5 Tips to Prepare for Tournaments or League Matches
This article is part of Volume 17 of PoolSynergy, a monthly collection of the best writing on pool. After you read it, be sure to check out the rest of the March 2011 edition of PoolSynergy over at ForumGhost516’s blog.
I am a league player (straight pool now, 1 Pocket, 8 Ball & 9 Ball in the past), not a tournament veteran, and don’t claim to have knowledge about all aspects of this topic. I do, however, have 5 tips that I am confident will help you to play at the high end of your ability in the match or tournament in question.
Prepare Your Game
Sadly, you will not be able to improve the overall quality of your game in the day or two preceding your event. If you could, you could just do it 10 times in a row and in 3 weeks you’d be a pro. That said, there are 2 things I think you can do which might help you to get the best out of your current game.
Your game varies from day to day, so minimizing errors is a great way to push your performance to the higher end of your normal range. Because fundamentals play such an important role in everyone’s game, namely every shot, minimizing the occasional error could make a noticeable difference in a match. So, and this is especially true if you’re particularly weak on one of them, practice your weakest fundamental.
For me, it’s remaining motionless until well after the shot has been completed. Before the match, either at home before I go to the hall or once there if I go early enough, I spend at least a half hour pocketing balls and exaggerating my motionlessness hoping it will continue through my match. This can be done while you’re assessing the speed of the table and getting a feel for the rails.
The second thing I do is work on one area of my game that I don’t often work on, and that’s safety play. In league play and in tournaments, most people tend to play safe much more often than otherwise. Brushing up on a rusty, but frequently used skill for 15 minutes can pay big benefits. You won’t be developing a new skill here, just raising your comfort level with shots you’re bound to need more than once.
Prepare Your Equipment
You’ll want to check your shaft(s) to make sure the tips are in good shape and that the wood is clean, smooth and ding free, making improvements as needed. As far as tips are concerned, you don’t want to be switching tips right before an important match, so spend the money and get the tip replaced well before you really need it.
Check your bag for all other items as well to makes sure that everything you expect to be there is there.
Prepare Your Body
You can’t play your best unless your body is performing at its current peak. Make sure you get plenty of sleep, at least 8 hours, on the night before the competition. If you have a tendency to normally sleep less than 8 hours per night, then get 8 hours 2 nights before the match as well. Inadequate sleep leads to lapses in judgment and a reduction in vision acuity, stamina and fine muscle control. This costs nothing; trust me once and you’ll do it every time thereafter.
Eat before but not right before playing. You can eat whatever you know will agree with you, just do so early enough not to be playing on a full stomach. Cut your caffeine intake, but don’t go cold turkey or you might get a headache. And stay away from alcohol. It’s only a myth that it helps.
And don’t do anything that will tax your body significantly in the day or two right before the competition. Don’t start an exercise routine, or spend a day doing heavy work, etc. If you’re used to it, then fine, but if not, arrange your schedule to separate this activity from your match. Sore muscles are not conducive to peak performance.
Prepare Your Mind
Most people get nervous and have butterflies to some degree before an important activity. Relish, don’t fear the adrenaline. It’s your body’s way of preparing for stress. It will heighten your senses, make you mentally sharp and enhance your killer instinct. By seeing these feelings for what they are you can maximize their positive value while minimizing any negatives.
Focus on the positive at all times and banish all negative thoughts. If you make a mistake (who knows, it could happen), don’t curse your bad play, remind yourself how well you play, and that one small mistake can never keep you down. Remember how much heart you have if you get down in the match and how you came from behind that time. Remind yourself about your killer instinct when you’re ahead to get further ahead and not let up. When you’re planning a shot, tell yourself where you’ll put the cue ball and stay away from negative thoughts like “Don’t hit the 3 Ball”.
Prepare to Win
Winners have a plan, losers wing it. Beforehand, think about every match, how to best play your opponent to maximize his/her weaknesses, and maximize your strengths. During play, focus on execution of the plan. It’s a way to maintain control, to be in charge. You are the alpha dog, and you’ll play the game your way.
Sometimes the best laid plans don’t survive contact with the enemy. If this happens to you, take a moment to revise your plan and execute the hell out of your new plan. Open minds and flexibility are also key traits of winners.
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