Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE recently elected Zimbabwe Pool Association (Zipa) has encouraging plans that are set to bring excitement and prosperity to the sprouting sporting genre of pool countrywide.
The president of Zipa Isaac Tichareva, who said from the outset that his board has not gained a ticket to leadership to just warm the benches, has revealed that he has major plans to spearhead the formation of the National Super League of cue sport for both male and female players to derive value and excitement to its affiliates and stakeholders in general.
“This noble initiative will be bolstered by a massive sponsorship drive for the Cue Sport such that even the councillors that gave us the leadership mandate will be happy,” he said.
Tichareva said that he has an Open Door Policy hence he is ready to give a listening ear to all stakeholders.
He said that he intends to take Cue Sport (Pool) to every corner of the country.
Recently, Zvishavane formed a Pool Association and that development resonates well with the vision of Tichareva.
Paradzai Mhangwa, the vice-president of Zipa is not a lame duck nor is he just a place holder in the Tichareva-led executive board.
Mhangwa said that he intends to professionalise pool throughout the country.
He acknowledged that the sport is mostly played in bars catering mostly for the mature class thereby leaving out the young and equally talented generation.
Mhangwa said that the status quo makes it difficult for girls to participate in the sport.
He said that the moment a girl walks into a bar or bottle store with the intention of playing pool, she is wrongly labelled.
“I want to make pool, a professional career for youths by having a sports arena with a clean and enabling environment for all including girls. We intend to engage the National Association of Primary School Heads (Naph) and National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) to introduce pool in schools,” said Mhangwa.
He said that by forging such strategic alliances with schools, the association will be able to catch them young and at the same time contributing to fighting the scourge of drug and substance abuse.
Mhangwa lamented that in the last Heyball competition in India, Zimbabwe could not send an Under-19 girl child because the sport is mainly for adult ladies who can play in beer-halls.
The Zipa leadership said that they have a number of initiatives that are already brewing in their melting pot and will be communicated as and when the situation demands.
