The journey to winning gold in the 2022 World Blackball Championships women’s category in Morocco was long and hard for Shaiyene Fritz.
However, the 21-year-old Lavender Hill resident did not give up even though all the odds were stacked against her.
Faced with challenges every step of the way, her first hurdle before reaching the world champs in October was getting to the nationals held in Johannesburg in May this year.
“I went to Joburg with only a one-way plane ticket, no food or money, nothing and not knowing how I would get back home.
“I went with the faith that God would provide.”
For a week, Fritz competed at the nationals in Gold Reef City, her daily meals provided by kind strangers who would send a R200 here and there.
“I went with the faith that everything will work out.
“Some people would send me R200 for food for the day.”
Placing in the top 10 meant that Fritz qualified to compete in the world champs.
“We played against all the provinces in the country and I ended up at number 9 out of 90 people and I was two points away from top five.
“There were no major gaps in points, some people had the same points.”
Fundraising to get to her goal meant selling raffle tickets, boerewors rolls and looking for sponsors while still studying as a second year student at the University of Stellenbosch.
“I had to raise R60 000 to go to Morocco. I held game evenings, sold boerewors rolls and found sponsors.
“Blackball Entertainment read that I needed a sponsor and they made a proposal and said they were willing to help me.”
With the help of her sponsors and fund-raising efforts she made it to the world champs where she played within the South African team.
Her message to young people who are struggling to reach their goals is to persevere.
“Don’t allow your circumstances and environment to influence where you end up.
“Don’t allow people and your own community to tell you who you are because you know who you are.
“Persevere through all the obstacles and struggles, if you keep your goals close by and what you want to do with your life then no-one can stop you.”
Fritz is now focusing on her studies and completing her degree in social work.
“It was a lot of hard work. The experience in Morocco just to be able to compete at that level is a feeling that I cannot describe.”
She adds that it was her first “world champion” win.
“At the time I didn’t feel anything, it only really started to sink in when I made a social media post.
“I’m still me but now I’m also a world champion, I don’t know how I feel, this girl from Lavender Hill when people thought I was crazy.
“It is an amazing feeling that I made something of my life. To think when I was young I struggled to speak until the age of five.”
In a social media post, while siting at the airport on her return journey Fritz wrote:
“I’m sitting here in the airport during layover and thinking about my life and where I was 10 years ago compared to now. When I couldn’t even afford to play a game of pool in the game shop and now I’m a world champion.
“It is a great moment for myself and my family and we would like to say thank you to everyone who helped me achieve one of my greatest pool accomplishments.
“Thank you to my sponsors, Stellenbosch University, Strat Hostess and Blackball as well as everyone who donated and those who supported the raffle and especially to those that would have loved to support but was unable to financially, you are acknowledged.”
