SSOP tips to Play It Straight

How mistakes are part of the Competition Mindset Pia Filler and Jasmie Ouschan were interviewed after winning a couple matches as partners in a doubles competition. Following are some of their comments (in italics/red) on the competition mindset followed by my thought on the subject. Question: Jasmine, you really look like you enjoyed that. Is playing good pool work or fun? It can be both at the same time. Why not enjoy your work? I mean, we're always staying positive. I m

Most players think of a pool shot routine as a sequence of movements. They plan the shot, step into position, make a few warm-up strokes, and pull the trigger. But one of the most overlooked skills in pool isn't movement at all—it's stillness.

Straight Pool is the perfect game for learning speed control because the cue ball doesn't often travel as far as during a nineball game.

In this lesson, I introduce the training framework behind my Control the Rock system. Rather than simply telling you which drills to shoot, I explain why certain practice methods work and how to organize your training so every minute at the table produces measurable improvement.

Many pool players spend hours practicing but see only modest improvement. The problem usually isn't a lack of effort—it's a lack of structure. Repeating shots without a plan can reinforce bad habits just as easily as good ones. Modern sports training shows that improvement comes from practicing the right skills in the right proportions while gradually increasing the challenge. By organizing your practice, you'll improve more efficiently and make better use of your time at the

Most pool players learn to pocket balls first and then jump straight into drills or their favorite game. The problem is that many drills combine several different shot types, making it difficult complete the drill without an extensive knowledge base to draw on.

Looking for a bank shot aiming system? The truth is knowing where to aim alone won't help you!

Understanding how topspin and backspin reverse off a rail is key to the Kick-n-Stick safety shot. Here is a video demonstration showing the cue ball rotating in super-slow motion so you can see the effect. The paradox - how forward spin creates the kick-n-stick effect. It sounds like a paradox. But its not. This is the secret behind the famous Kick-n-Stick safety shot. A player can shoot the cue ball into the rail first, causing the cue ball to stop or “stick” upon striking a

Over the years I have developed a detailed shot routine. The basic routine has four primary parts. Each part ends with a "Moment of Stillness" (see video link below). Each part has 3 or 4 steps to be performed in order, making a 14 step shot routine. My expanded shot routine (not shown here) has at least 33 points. As you can imagine, it can take years to fully explore and adjust every single point of the complete shot routine to your style. But the 14 steps are identical for

If you find yourself rushing your shots, the solution is not to move slower, but to be deliberate about your movements. Pace of Play is not about speed but attention to detail Gave two lessons this week and always, when teaching you learn. I was explaining the slow backstroke and smooth follow-through which reminded myself how that's been lacking in my play recently. Couple with the fact I am working on my next video which is about staying down on the shot. Bringing those thi

You don't improve your play by learning to pocket more and more difficult shots. No, you improve by improving the QUALITY of every aspect of your shot routine,

Once I started deliberatly executing the steps in my program, my game started to come back and feel better. For me, that mostly means staying down through the shot.