WHEN women venture into sport, they usually play basketball, netball or volleyball.
Ronald Moyo Sports Reporter
But this is not the case for 31-year-old Nomalanga du Sart who is one of the few women who have decided to play a largely male-dominated sport, pool.
Born on August 13 1982 in Bulawayo, du Sart grew up at Old Pumula high-density suburb.
She started playing pool in 2009 where she made a mark on her debut in a national competition, coming first and then placed second the following year.
She has represented Bulawayo province in the national finals on four occasions.
Southern Eye Sport caught up with du Sart during the Carling Black Label national pool finals at Raylton Sports Club yesterday.
“I enjoy playing this sport. It is my favourite hobby,” she said.
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“Pool is a social sport that has transformed both my life and my business. I cannot mention the names of people I have met in life through this game. Most of them have helped me in my business, that’s the other reason I love this sport.”
She owns Skittle Inn and Shumba Bar.
Du Sart has recruited 10 women in the sport who include Sithembiso Dube, Gillgower Robyns and Lucy Mpofu who all made it to this year’s Carling Black Label national finals.
Her wish is to see more women taking up the sport.
“I have an interest in helping women who want to play professional pool,” she said.
“I know there are a lot of women who want to play, but they are not comfortable with the environment.
“I would like to invite them to come to Shumba Bar. The environment there is conducive; they can learn this interesting sport.”
Although she enjoys the sport, du Sart and other women still suffer from social discrimination as the society still finds it difficult to accept them as a new crop that has challenged male dominance in the sport.
“It is sad that people do not respect us. You know it was taboo for women to go to pubs, so people still have that belief,” she said.
“Personally I don’t care about criticism because in life you cannot please everyone.
“For a married woman, it is tricky because most men still do not like to see their partners going around pubs playing pool.
“I cannot say my husband does not want me to play pool, but he is more comfortable when I play at Shumba Bar.”
Du Sart urged men to support them so that they could excel much in the sport.
“Sometimes men we play with discourage us, this has to stop,” she said.
“If you go to the table to play with men sometimes they pass discouraging comments and that is not good — if the sport is to develop.”
She is also the founder of Skittle Inn Women’s Pool Club and her aim is to form a club that will play with female clubs from other provinces.
