a top pro win the U.S. Open. Afterward he discussed the final match with some of the other players. He told me they kept commenting on how “cool” he was. “They can’t be talking about me,” he said. My heart was jumping out of my chest.” He said he just hit one shot at a time and tried not to think about what it would mean to win the U.S. Open.
7. DON’T PUT UNNECESSARY PRESSURE ON YOURSELF I’ve seen beginners not used to competing arrive an hour before their match and start make changes with their pool stroke. They become panicked and try to change their mechan-
ics. Pro players do this, too. I’ve seen guys come to the Derby City Classic, invite all of their family and friends. Eventually they start worrying: What if I don’t finish in the money and disappoint everyone? Just embrace the present moment. You can’t be afraid of messing up. Anthony Beeler is the 2017 Pool Instructor of the Year and is a former BCAPL National 9-Ball Champion. He has numerous top 25 national finishes and is one of only 8 ACS Master Instructors in the world. He is the primary author of the National Billiards Instructors Manual and has also authored the book Unstoppable! Positive Thinking for Pool Players. Anthony currently has the highest established Fargo Rating of any Master Instructor. He has won over 300 tournaments and has defeated numerous professional players in tournament competition.
