Describe a Non-Academic Learning Experience

One of my friends is an incredible pool player. He blows me away when it comes to pool. All you have to do is give this guy one shot and he will clear the table. My skills in comparison are NO match for his mastery of angles and sight geometry. In fact I barely even get a chance to shoot, let alone actually win. Some people like playing people with equivalent skills. I however, like playing the master because it inspires me to play twice as hard pushing my skills up.

As I play him I 'm constantly learning. He looks out for my shots, and inspires me to try new things in my strategy. In fact some of the shots he proposes to me are shots I would never think about going for in a million years... For instance, off the wall bank shots and combos. He will also suggest what type of spin and force to hit the ball with in order to invoke the best possible lead for my next shot.

A little while ago we were playing pool and I had a great opportunity to make this really cool bank shot. With the perspective I was taking on my set up, I thought my friend was nuts, but he assured me it would be an incredible shot, and I would make it. He placed his finger on the pool table wall giving me the correct angle to shoot at. I aimed the white ball for his finger and low and behold I made it. I hit the white ball at that perfect angle. It bounced off the rail heading straight for my ball, sinking it in the pocket with ease. In fact, if I was playing anyone else they might even think I was a great pool player for making a shot like this. I couldn't beleive it... I made him keep his finger there and kept redoing the pool shot over and over hoping it would sink deep into my head for a later pool playing experience.

Ok, so now that you have the story, lets analyze the processes that took place. Plain and simple I learned a new pool shot which I successfully made consistently. How did I learn how to do this? Well first off, I needed my friend there to inspire a pool shot I wouldn't of thought of. I guess I could compare that to a textbook filled with new information and ideas. Since playing pool consists of a psychmotor process. I would have train my body and mind to focus on the perfect way to hit the white ball. Which will in turn physically hit my ball into my goal which of course is the pocket. Since I was new to this specific angle of physics I had to have my friends finger as a focusing point. I needed to program this angle in my mind to make sure I reach the goal. Fortunately my focus was clear and I saw the angle that made it work.

I developed a new understanding of this shot. In order to do this I mixed the advanced instruction of my friend with psychmotor focus and training. This is all good that I was able to do it while my friend was there guiding me. Would I however be able to do it when he was gone? I would hope so, but inorder to better insure I would. I kept repeating the action over and over to help further my mind to remember that angle when his finger wasn't there.