Eldorado Park’s very own pool champions
U18’s play in the Gauteng U23 South African Blackball Championships and come in Top 5.
Terry-Man Minnaar (16) and Junior Birkenstock (17) are not just teenage boys from the Hillbrow Flats in Eldorado Park, but they have both made it into the top five in the Gauteng U23 South African Blackball Championships.
Birkenstock came in third place and Minnaar in fourth place in the championships.
“Their talent is out of this world; their skill levels are up there and I take no fame and glory for that. I could only try to change their mindsets because that was still in the streets. We became a team about two years ago, I changed the image of the team from the streets and I put them into suits. I told them that we don’t talk the game but we shoot the game. They kill the grown-up when they play. The name the ‘young gentlemen’ stuck because all eight players play in suits and are learning to become gentlemen,” said mentor and manager Louis-John van Dalen from The Palace (a pool club in Eldorado Park).
Minnaar only started playing pool in 2017 and after some mentorship, he said that the game has become something more to him because it keeps him away from smoking and getting involved in fights at the flats.
“The trials are a lot of fun but it was also challenging because the competition is really tough. We also learn a lot from the other players so it’s good to get out of our community,” said Minnaar.
Birkenstock was introduced to the game of pool at the early age of ten and said that his inspiration at the time came from Marcus Adoines who owned a pool shop called Tony’s’ Pool Club, where the only way they could access the shop is to have their school reports which stated that they passed the term.
“We then moved from him to extension 9 with The Palace, we never had confidence but uncle L J and Uncle Colin instilled confidence in us. Pool taught me to be humble, there are a lot of good players but they don’t really go far because of their attitude.
“We are young so we have the advantage to learn from their mistakes. My short-term goal is to be an U18 champion. We had to go trial with the U23 team because they wanted a stronger team,” added Birkenstock.
The teens would really like for more children to join the game and play in competitions. They are also in need of sponsorships for equipment as they are trying to create a better life for themselves.
They would also like to thank Prem Rajoo and Thelomè Govender for the financial sponsorships as well as Louis-John van Dalen and Colin Atties who are their mentors.
Their mentors are hopeful that they we will be able to take the boys to the other level of nationals that will take place in October in Cape Town. If you would like to sponsor the boys, you can contact Louis-John van Dalen on 084 373 5863.
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