A common problem you’ll hear among nine ball players is ‘dogging it’, or missing an easy shot. This drill helps build confidence in ‘finishing the game’ for rotational runout games. The example I will use is 9ball, but this works for 7-ball, 10-ball, and 15-ball as well.

Throw the eight and the nine ball out on the table and take ball and hand. Try to run out without missing – and keep trying until you do.

Now add the seven ball. Keep trying until you run out the three balls in order twice in a row without missing.

Now add the six, and run out three times in a row before you move on.

See how far you can go – but don’t be surprised if it’s not as far as you think you should.  Whenever you miss, start over at the beginning, and work to achieve your best score.  Take it a step further and keep track of how many total balls pocketed during each attempt in a notebook.  You can track your progress, evaluate your improvement, and determine how ‘in stroke’ you are at any given time with this drill.

Additional value to this exercise is the consistency it produces as it develops sustained focus — an asset common of all champions.

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