Student Comments

 

Sunday, December 14, 2008

I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for the wonderful improvement I have seen in my husband. I know that this may sound a little on the weird side to you but I just have to let you know how much I appreciate your school.

Prior to Robert coming to you, pool night was an anxious night for me. If Robert didn't fair so well, I knew about it for a few days after. It really did interfere with the rest of our lives. His attitude was lousy, I really couldn't stand the emotional rollercoaster he was putting both of us on.

Since he has been coming to you, and getting involved in a more sophisticated club as the "Circle of Dragons" course you provide, he has dramatically improved. Prior to his involvement with The Institute of Billiard Sciences, I would compare him to a garden hose that has been turned on without anyone holding onto the end. He was all over the place rarely accomplishing anything.

Now he is in control, He has acquired enough knowledge and skill that he is no longer a loose garden hose, He is now under control and able to accomplish anything he sets his mind to. I may add that not only has this improved his game but it has improved other aspects of his life and this is why I have taken the time to thank you again.

Sincerely,
Anne Beaudin

This style of teaching pocket billiards includes a few important benefits over the more traditional one-on-one instruction. The Circle of Dragons is actually a community of students who have the common mission of learning pocket billiards. It uses the martial arts belt ranking system to define the proficiency of each student. It is a thrilling incentive to learn, achieve, and advance to the next higher belt ranking. As with the martial arts, the Circle of Dragons focuses on building correct disciplines of the body and correct disciplines of the mind. Members of the Circle see themselves as part of a brotherhood, where all the members are working hard together to develop their skills and compete with other members. The course of instruction in the Circle is an accumulative course, always adding new elements to the students' skill sets. Each belt ranking has a specific test that must be passed before the student moves up to the next belt color. This community approach to teaching pocket billiards truly works and will take the serious student from a state of undisciplined confusion to a state of disciplined control on the table. The Circle also teaches the "right" side of pool, as opposed to the dark side, where sharking and taking from others has given pool a bad odor.

Evan Welch - Second degree black belt

It was my pleasure and good fortune to meet Mr. Ken Tewksbury one night when I was competing in a Tavern Players event in Concord. I had been doing that for a couple of years as well as playing on the Laconia Elk's pool team and on a Valley, APA, and BCA league team. On the two days that I wasn't competing I would shoot for fun.

When I met Ken I was nervous about asking him to teach me, but he immediately made me feel at ease and more importantly, excited about having a professional instructor. I'd been to quite a few. Some of them helped me a little, but they really could have used some lessons themselves as I later learned.

I was one of those people who could generally beat anyone anywhere, but put me in a tournament and I'd fall short at the end. I started lessons with Ken at his home. On my first lesson I learned more in one hour than another instructor had taught me in three months. In less than two months I won my first tournament. Once that obstacle had been surmounted I continued to win more and more often.

I owe my change of fortune to Mr. Tewksbury and his superior teaching methods. I found that each and every fault that I had (some that I didn't recognize) was analyzed and corrected in a short time under his direction. My desire to practice was encouraged and I always had exciting new material to work with after every lesson. I regret that I hadn't met Ken years before and that I wasted a lot of time getting beaten.

I heartily endorse Mr. Tewksbury to anyone who is serious about elevating their pool game. Be careful. You're about to find out how much you don't know. A whole new world awaits you.

William T. Kelley - Second degree black belt

Several years ago, I took up playing pool again. The last time I had played was when I was in college and at that time, I had no formal instructions on how to play other than putting the object ball in the pocket. Now I was playing on an APA League and just could not improve my handicap. I could make shots and win games but not with any type of consistency. I wanted to improve and have a better understanding of the game so I started by taking a lesson from Ken. I can't believe how much it has helped me to improve my game. Today, I am a member of the Circle of Dragons, which provides the right amount of instruction I need on a consistent basis to perfect my game.

Dale C. Nudd - Black belt

I have been a student in the Circle of Dragons for three years. I started as a "shooter" and am now on my way to becoming a pool "player". My game has improved significantly since I started the program. It is a skill and performance based program covering all aspects of the game. Ken has an unbelievable understanding of the game, an uncanny ability to convey that understanding, and the patience to work with players at all levels. Anybody can be an instructor, but it takes a special person to be a teacher. Ken is one of those special people.

Al Karg - Second degree brown belt

I started taking instruction from Ken Tewksbury so that I could become a better player. I received so much more than I bargained for. I have become more consistent in making my shots. I have learned about the diamond systems and how it works.

I have improved my cue-ball control and getting position for my next shot has become second nature. I have learned more of the physics and geometry of the game than I ever knew existed. Ken has improved my game strategy, my mental approach to the game has changed and it has helped me bring my APA team to a second place win. I can not thank Ken enough for his instruction.

Robert Beaudin - Brown belt

I want to thank you for all the help you have given me over the years with my pool game. All the time I spent (and will spend) has been the key in improving both my 8-ball and 9-ball games. With your help I have won a Las Vegas trip 4 years in a row!!! In 2005 & 2006 for APA National singles championship taking 3rd place in the nation in 2005!!! And in 2004 & 2007 for team championship in 2007 we placed 17th!!!!

You always focused on what I needed to focus on. We never wasted a moment of my time. Your follow up with my questions following the lessons was very helpful. It is obvious that you love the game and you have the knowledge and patience to teach anyone to become a better player. Thanks again!!!

Karen DeCoste

Scott M. Savage
Flight Security / PSD Specialist
DynCorp International
Department of State Air Wing
Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
DoS Air Wing
Camp Phoenix
APO AE 09355

SavageS@ginl.state.gov
scottsavage71@gmail.com
scott0510@yahoo.com

I have known Ken Tewksbury for over ten years. Based on my firsthand knowledge and impressions of Mr. Tewksbury, his outstanding instructor abilities and his passion for teaching are superior. He is one of a rare kind that has the ability to illustrate very complex systems and relate those concepts to students at all levels of achievement.

Mr. Tewksbury has superior interpersonal teaching skills that are reinforced by his high level of self-discipline, personal management and rapid decision-making. His training program is one of the best that I have seen in the17+ years that I have been involved with the sport.

Mr. Tewksbury has extensive and proven techniques in training programs that improve one's concepts in dealing with the external and internal mental factors that influence one's perception and performance.
I have found that Mr. Tewksbury's experience has been an enormous help to me in learning to achieve and integrate my own personal mindset through his psychology. Under his guidance, I have been enabled to master the art of self-discipline and transfer that skill into real results for being successful. Through his tutorage I have been successful in converting the mechanical aspects into a practical physical approach by thinking through the fundamentals of improving my attitude and performance.

His influence on others is and continues to be at the "triple crown" level. He has a legion of life long customers that attests to the fact that his participation is as a true ambassador of our sport.

I am free to answer any further questions relating Mr. Ken Tewksbury's billiard instructor abilities and I am happy to give him my wholehearted endorsement.

Scott Savage

The winter of 2000-2001 was when I first started playing competitive pool at the young age of 50. Before that I had only played pool on a very limited basis, sometimes not even a game during a whole year. But I had always liked the feeling of playing, and had always enjoyed watching good players. When I first started playing I soon realized just how good some people were at playing pool, and I wanted to get to their level. After 2 years of playing pool and taking some excellent lessons in fundamentals and advanced shots from Randy Goettlicher in Dallas, Texas, I decided to visit Ken at his school in Concord, New Hampshire.

Ken and I had e-mailed back and forth many times prior to this for a year when I met Ken on The Monk's pool forum. Ken had helped me out with so many questions of pool over the years that I really wanted to meet him and take lessons in person. When I arrived at his "Institute of Billiard Science" poolroom, I was in awe at all of the trophies that Ken had won. There was a whole wall full of them! Ken has 3 beautiful tables in his room with all of the equipment needed for any kind of instruction. He has many different levels of instruction available based on what each individual needs.

What intrigued me about Ken's school were two things that we kept writing about on e-mails, and they were the mental game and how to actually play the game. Four and a half years later I still do the Mental Exercise One, which helps me relax and get into the zone. Also Ken showed me so many things about how to actually play the game and how to think ahead in the game. I had never really learned this before, and it helped me advance a long ways when I got back home to South Dakota. Now I always have a plan when I first go to the table. There are so many times that I watch others and they have no plan, so when they get down to the last 2 balls they can't possibly get out. Now they have just opened up the table for the other guy.

If you as a player of pool want to learn how to really play the game and how to plan to play the game, then Ken is the instructor for you. He will show you how to plan breakouts, which way to play the balls for a run, how to play position with angle speed and spin, how to plan for safeties, how NOT to get into traps, and just how to WIN! After all, winning is the main goal, although it is not the only goal. Ken will teach you the winning attitude and the mental game needed to stay in the game and overcome emotions. I think that the biggest key to pool is controlling your emotions, to stay in a calm and relaxed state. Ken is one of the few instructors who teach this.

When you leave the Institute of Billiard Science your training with Ken is not done. If you have a question or a comment after seeing Ken at his school, you can be assured that he will help you later as well. He has helped me out hundreds of times over these past 4 1/2 years. Ken, the Viper, and I, still converse regularly on the e-mail. He is always so cordial and helpful and knowledgeable. Sometimes I may not like to hear what he has to say to me, but his advice is always right on.

I cannot say enough good things about Ken, but I can say thank you for all of your help.

Steve Owen
Henry, South Dakota
605-237-6825