Kisakye takes the crown: Uganda's Newest Pool Queen

Marion Kisakye is the new poster girl of pool in Uganda. Unstoppable as her break shot, Kisakye, popularly known as Ankah Sheila, isn't just carving her name into the record books, she's rewriting them altogether.

Having secured a sensational back-to-back victory, first at the PAU Grand Open and now claiming the coveted Pool Queen title, Kisakye is leaving opponents and pool fans alike in a stunned silence, punctuated only by the satisfying click of racked pool balls. Her win at Jinja was a masterclass skill, as she outplayed the famous sisters – one in the semis (Rashida Mutesi), the other, Rukia Nayiga, in a nail-biting penalty shootout finale.

This is Kisakye’s second major win this year after the PAU Grand Open and only her third individual victory since her Christmas Cup win in 2017.

“I am very happy for this win. Indeed it’s surprising because it’s been long without winning. When I won my first tournament in 2017, I have only struggled to break through coming close most of the times,” she said.

Kisakye owes her fortunes to her new management under Nicholas Nsereko whom she says facilitates her training while offering her guidance.

Kisakye trains at two venues in Kireka at Adi’s Spot and a local bar in Kyaliwajjala near her home.

Her recent form has been refined by a very supportive environment with her manager Nsereko instilling belief while her closest buddies; Angela Namakula and Brenda Nasasira keep her going.

“When I won the Grand Open tournament, it was a result of close people that believed in me. I used to fear some opponents but Manager Nicholas has changed my perspective and belief,” she said.

Kisakye runs a family-owned boutique at Gazaland, in Kampala City but has daily training for at least three hours before she retires home.

Early days

Kisakye faced initial resistance from her family when she wanted to join pool. Drawing inspiration from her elder brother who used to play pool in Kenya, Kisakye was motivated by the urge to win money.

“He used to win a lot of money from playing but he would give me just little of his winnings. I started believing that I could make money if I played the game,” Kisakye said.

Today she’s more thankful to her family for enjoying the sport she admired at a younger age.

“My family has been very supportive. They didn’t want me to play pool because our elder brother was killed because of pool,” she recalls the painful early days.

Her brother was hit with a black ball following a brawl which left her family in shock.

She would start to play pool casually in Ntinda in 2014 but didn’t stay long before she returned to Meru, Kenya. Kisakye returned in 2016 and was recruited by Hanz Rugari who enrolled her in Roniz Pool Club.

She stayed for one season and joined Upper Volta in from where she left to join Scrap Buyers in 2019.

Strategy

Pool's brilliance lies in the marriage of physical skill and mental fortitude. Great players don't just fire cues, they visualize shot sequences, factoring in angles, caroms, and cue ball control. This requires focus under pressure to execute precise geometry and “English" (cue ball spin) for strategic advantage.  Mind games come into play too, with top players masking their intentions and reading their opponents' tells. Kisakye’s mental toughness keeps her composed in the face of pressure, allowing her to trust their skills and sink the winning shot.

“When I go for a timeout, I always use it to reflect on my games and see where to improve. I like to stay alone in timeouts and this has helped me over the years,” she said of her tactics.

Kisakye faced Mutesi in the Jinja semifinals and then her elder sister Rukia Nayiga in the finals. She says this was a lot of pressure to absorb as she was facing the top players in the country.

“As a fact, I was under pressure especially when I met Rashida because she’s a good finisher. Something kept telling me that I was going to beat her because her form has been poor lately. For Rukia, honestly, it was supposed to be her day but unfortunately she lost.

Some people had criticized Kisakye for winning the Grand Open while Mutesi was away.

“This makes the Jinja victory sweeter because some fans undermined my win in Kansanga. I felt so happy when I won in Jinja with her in the tournament,” she says.

Winning edge

Kisakye won the final on penalties, the first time ever penalties were used to decide the winner. She says that moment required her to calm down in front of her fans whom she says didn’t want to disappoint them.

She looks at the final game in Jinja as her toughest match in the tournament. Kisakye won on penalties scoring all chances apart from one when she sank the cue ball.

“The final was very tough because I never broke away from her. I had to equalize most of the time. Even the last game where I had five minutes, if I had not scored an A, the rest would have been history. Indeed God helped me that day because I had never played penalties. I have never trained them. I had been playing speed pool in training,” she said.

New queen on the throne

Since the Pool Queen championship was started in 2009, only seven women have won the title and now Kisakye is the new Queen on the throne. Mutesi has won it twice, so has Jacinta Kajubi while Victoria Namuyanja is the greatest of all time with three titles. The other winners are Angela Busingye (2015), Carol Kanzira (2013), Brenda Tendo (2010) and the inaugural winner Winnie Tushabe.

Kisakye said this is a very important victory in her career.

“This win puts me among the list of historical pool players in Uganda. I had never won any PAU event back-to-back and nothing beats this feeling,” she said.

She wants to focus on more victories, especially the World Championships and the National Open.

The Blackball World Pool Championships will be held in Bridlington Spa, England from October 11 to 20, 2024. This international competition features individual and team competitions from countries all over the world. Kisakye wants to give it her best while also focusing on winning the car at the the Nile Special National Open which will climax in Lugogo Indoor Stadium in November. Kisakye has participated in two National Open grand finals finishing eighth in 2018 and third last year.

Challenging the boys' club

Pool's image of guys unwinding reflects reality. Though enjoyed by all, it's a male-dominated sport. Participation leans heavily towards men, with some surveys showing over 70% of players being male. Professional tournaments often have few female competitors, and the traditional bar setting can be unwelcoming to some women.

A lack of role models also deters women.

Although some organizations like Women in Billiards are creating a more inclusive environment paving the way for talented players, pool still has a gender gap.

“We have a chance to keep challenging that notion. Pool is universal. I have benefitted as a person. Pool has changed a lot. After football, pool looks like the most popular sport in Uganda,” she said.

Winning in pool can be a game-changer for female players. Victories boost confidence, shattering stereotypes and inspiring others. Success unlocks opportunities like sponsorships and elevates the player’s profile. Most importantly, female winners become role models, pushing for gender equality and a more diverse and competitive sport. While winning isn't everything, it's a powerful tool for women in pool to earn a living.

For Kisakye, the sport has enabled her to acquire two pool tables that are stationed in Iganga from which she gets daily income.

“Pool is a big part of my life. I can’t live without pool. It’s part of me. I have travelled with the national team and now I look at getting a bigger arena in Kampala,” she said.

IN BRIEF

Name: Marion Kisakye

Date of birth: Sept 20, 1987

Place: Malindi, Mombasa

Parents: Madinah Ankah Abdallah & Ankah Abdallah Salmin

Last born of seven

Work: Businesswoman

POOL QUEEN

Cast of winners

2024: Marion Kisakye

2023: Rashida Mutesi

2022: Rashida Mutesi

2017: Victoria Namuyanja

2016: Victoria Namuyanja

2015: Angela Busingye

2014: Victoria Namuyanja

2013: Carol Kanzira

2012: Jacinta Kajubi

2011: Jacinta Kajubi

2010: Brenda Tendo

2009: Winnie Tushabe

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Ankah or Kisakye?

Born to a Kenyan father and Ugandan mother, Marion Kisakye was known as Sheila Ankah until 2020 a name given by her father Ankah Abdallah Salmin after her parents separated at her birth. In 2010, upon reuniting with her mother who had converted to the Pentecostal Church, her name was changed to Marion Kisakye. When she applied for a Ugandan passport, she had to use the name Kisakye, as this was the name her mother had registered. Despite this, she still prefers to be called Ankah.