Technical Assessment: Josh

Yesterday I took one of my new local students, Josh, through his Technical Assessment.

When I onboard a new student the first thing we do is assess their technical ability with the cue then give them the right "routine" to help them improve their consistency in delivering their cue in a straight line. This is the fundamental component to being able to play any cue sport at a high level.

We found Josh was cramping the cue by having a very narrow stance, which resulted in him cueing across his body and imparting unintentional side on the cue ball. A slight adjustment to the position of his left leg provided a more stable stance and allowed the cue to travel in a straight line without being inhibited by his own body.

With the use of the C.A.T. (Cue Action Trainer), we were also able to get Josh feeling what straight cue delivery felt like, which transferred almost immediately over to his ability to run the cue ball over the middle of the table perfectly straight. Was like magic!

We then covered how to approach each shot looking at his routine and breaking down each component from pre-shot to post-shot and what I like to call "failing forward". The importance of a consistent approach to each shot is something I rate highly. Under pressure, the players' ability to fall back onto their routine maximises their consistency and confidence.

We finished the session looking at potting down rails, then two level 1 patterns he will be mastering over the coming weeks, before progressing to more difficult routines.

Overall a productive session and with Josh already having a very good base to work from, I am confident we can improve his game significantly over the next year. I'm looking forward to seeing him kick goals!

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