The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
SPORT, Recreation, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Emily Jesaya believes pool has the potential to become a big sport in the country, but she feels the game needs to be played in more conducive environments to accommodate aspiring players.
She graced the inaugural ZTN Prime Corporate Pool Tournament held at Dam View in Chitungwiza yesterday, where Pacific, CABS, Axis Solutions, Delta Beverages, FBC Bank, Potraz, Quest Light, Verifying, City Parking, Belgravia, Chitungwiza Ladies, Parliament and ZTN Prime took part.
“Pool is growing massively in Zimbabwe as there is a lot of interest in the sport.
“However, we are worried about the venues of some of the tournaments,” Deputy Minister Jesaya told The Sunday Mail Sport.
“As the Government, we are advocating for pool to be played in more conducive places like schools and other decent sporting facilities so that it can accommodate all.
“We have a crisis of drug abuse amongst youths, but I am confident sports like pool will go a long way in taking these youths off the streets.
“Pool is now being played at a professional level in Zimbabwe, and many people are making a living out of the sport,” she said. The country, she added, has a lot of facilities that can also be used to host pool tournaments.
“We need to also provide a conducive environment for aspiring young players.
“Venues like schools can be used to host tournaments, especially during weekends when students are not engaged.
“But, as Government, we will make sure we provide the right platform for the sport of pool to keep rising.”
Some corporates are now warming up to sponsoring the game.
Delta Beverages, through its Carling Black Label brand, sponsors a popular annual tournament that draws players from across the country.
Deputy Minister Jesaya also hailed ZTN Prime for organising yesterday’s pool tournament in Chitungwiza.
Over the years, the town has been renowned for churning out pool stars.
Clubs that hail from the town, like Tigers, Small Stones and Grillmasters, are usually dominant at national championships.
