Friendship helps Nelson teen line up national title
Nelson teenager Zarrie Wood can call herself a national champion in pool, after winning the Clubs New Zealand national women’s 8-ball pairs final with team-mate Jojo Coleman.
Wood, 17, and Coleman, 19, are the youngest ever pair to win the title, beating Kimberley Cullen and Agnes Kimura in the final at the Clubs NZ 2019 National Women’s 8-Ball Tournament in Christchurch a week ago.
They had to do it the hard way, though, winning both their semifinal and the final 5-4 in tiebreakers. Before that, Wood had to play against her mother, Jane, in the round of 32.
She said winning the tournament was still a slightly surreal feeling. ‘‘We were both hoping to do well, but I don’t think either of us were really expecting to win.
‘‘It’s such a big thing – you always see the top players winning it – and especially for me and Jo to win it at such a young age.’’
The pair have been playing together since meeting at the junior nationals three years ago. Originally from Auckland, Coleman moved to Christchurch two years ago, and the pair first played in the South Island Nationals in 2017.
Wood said their close relationship helped them cope with the pressure of the final.
‘‘It’s so easy because we’re such good friends. We just bounce off each other, and it makes it easier to play.
‘‘It’s always good having that and not being so serious, because it make you relax a bit and not think about the pressure.’’
With pool running in her family, Wood said it had always been part of her life – travelling around the country to watch or compete in various events.
She said the key to success was equal parts practice and passion for the sport.
‘‘I feel like you just need to put a lot of time and effort into the game, but you’ve got to have the passion for it as well. If you don’t, it’s very hard to play well. If the passion’s still there, it becomes easier to practise and get better.’’
Next year Wood is planning to head to Wellington to study architecture at Victoria University, but she still hopes to keep up her partnership with Coleman. ‘‘It’s been pretty hard this year – we haven’t played together much. In the next few years, we will both be at uni, though, and it will be a bit easier.’’