Subject: Re: The Rookie Blues Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 23:50:07 -0400 (EDITED) From: BillC Organization: SBC Internet Services Newsgroups: rec.sport.table-soccer Gallwey's book is great too. I got to meet him once and hit some balls with him. He's a very cool guy and his stuff really does work. For all you guys out there bashing on FooserX, you should check out "The Inner Game". What he's doing re: his attitude towards competition and visualization and confidence is just what the good Dr. orders. As an aside, not being a psych major myself, I also learned what the heck an "Id" was from the book. Way cool. Very useful. Brad Gilbert's "Winning Ugly" is great too. They guy is a genius at psyching other people out and deflecting psych. He covers game planning and game management too. It sure has worked for Agassi. Besides, unlike alot of other good books: it's still in most Waldenbooks stores. Bill #Aaron_Harris@earthlink.net wrote: > Mike, > It's normal to struggle at first in tournaments. Remember that the > people you are playing against have all (or most) been playing in > tournaments much longer than you. The experience factor definitely > comes into play. The more tournaments you play in the quicker you'll > get past the "nerves". > As is mentioned in another post there are some excellent books to > read. Tennis is often compared to foosball so most recommended books > are about Tennis. The one that I was told was "required" reading as I > was learning to play is called "The Inner Game of Tennis" by W. > Timothy Gallwey. It is an excellent book in that it doesn't really > talk about Tennis as much as the mental game, using Tennis as the > vehicle to impart the information. So you can easily take the > information and apply it to Foosball. > Also, with regard to the other competitive endeavors you mention > below, keep in mind that the ones you mention don't have someone on > the other side of the table playing D on you (although Pool does have > some D it's not the same). This makes things very different. > So keep practicing and talk to as many good players as you can about > the mental game. That's as important a part of the game as hitting > that dead man shot and the sweet brush pass.... > > Aaron Harris > > >Am I going to Nationals? What are you a comedian? I appreciate the > >advise but that's all I hear.... experience. Well let me tell you I have > >been glued to my neighbors Tornado for 7 months now learning,practicing > >Going to 2 tourneys usually DYP's a week, time permitting. I know the > >game, I mean I have been playing for less than a year and have learned > >alot from many different people. Even won a local DYP. The pressure > >never was a 2nd thought. But when my partner/neighbor and I got together > >both of us just crumbled, And I'm the one who usually tells him to calm > >down. This time it was all me. IF I was on he would have come > >around. And we could have at least made a respectable showing. Anywhere > >else we go (usually bars) we just clean up. And we have run into some > >really good foosers at some local places. But when it comes to the > >tournaments why this one why now? I am pretty competitive I have played > >in Pool/Dart leagues, archery competitions, golf tournaments. Never had > >the nerves. But now I am at a loss for this! I learned Archery in about > >6 months and was doing pretty well in comps. Darts and pool came pretty > >quick to me. Golf is always a rollercoaster, but the concept is the > >same.. Why foosball? > > > > Not Even up to Rookie status anymore > > > >Mike Newlin > > > > > > > > > > > > > >