…As Mutare Sports Club draw first blood

Ngoni Dapira

THE inaugural social pool tournament between Manicaland Motoring Club and neighbours Mutare Sports Club held yesterday (Friday) evening brought cheer with both clubs committing to make it an annual event meant to cement the relationship between the two sports clubs.

Mutare Sports Club chairperson Tinashe Takaidza lifts up the trophy after his team won the first leg yesterday, as Manicaland Motoring Club chairperson Vonesi Masanganise (right) cheers him on in the spirit of great sportsmanship.

The chairpersons of both clubs agreed that it will be a two-legged tournament for each club to play home and away. Mutare Sports Club got the better of the hosts and drew first blood after winning eight out of 11 matches played. Each match was allotted seven minutes and the player with the least number of balls would be declared the winner. There were two categories, the amateur’s pool (four matches) and the seasoned player’s pool (eight matches).

The hosts, Manicaland Motoring Club, however gave a spirited and competitive challenge which saw  most matches keeping people on the edges of their seats till the last minute of play.

Officially opening the tournament, the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza, who is also the Mutare Sports Club trustee, applauded the initiative as a great networking opportunity for club members from the two neighbouring sports clubs. He said sports clubs should remain as nonprofit organizations, whose primary aim should be offering its members the opportunity to practise sport and to pass leisure time actively.

POLITICAL MATURITY… Minister Mugadza having a light moment with businessman cum politician Canaan Matiashe, a member at Motoring Club. Matiashe was the losing CCC candidate for Chimanimani West in last year’s harmonised elections.

“I see these social pool tournaments cementing the relationship between our two clubs. We are neighbours but we rarely created such opportunities to mix and mingle. Our clubs have professionals from different lines of work and through such tournaments we also get to exchange ideas and network. This is the prime purpose of these social sports clubs, networking and playing sport,” said Minister Mugadza during a side interview.

Manicalnd Motoring Club chairpersn Vonesi Masanganise said such social tournaments are marked by a celebratory gathering where participants enjoy not only food and drinks but also the warmth of camaraderie and newfound connections.

“We thank our sponsor and club member David Gurure for donating the three cow heads prepared as snacks for our guests as well as everyone who came to participate in this tournament. Pool is an indoor leisure time activity that we have realised is increasingly being liked by our members so we want to have more of these social pool tournaments with various clubs,” said Masanganise.

Manicaland Motoring Club president Patrick Matsanga (right) enjoying the snacks donated by fellow club member David Gurure (left).

MSC chairman Tinashe Takaidza said they will host the second leg on 17 April. He appreciated the great hospitality and sportsmanship by the hosts.

Munyaradzi Zinomwe of MSC collecting his club’s spoils of victory from Manicaland Motoring chairman Vonesi Masanganise and vice president Prosper Marimo (extreme left respectively).