A Pool Instructor’s Journey – Build the Foundation
Fellow pool enthusiast – let me take the time to share my background as we begin this journey to continually improve your skills. My name is Tanner Pruess and I was born in South Dakota, a haven for bar-table pool. Growing up with a long line of established pool players in my family tree aided to a decent game at a very young age. The biggest catalyst that turned me into a top rated amateur was attending a clinic hosted by Randy Goettlicher, a master instructor bringing decades of teaching experience to an eager teenager in the Midwest where professional instruction was hard to come by.
I took the knowledge gained from Randy (and many other influencers) into the battlefield of competitive league play and high level amateur tournaments. With a solid foundation and years of experience testing I was able to walk away with multiple high-level titles including: Two South Dakota State Master 9-Ball Singles Titles, Two Energy Capital 9-Ball Classic Titles, and, most recently, The 2018 VNEA World 9-ball Championship for Regular Singles.
My new journey will now consist of providing professional instruction to developing pool players and continuing to test my skills at high level amateur tournaments. I currently teach private lessons, group clinics, and am now beginning to write articles to spread the knowledge from the battlefield. I am thrilled to be a part of a new generation of instructors that can not only instruct, but have proven their skills and concepts in tournaments under immense pressure to be passed along.
Pre-Shot Routine
You are a pool player. You want to shoot better. You want to shoot with consistency. You want to shoot with confidence. We can accomplish all of those things with a Pre-Shot Routine! Yes, the concept that you find boring and might even think you have down well. Does this sound like you? You might even complain about lack of consistency and missing easy shots after hitting a great shot just prior. The Pre-Shot Routine is going to be the foundation that brings you consistency and confidence. We can then adapt your Pre-Shot Routine as we learn about different systems for aiming, position play, kicking, etc.
What exactly is a Pre-Shot Routine? Just like in life, as well as other sports, we all have routines or steps that we continually do. This is crucial in pool so that we can have a guideline to how we shoot one shot at a time.
Why do we need a Pre-Shot Routine? We need a routine so that way our performance isn’t dictated by the side of the bed we woke up on, the weather, or if your football team did well last week. Players that shoot well one day and not very well the next day likely don’t have a Pre-Shot Routine. The Pre-Shot Routine breeds a consistent player and even breeds confidence once you begin to trust it.
Where can I get a Pre-Shot Routine? I encourage players that are interested in improving and seeking consistency/confidence to find an instructor. Stay tuned for next issue where I will share my current Pre-Shot Routine and the reasons behind some of the important steps in that route!
Byline: Tanner Pruess is a top rated amateur player and pool instructor in South Dakota.
Editor: Chris Freeman
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