2013 Pool Highlights:
Nile Special Winner: Jonah ‘Joker’ Turigye
Easter Cup Winners: Fahad Ssewankambo and Vivian Kagoya
League Champions: Scrap Yard (men) and Game City (Women)
Kampala Open Winners: Ssalongo Asuman Bukenya (men) and Ritah Niniisma (Women)
Predictably, the game of pool over the months in 2013 has continued to be on the rise. With many sponsors getting attracted to pool to associate with the huge fan base of the game across the country, more players have joined the bandwagon, as there is a plat form now to start a way of life from the game than being played for leisure as many have thought over the years.
Nile Special Package:
Nile Breweries Limited, under the champion brand, announced a mega Ug Shs 1.78 billion sponsorship package for the prestigious Nile Special Pool championships for a period of 3 years, some thing that other sporting federations and associations that have stood a test of time and waters have not been able to acquire.
Such organisation of PAU under the presidency of Kisuze Wamala and media guru, Michael Mawanda, has yielded the association worthy deals that should be eye openers to the rest.
Joker Resurrects:
After winning the biggest pool event on the local calendar in 2008 and 2010, the invincible Jonah Turigye nick-named ‘The Joker’ proved it was time once again to reclaim the trophy that comes along with Ug.shs 2 million, a winners’ jacket and the Nile Special brand ambassador status for a full year.
Turigye, who was not among the 8 seeded players (those never play the qualifiers), he endured the tiresome and tricky nationwide qualifiers, and he indeed made the cut from Kayunga District.
Come the grand finals at Lugogo, he beat a strong field of over 164 pool players of the cream de-la-cream of the nation as he won the title on the third time, after beating Joseph Mutawe (6-2) in a thrilling final fixture played before a record crowd at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium.
Scrap Yard Takes Maiden Title:
After years of near misses and close finishes to Skin Samona, Scrap Yard pool club finally came out of the shell and won the league, which is sponsored by yet another beer brand, Pilsner.
Spurred by the inspirational Wasswa Kayiiya, who won the 8th league title in as many years, Scrap Yard surprised even themselves with the finest pool action and awesome team work every time it was time to cue up and play those balls into the table pockets.
Game City ladies pool club successfully won the ladies’ version in great fashion after a consistent display week in, week out.
Clubs’ Knock-outs:
Record league winners, Skin Samona pool club successfully won the clubs’ knock out tourney in the men’s category after beating a hard fight Kyadalu side while Indigo won the ladies’ version. The club knock-outs exposed some of the few weaknesses of the Pool Association as the tourney did not get a sponsor and there was a last minute communication made of the change of venue from Ntinda to Lumas Pub, along Namirembe road.
Scrap Yard pool club was disqualified for violence related incidences and this never does an positive paint on the otherwise great image of the game.
Carol Kanzira the Pool Queen
For the first time ever, Carol Kanzira won the pool Queen title, after flooring 32 other ladies (Hadijah Nakiridde) in the finals to clinch her maiden ladies’ pool queen crown, a championship reserved only for the female pool players in the country.
Others:
Other notables winners were Ritah Niinisma and Salongo Bukenya (Kampala Open), Fahad Ssewankambo (Easter Cup) and Vivian Kagoye, the ladies winner at the Easter fete held at Capital Pub in Kabalagala.
Controversies:
During the Nile Special last qualifiers at Kawempe, a muslim pool player, Ismail Nsiimbe, who had qualified from the group stages to the quarter-finals, refused to put on the Nile Special beer T-shirt as a law by the PAU to promote the title sponsor, something that fueled discussion among officials, players and fans alike.
Ismail thus forfeited his quarter-final fixture against Edward Kamoga, who eventually won the malala heritage gardens Nile Special qualifiers, after beating Herbert Ndugga 4-3 in the finals.
2013 Christmas Pool Tourney:
For the third year year, Amos Ndyagumanawe won the annual closing pool championships dubbed the Christmas tourney that took place at Capital Pub in Kabalagala. Shamim Naluggw beat Norah Nakabuye 4-3 to clinch the ladies’ championships.
For the first time ever, the doubles event was played and it excited very many fans and players alike.
The game has continued to attract new players and corp-orates like the pool playing member of parliament, Odonga Otto on board under better management and sponsors. For all the events, congs to the winners and promoted teams in the respective divisions and some encouragement to the losers.
Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2014 to come.
