Abstract
BackgroundThis study aimed to develop new test protocols for evaluating 9-ball expertise levels in cue sports players.MethodsThirty-one male 9-ball players at different playing levels were recruited (recreational group, n = 8; university team, n = 15; national team, n = 8). A 15-ball test was administered to indicate overall performance by counting the number of balls potted. Five skill tests (power control, cue alignment, angle, back spin, and top spin) were conducted to evaluate specific techniques by calculating error distances from pre-set targets using 2D video analysis.ResultsIntra-class correlation analyses revealed excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability in four out of five skill tests (ICC > 0.95). Significant between-group differences were found in 15-ball test performance (p < 0.001) and absolute error distances in the angle (p < 0.001), back spin (p = 0.006), and top spin tests (p = 0.045), with the recreational group performing worst while the national team performing best. Greater inter-trial variability was observed in recreational players than the more skilled players (p < 0.005).ConclusionsIn conclusion, the 9-ball test protocols were reliable and could successfully discriminate between different playing levels. Coaches and researchers may employ these protocols to identify errors, monitor training, and rank players.
Highlights
This study aimed to develop new test protocols for evaluating 9-ball expertise levels in cue sports players
For the 9-ball skill tests, the absolute error distances were greater in the recreational group compared with the other two groups in the angle (p < 0.001), back spin (p = 0.006), and top spin tests (p = 0.045)
Positive error distance of the angle test was found to be greater (p < 0.001) in the recreational group than the other two groups; similar finding was revealed in the negative error distance of the back spin test (p = 0.010)
Summary
This study aimed to develop new test protocols for evaluating 9-ball expertise levels in cue sports players. Nine-ball is one discipline of cue sports playing with a cue stick on a rectangular pool table with six pockets. In the game of 9-ball, there are one cue (white) ball and nine colored balls numbered from 1 to 9. Players should always strike the ball numbered lowest, and the frame winner is the one who legally pots the 9 ball. The primary governing body of 9-ball is World Pool-Billiard Association Studies have described specific cue sports techniques performed by professional players to provide a reference for coaches and players [1,2,3]. Kornfeind and co-workers [1] conducted a kinematical study of 18 shots including draw shot (back spin), follow shot (top spin), and breaks on professional
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