JJ takes on the snooker world
Freeman has been a part of the Limpopo Blackball Pool team since 2017 and enjoys being able to compete against individuals in different age groups.
POLOKWANE – JJ Freeman is a 14-year-old who has an amazing set of pool skills. JJ regards himself as an average child who enjoys playing with his friends when he isn’t too busy with homework or practicing for a rugby or a pool match.
His love for the game started in 2016 at the age of 12, and as he would boldly put it, he has never looked back.
You might also want to read: Something for cue sports fans
“My brother taught me how to play pool. My father realised that I played well and took me to places with pool tables to play with new people and I would beat them. That is when my father told me how good I was, before that, I didn’t know it,” he explained.
Freeman has been a part of the Limpopo Blackball Pool team since 2017 and enjoys being able to compete against individuals in different age groups.
“There was a time when we had a competition and there was nobody else in my age division. I had to play against seniors and I managed to win a few games,” he proudly explained.
He usually practices at a pool club in Mimosa where he is believed to hone his skills.
For the young pool player, most of the challenges he faces are those directly connected to the game.
“With pool you must be prepared for anything because sometimes, you might find that the person you are playing against breaks and immediately scores all the balls. The game can end without you even playing, those are some of the things that you need to be prepared for. You also cannot have a foul because that gives the other person room to finish the game.
I am good at long ranges and cutting the ball, which is always my advantage when I play,” he explained.
Although he has a strict routine in which to balance his rugby and homework, he does find some time in the afternoons to practice. “After school, I go to rugby practice until 17:00. From then on I get an hour break as I make my way to practice pool from 18:00 to 19:00.
I do my homework at 20:00 when I come back from pool practice,” he explained.
Showing his determination to stay afloat, Freeman has already formulated a strategy to help him balance out all his responsibilities. He does this by doing some or most of his homework during a free period before the end of the school day.
