Raven's Rack

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04/21/2026

Why Improving Your Stroke Is the Fastest Way to Improve Your Pool Game

In the game of pool, players often believe their biggest problem is aiming. They’ll say, “I just didn’t see that one right,” or “I can’t seem to line up long shots.” But in reality, most missed shots aren’t caused by poor aim, they're caused by an inconsistent stroke. Your stroke is the engine of your game. It doesn’t matter how well you aim if the cue isn’t delivered straight and consistently through the cue ball.

A proper stroke creates repeatability. When your mechanics are sound, the cue travels mostly on the same line every time. That means fewer unexpected misses and far less guesswork. Instead of wondering what went wrong, you begin to understand exactly what happened on each shot. Consistency builds confidence, and confidence wins games and matches.

Improving your stroke also dramatically enhances cue ball control. Spin, speed, and position play all depend on how cleanly and accurately you strike the cue ball. If you decelerate, twist your wrist, drop your elbow early, or steer the cue at the last second, the cue ball won’t respond the way you expect. A smooth, accelerating stroke allows you to draw the ball farther, control follow more precisely, and use side spin with predictability instead of hope.

Another major benefit of a solid stroke is effortless power. Many players try to muscle the cue ball when they need to draw or force follow. This usually leads to tension and inaccuracy. A fundamentally sound stroke generates power naturally through timing and acceleration not force. When your mechanics are correct, you can hit the ball firmly while staying relaxed and balanced.

Perhaps the most overlooked advantage of improving your stroke is mental clarity. When your mechanics are unreliable, your mind starts searching for answers mid-match. You begin adjusting things that don’t need adjusting. Doubt creeps in. But when you trust your stroke, your mind quiets down. You focus on patterns, strategy, and ex*****on instead of mechanics.

Pool is a precision sport. Correcting small mechanical flaws creates big results down the line. By committing to developing a straight, repeatable, fundamentally sound stroke, you build a foundation that supports every other part of your game. If you truly want to improve faster, stop always blaming your aim and start refining your stroke. Master the delivery of the cue, and the game becomes simpler, more predictable, and far more enjoyable.

In the end, great players aren’t just great shot-makers, they are great stroke-makers. If you want a great game then work on having a great stroke.

03/11/2026

You Don’t Have to Be a Great Player to Be a Great Teacher

There’s a common misconception in cue sports—and in most sports in general—that the best teachers must also be the best players. On the surface, that idea seems logical. If someone plays at a high level, surely they must know how to teach. In reality, teaching and playing are two very different skill sets. Excellence in one does not automatically translate to excellence in the other.

A clear example can be found outside of the game of billiards/pool. Tiger Woods is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time, yet throughout his career he has relied on coaches and instructors. Why would a player of that caliber need a coach? The answer is simple: knowing what to do and being able to do it consistently under pressure is not the same as being able to analyze problems, diagnose flaws, and clearly communicate solutions to another person. Playing is ex*****on. Teaching is translation.

Many average—or even below-average—players in many sports have gone on to become exceptional instructors and coaches. They succeed not because of elite performance, but because of a deep understanding of their sport. More importantly, they know how to explain concepts in clear, simple ways to their students.

Great teachers can present the same idea from multiple angles until it clicks or is understood by the student. On the other hand, many top-level players are what’s known as unconsciously competent. They perform at a high level without actively thinking about the mechanics or decisions involved. While this allows them to play beautifully, it can make teaching others very difficult for them. They know how to get results, but they often struggle to explain why something works or how they produce those results with students. For a student trying to build a solid foundation, that gap in explanation can be very confusing and often frustrating.

Instruction is not about who plays better than whom. What truly matters is who can accurately diagnose problems and present solutions in a way that matches an individual’s learning method or style. Every student learns differently. A great instructor adapts, simplifies, and clarifies, rather than relying on just playing talent alone.

I am confident I can improve a player's game—not because I’m a better player than them, but because I’ve studied the game, invested time in my instructional skills, and developed a genuine passion for helping others reach their goals. Never take for granted that a player with a lower Fargo rating can’t beat you. And never assume that an instructor can’t teach a student a simpler, smarter, and more effective way to play pool because they have a lower Fargo Rate than that student. Tell your students that they are not hiring you to play, they are hiring you to teach them how to improve their games. Real growth as instructors comes from us always improving our understanding, knowledge and skills, and also by realizing that there is always room for improvement.

02/21/2026

Separate Practice Mode from Playing Mode

One of the most common and most misunderstood performance killers in billiards is the failure to separate practice mode from playing mode. This is where analysis paralysis lives, and where many players unknowingly sabotage their own ability.

Analysis paralysis occurs when practice-mode thinking leaks into
performance-mode ex*****on. Instead of allowing trained skills to
operate automatically, the conscious mind steps in and starts
interfering. What should be fluid becomes forced. What should be simple becomes complicated. The result is missed shots that are normally routine.

In practice, this kind of thinking is not only normal, it's essential. While working on your stroke, you might focus on details such as don’t drop your elbow, pause longer, or stay loose through the grip. These mechanical checkpoints are valuable during training because practice is where skills are built, adjusted, and refined. That is the proper place for analysis.

But those same thoughts become poison when they show up while you’re down on a shot in a tournament. Competition is not the place to build or repair mechanics. It’s the place to trust what you’ve already built.

Analysis paralysis happens when you overthink a situation to the point that it interferes with your ability to act. Instead of letting a trained skill flow, the brain shifts from trust to doubt and begins reanalyzing decisions that have already been made. In simple terms, you’re thinking instead of doing. The mind hijacks a task that should be automatic and turns it into a mental traffic jam.

On the table, this looks like standing over a shot while your mind
races. You see multiple routes, debate speed choices, consider
different cue-ball landing zones, and second guess your aim. Instead of committing to one clear picture, your brain keeps interrupting the stroke. By the time you finally pull the trigger, your confidence is already gone.

As the saying goes, the body learns faster than the mind trusts.
The solution is learning to focus on process, not outcome. Once
you’re down on the shot, your job is no longer to analyze, it's to
execute. Trust that practice already did the work. Accept that
perfection is not required. Your skills don’t fail under pressure; your trust does.

Analysis paralysis isn’t a knowledge problem. It’s a trust problem.
Most players don’t realize how much damage their inner monologue does to their accuracy. Attempting to self-correct mid-stroke only creates tension and inconsistency.

Great performance comes from clear decisions made early, followed by full commitment. Practice to improve. Compete to perform. Keep those two modes separate and your game will match your ability.

New year, new certificate 😁
02/11/2026

New year, new certificate 😁

SOLD - Used but great condition McDermott Lucky cue. $50.00
01/26/2026

SOLD - Used but great condition McDermott Lucky cue. $50.00

SOLD. New old stock McDermott red 8 Ball cue. This is an older model cue that has never been used. $250.00
01/26/2026

SOLD. New old stock McDermott red 8 Ball cue. This is an older model cue that has never been used. $250.00

SOLD - Used McDermott Star Cue. This is an older model, no longer available but it is in great shape and still straight...
01/26/2026

SOLD - Used McDermott Star Cue. This is an older model, no longer available but it is in great shape and still straight. $175.00

Here is the flyer for the Matt Viramontes benefit tournament, please feel free to share. 
01/15/2026

Here is the flyer for the Matt Viramontes benefit tournament, please feel free to share. 

12/24/2025

Don’t Let a Missed Shot Define Your Game

Every pool player has experienced this: you line up for an easy shot, take your stroke, and watch the ball miss. Whether it rattles in the pocket, overcuts, or falls short, that single moment can stir up frustration, self-doubt, and tension. While the mishap itself is just a small part of the game, your mental response to that miss can significantly impact your performance.

In billiards, the ability to recover mentally after a mistake is as crucial as technical skill. A missed shot doesn’t cost you the match, but dwelling on it can. Letting errors linger in your mind affects your confidence, rhythm, and decision-making, often creating a snowball effect where one bad shot leads to another.

A missed shot can feel more significant than it actually is because players often tie their identity to their precision. Frustration can set in, leading to overthinking and tension. This can result in a tight stroke, shaky aim, and poor shot selection.

Remember, it’s not the game that changes; it’s your mental state that does. Professional players understand this and strive to maintain emotional neutrality. They treat each shot as an individual event, independent of the previous one. Missing a ball becomes feedback rather than failure. This mindset allows them to remain calm, trust their fundamentals, and focus on the process instead of the outcome.

Instead of obsessing over the missed shot, concentrate on your
mechanics: your stance, stroke, speed, and alignment. If your process is solid, the results will follow. A single miss doesn’t mean you’re playing poorly; it simply indicates that the outcome didn’t go as planned.

Turn a missed shot into a learning opportunity rather than a source of frustration. Ask yourself what caused the miss: was it aim, speed, or stroke? By focusing on correcting the issue rather than feeling guilty, you can enhance your future shots without losing momentum.

Billiards is a game that requires mental resilience as much as skill. Even the best players miss shots. The difference is that they don’t allow a single error to define their match. Matches are often won not by perfection but by the ability to recover best after mistakes.

By training your mind to treat each shot independently, developing reset routines, and maintaining your confidence, you can prevent one missed shot from spiraling into multiple errors. Ultimately, your mental game can become your greatest advantage, keeping you focused, composed, and in control, no matter what the table throws at you.

Brand new McDermot G series with a 12.5 mm G core shaft. 19 ounce weight. Never used. Custom red and dark purple paint. ...
11/08/2025

Brand new McDermot G series with a 12.5 mm G core shaft. 19 ounce weight. Never used. Custom red and dark purple paint. original cost $570, selling for $485. 

The McDermott Lucky L54 Pool Billiard Cue in maroon/burgundy is a high-quality two-piece cue designed for pool and billi...
11/08/2025

The McDermott Lucky L54 Pool Billiard Cue in maroon/burgundy is a high-quality two-piece cue designed for pool and billiard enthusiasts. With a length of 58 inches, this cue offers a comfortable grip and precise control for making shots on the table. Made by McDermott, a reputable brand in the industry, this cue is manufactured in China to ensure durability and performance. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned player, the McDermott Lucky L54 cue is a reliable choice for improving your game. This cue is new and was only chalked once for a test. It has been in storage ever since.  The original price is $135, selling for $115

10/17/2025

Play your best pool by Johnny Henson Professor Pool

Staying relaxed and positive when you're not shooting at the table, can help you play better and win more games.

We all miss shots and play dumb shots. It happens to all of us, and we get mad or down on ourselves. The difference between the better players and the weaker players is how well they control their emotions and actions when they are not shooting. Over the years I have seen so many opponents self-destruct and lose the game or match because of what they do when they are not shooting at the table. Lose your cool and lose the Game / Match. One time I remember that I was playing in a championship match and my opponent missed an easy 8 ball. While I was running out, he broke down his stick, thus forfeiting the match. I left myself a tough bank on the 8 ball, but I never shot it because he had already forfeited the match. When you do anything wrong, let it go and clear your mind as quickly as possible. When you sit down you need to use this time to prepare yourself for your next turn at the table. A post miss shot checklist. Take your cue out of your hands. Don’t stare at your opponent or table. Sit in your chair. Clear your mind. Don’t think of your last shot, let it go. Think of something positive. Take slow deep breaths to keep your adrenaline levels down and also your heart rate down. Smile and be happy as you can. I had many opponents tell me that they felt pressure, because I was so relaxed and positive even though I was down on the score to them. When you don’t give up on the match, and you don’t give into your emotions it puts a lot of pressure on your opponent, even when they are a head in the match. Positive attitudes win Games / Matches / Tournaments.

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