South African female pool player promotes the sport among youth

Record ID: 1406823

  • Title: South African female pool player promotes the sport among youth
  • Date: 8th April 2019
  • Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (RECENT) (REUTERS) SOUTH AFRICAN POOL PLAYER JOY WILLENBERG CHALKING HER POOL CUE VARIOUS OF WILLENBERG BREAKING PACK OF POOL BALLS VARIOUS OF WILLENBERG SINKING BALLS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICAN POOL PLAYER, JOY WILLENBERG SAYING: "I realise that the moment when you play against someone, you play just that friendly match and you just actually enjoy the game. That's what keeps you there, it's that passion that you have for the game that you can't explain. People will try and get you away from the table but it's like your happy place." WILLENBERG PLAYING PEOPLE WATCHING PEOPLE PLAYING POOL (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICAN POOL PLAYER, JOY WILLENBER, SAYING: "It's actually amazing to see how big the sport is in the different African countries because you don't realise in the passion for the sport. I mean they clap after every shot that you pot. It was very nice and they also, and you become, they actually look up to the South African players. They treat you like you are a superstar." WILLENBERG SINKING BALLS WILLENBERG SINKING BALLS / FANS CLAPPING/ WILLENBERG GREETING FANS TIMELAPSE OF MAN PLAYING POOL (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTH AFRICAN POOL PLAYER, PAUL BENNET SAYING: "She's a fantastic player as a female she's tough to compete against you don't always hope to come up against her because she is a very strong player. So she's really doing well at the moment." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANTERBURY POOL HALL OWNER SHERIDON CANTERBURY, SAYING: "We started like a pool family, we supported each other, when they go away, when they needed funds to go away. We have karaoke here, we have raffles here and we're all very close. So whenever Joy maybe goes away then we'll have a fundraiser for her." NEON BAR SIGN VARIOUS OF WILLENBERG'S TROPHIES ON POOL TABLE POOL BALLS BEING POTTED TROPHY FOR WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS, LADIES WORLD TEAM 2018
  • Embargoed: 22nd April 2019 11:48
  • Keywords: Snooker pool player Joy Willenberg South African pool champion female pool player
  • Location: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
  • City: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Reuters ID: LVA001A9LOR4P
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A young and gifted pool player from Cape Town, South Africa, has taken the national and global pool scene by storm, and is hoping to popularise the sport.
    Thirty-one-year-old Joy Willenberg started playing pool with her brother in 2007.
    She has gone on to play in local and international competitions and reached the finals at the 2018 Blackball International World Championship in the UK.
    "I realise that that moment when you play against someone, you play just that friendly match and you just actually enjoy the game. That's what keeps you there, it's that passion that you have for the game that you can't explain. People will try and get you away from the table, but it's like your happy place," she said.
    There are several forms of pool, but the championship is a contest staging the most common form - U.S. 8-ball pool.
    The game is played between two players - one player breaks the pack and the players take turns to pocket a ball. Once a ball is pocketed legally, that group of balls (coloured or striped) are then designated to that player with the other half becoming the balls for his or her opponent.
    The first to pot all their balls then has a chance to win the game by potting the black number 8-ball in a pocket pre-determined by the player before they shoot.
    Willenberg says she's happy to see the growing interest for pool back at home, but also across the continent, where tournaments such as the All Africa Championship are helping popularize the sport.
    "It's actually amazing to see how big the sport is in the different African countries. Because you don't realise in the passion for the sport. I mean they clap after every shot that you pot. It was very nice and they also, and you become, they actually look up to the South African players. They treat you like you are a superstar," Willenberg added.
    When she's not competing internationally, Willenberg can be found playing at the local pool hall with other pool enthusiasts.
    "We started like a pool family, we supported each other, when they go away, when they needed funds to go away. We have karaoke here, we have raffles here and we're all very close. So whenever Joy maybe goes away then we'll have a fundraiser for her," said pool hall owner, Sheridon Canterbury.
    Despite its growing popularity, pool is still a relatively overlooked sport in South Africa, where lack of sponsorship is the greatest challenge that players face.
    Many players like Willenberg still have to balance day jobs, social lives and regularly practising which can prove strenuous.
    Willenberg is due to participate at the World Championships in the U.S. later this year.
    (Production: Emile Bosch, Lisa Ntungicimpaye)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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