Nhlalwenhle Ngwenya
WHEN it comes to pool or billiards as it is known in other parts of the world, gender should not matter- as such droves of women are taking to the sport locally and they are doing so with the a�?yes we cana�? tag.
Its growth in Zimbabwe can be traced to pubs and other drinking holes such as nightclubs but it did not takeA� much time forA� pool to look a�?sexya�?.
That is why in a few months time in Bulawayo there will be a fully fledged womena��s league.
a�?So far we have 14 ladies that are showing interest in the league,a�? says Flatta Moyo, the Bulawayo Pool Associationa��s chairperson of the disciplinary committee.
Flatta Moyo is a relative professional who has four years of pool experience. She is a back to back lady player of the year for 2014 and 15.
She is a decorated player in pool competitions that have featured women in the past.
But getting female interest in the league is proving to be a huge task because of the gamea��s stereotype.
a�?More women out there want to play pool, but they have that perspective that ita��s more of a bar game which is played by people who drink beer. This is not always the case. This is a beautiful game that ladies can enjoy,a�? said Moyo.
She said among women involved in pool there were some professionals and businesswomen.
Another female general in the game Christine Sengwe who plays at Master Pro Club every weekend said she had been at it for three years.
a�?I started playing pool in 2013. It was just out of interest because I used to watch men play. I felt I was up for the challenge, since thenA� I have never looked back. This is the eve of our own league and I am very excited,a�? she said.
Sengwe is also a solid player- winning an average of 70 percent of the games she plays in against her male counterparts.
a�?I win most of the games against men. They are even embarrassed about it,a�? she said.
TheA� basics about pool is that it is mostly a geometrics game- it takes intelligent calculations for one to sink the ball.
Hugh Wescott, the owner of Shooter Poolhole in the city centre, said he got a considerable number of women that frequent his joint.
a�?About 10 percent of my regulars are women. If the league really takes off they could match men. For me ita��s business to see more women taking to the sport,a�? he said.
Other pool centre owners around the city are also looking forward to the womena��s league.
The women have approached numerous companies and hope is that they will get a good sponsorship deal.
