WATCH: Zipa usher in new executive

THE Zimbabwe Pool Association (Zipa) ushered in a new board at their elective annual general meeting (AGM) that was held at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Isaac Tichareva was voted the association president taking over from Jabulani Mashayahanya.

Paradza Mhangwa is now the vice president and he took over from Humphrey Riyano.

Tapiwa Sikwila and Wellington Chikasha were elected unopposed for the positions of secretary-general and technical director respectively.

Phillip Zimbiru assumed the office of marketing and sponsorship after beating Archie Scholtz.

Munhuwashe Ndanga was retained as the association’s treasurer.

The association’s new office bearers will all have a four-year term.

Tichareva said there is need to be transparent and the new executive will do everything according to the association’s constitution.

“My first mission will be to bring accountability in the association. There is a need for transparency in the sport, which I believe has been lacking in the past. I want the sport to grow in all corners of the country.

“There are remote places that are lagging behind, so we have to give them pool tables to use.

“I will try and facilitate that with my team so that the sport gets to every corner. Without taking away from the previous board, they have been violating the constitution. The cancer has been the lack of transparency,” said Tichareva.

Zimbiru said there was a need to bring the corporate world on board.

“I’m going to work with former members of the executive to lure the corporate world to our sport and make sure pool is one of the biggest and most recognised sports in our country,” said Zimbiru.

He said sport can be a source of livelihood for many youths thereby reducing cases of drug and substance abuse.

“Sport is very paramount in life as it reduces social pressures, domestic pressures and monetary pressures.

“When you participate in sport, you relax and return home a better person,” he said.
Chikasha said he was grateful to all the Zipa councillors who have faith in him.

“I have been retained in my previous post as the Zipa technical director. I am grateful for the support and faith that has been shown.

“Since I’m returning to my office, I would like to take care of unfinished business.

“We are in the process of running referees training seminars.

“We are trying to take our sport out of the bars by introducing it at colleges and universities.

“In the past two years we have been inviting university students to participate in the Carling Black Label National Pool tournament finals,” he said.

The Zipa technical department wants to introduce the sport in schools once it gets the greenlight from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

The strategic move aims to nurture talent from a young age.

At the AGM, it was revealed that while there is activity at the tertiary level, more needs to be done.

A notable challenge is the dwindling participation of young women post-tertiary education, partly attributed to inadequate playing environments. — @FungaiMuderere