The SA 8-ball pool championships for ladies and masters were held at Saldanha Multipurpose Centre over the last two weeks, and West Coast Pool competed in all categories among 18 provincial regions participating.
The ladies’ and masters’ teams were promoted to the A division and had some difficulties competing against the top teams in the country, but said they were motivated to improve next year.
The top local performers in these categories was Elani Botha and Chanel le Roux who reached the last 32 players in the single ladies championships while Cedric Mitchley and Mark de Jager reached the last 64 in the masters singles.
The Grand Master side of West Coast, however, pulled all the stops out. It was the first time this category was played at national level. The team ended in the top spot after the round-robin team event and went on to defeat Cape Winelands 13-5 in the semi-finals.
Afterwards they continued marching on to defeat Gauteng North in the finals by 13-9. This ensured West Coast Grand Masters is the first SA champions in the category.
Gert Hibbert was the top performer in the team event with Hein van Staden in second and Gerald McMaster fifth. Indeed a remarkable achievement to have three players in the top five performers for the team event.
Hibbert was also named player of the tournament. The Protea Team selected at the event will represent SA at the World Pool Championships in Australia in May 2024. The national team includes Weskussers Gert Hibbert, as captain of the SA side, Hein van Staden as player, Lynette Hibbert as team manager and Gerald McMaster as travelling reserve.
West Coast Pool is one of the smallest provincial sides in the country, but manages to endure and compete against the top larger provincial sides.
The club, in communication with Weslander, said: “We would like to thank and honour all our sponsors and clubs in the private sector that enables us to compete and develop the sport for all our West Coast athletes and the youth as we receive absolutely no funding from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport or the Saldanha Bay Municipality in this regard. Indeed a mammoth task considering we are expected and prepared to do youth development in a struggling community.”
West Coast Pool’s clothing is sponsored by Spur Vredenburg, Mortimer Toyota, I Buy Cars and Langebaan Storage.
The ladies’ team was assisted by DRS Debt Help Vredenburg, Body Fuel Vredenburg and Bekker Plaasprodukte.
The club’s junior programme is financially assisted by Umoya Energy, the windfarm, with the help of Amber Zeeman.
According to management this enables them to develop the skills level and discipline of scholars under the guidance of the West Coast development officer William Huisamen. The West Coast junior teams will also compete in the SA Junior Pool Championships in October, set to be hosted in Saldanha.
The local team’s Grand Master winners were sponsored by Carlene Schnetler of St Helena Bay Spar and Malissa Pelser of Excelsior Vredenburg, who supplied the team with ample sustenance to compete up to 10 hours of rigorous competitive pool every day for a week.
Kings Pool bar in Saldanha ensured a welcome celebration of the Masters Team’s achievements on Saturday night.
