I am basing this article on a book I may write someday. I believe everyone and anyone who ever picked up a cue has the ability to become a champion. So what does it take?
How many players do you know that are bound to percentages? What I mean is that you see players playing flawlessly and all of a sudden they miss a shot that should have been duck soup or they end up playing position so badly they cannot get out. They are falling victim to percentages. It's a mental block that pressures players into missing. I can teach any player to overcome this block by helping them develop the mental and physical toughness to overcome this unnecessary feeling we all have as players.
I'm only addressing this to serious players who have the desire to become more than they are as a player. If your just wanting a quick fix for your game, my ideas aren't for you. What I teach takes dedication and hard work. We all have a champion inside but it takes a special knowledge and know how to bring it out. I am that very rare breed of a man that has been through the trials of battle all my life, fighting for every ounce of respect, living the pressures of competition as a daily diet. Through my battles, a Champion was born.
My football coach once told me, son you have the "eye of the tiger!". I was 8 years old and my desire only grew as I got older, then when I was 16 I found the game of pool, I had never been so mentally challenged, I had been very physical all my life and pool confined my physical abilities. I was so frustrated because I couldn't use those abilities to win, then it happened... I met Chan Whitt Jr. We went to school together and he was a celebrity at our school, we became friends and he invited me to come to his dads pool hall. Well, I was only interested in trick shots and reverse english at the time, and I mostly watched Chan practice. After awhile I started to really pay attention and I noticed he had the "eye of the tiger"! At this point I realized I could use my gifts in the game, and Chan was really busy at the time so I went to his dad, Chan Whitt Sr. I told Chan I wanted to play "better" so he played me a race to three for 5. Oh, I lost and lost and lost. I got so discouraged I didn't go back for months, I played elsewhere learning the game and practicing to get my money back, I went back to Chan's place (now I'm on a personal vendetta against a man that makes world champions. lol) I was ready and that night I was pushed by my desire to win to the extent I surpassed my abilities as a player. I shot masse shots, I kicked, I banked, and I lost. Chan told me not to be discouraged that I found a little piece of the champion inside of me, I told Chan I just felt that no matter how hard I tried I couldn't win. He said give me 5 years and I'll make you the next world's champion.
I'm now 28 and I never give Chan the 5 years. Shortly after I had started my training Chan Whitt Jr. was killed in a car accident and I was all broken up inside, and so was Chan Whitt Sr. He was stronger than I was, I feel he had to be strong for me as well, I felt discouraged and angry and I basically gave up. I went back to Chan's on occasion and through the years that have passed everytime I'm on the verge of becoming what I set out to be, I let go. I deny myself the right to become a champion, I will never be the player Chan Whitt Jr. was.
I do have what it takes to become a champion, so what's stopping me? Fear, I suppose I just feel that even if I win a world's championship somehow I'd let Chan down. I don't ever want to take anything away from who he was and the greatness he achieved. Through these trials I learned the secrets to becoming a champion, not by choice but by fate. I hear alot of people asking for help with the mental side of the game, and how to overcome pressure, I tell you its the pressure you should strive for, this is one key element that will push you in the right direction, but you must be able to channel your emotions into positive actions. When you feel nervous and jittery just remember to be still, let your adrenaline work for you, not against you. This is the champion trying to reveal itself to you, but we don't trust and don't believe this is a good thing, our heart pounds, you feel nervous and sweaty and you discredit the very means to become all the player you can be. Let go of the idea that you are going to miss because your adrenaline is causing you discomfort. Breathe freely and open your eyes. Let the tension go and channel these feelings into the task in front of you. Don't think about what your doing just be aware of what you want to accomplish.
Any player can do this but it takes discipline and hard work to develop all the tools necessary to become a champion. You must teach yourself muscle memory to help control the adrenaline when it comes to you. You must teach your mind to control the nervousness through controlled breathing so that you are able to be still. Recognize the eerie feeling as a positive boost and amplify its effects by letting it flow. This is the fine line between a champion and a good player, a good player can run out just about whenever there is an opportunity and the game is going their way, but when pressure rears its ugly head, most players give in to the idea they have reached their limits and fall short of becoming a champion or it may be a novice trying to run their first rack, no matter what the skill level of a player all can achieve the power of a champion where you take it is up to you. This is just a small part of what a champion can do and how they are set apart from the rest. If I ever write a book, it will be on this subject and will be in depth a guide to becoming a champion.
Wild1
