RENOWNED miner and equipment supplier Earthquip (Pvt) Ltd is mulling major plans to sponsor high-profile pool players to create an ecosystem where talent can be enhanced consistently and competitively at a national and international level.
Earthquip is making a deliberate move to anoint decorated athletes with comprehensive sponsorship in the sporting genre of pool so that the brand resonates well with the spirit of excellence as well as fight the scourge of drug and substance abuse.
In an exclusive interview with The Sports Hub, Tatenda Mutombo, the proprietor of Earthquip said, "Our sponsorship is not just a token contribution but it is a long-term commitment.’
“We aim to support pool at multiple levels through funding high-profile players like Malvern “Maluva” Mukonza, Timothy “Sakala” Onida, Leon “Schuster” Gadzikwa and other decorated players to enhance tournament opportunities and help create an ecosystem where talent can train consistently and compete meaningfully,” he said.
“My motivation comes from a simple belief that sports build character, discipline and opportunity."
Mutombo, better known as Boss Tate, said that with players like Maluva, Sakala, Schuster and others, what stands out is not only skill but professionalism, hard work, consistency and the hunger to improve and win.
"When you sponsor players of that mindset, you don't just back talent but you invest in role models as well," said Mutombo.
“As for pool specifically, it has a unique appeal, it rewards focus, strategy and mental toughness.
- Earthquip cues up massive pool sponsorship
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“These qualities are transferable to life and career success. That is why pool deserves serious support because it produces not only champions but people with strong thinking and composure."
In terms of magnitude, Boss Tate said that the intended sponsorship is designed to be sustainable across seasons, attractive enough to support players through preparation phases, competition exposure and momentum building initiatives so that performance is not accidental but nurtured.
At the time of going to press, the company has already employed some renowned pool players at a mine in Shamva as a way of fighting the scourge of drug and substance abuse.
The employment opportunity does not however deter such players from partaking the sport (pool) but can still alternate between work and pool.
Boss Tate is of the noble view that diverting the attention of pool players from the vice by absorbing them into formal employment structures and systems is an effective way of moulding their behaviour and talent as well.
Mutombo is already mooting a lucrative sponsorship package that is poised to see Maluva and Sakala donning colours of the Earthquip Pool Club in the Nevsun Premier Pool League (NPPL) camp once the deal comes to fruition.
Asked on what other structures and systems they have in place to ensure that such athletes get focused on the sport , Mutombo said, "We have a college and academy to train operators in pool for them to discard drug and substance abuse.
“We have held such sessions at Queens Pool Academy (QPA) in Bulawayo and at Liquid Lounge in Shamva hence we are confident that the strategy is mutually beneficial.”
Earthquip has not only spread and flaunted its tentacles to ensure operational efficiency in the mining industry through the supply of excavators, front end loaders, tippers, dump and low bed trucks, among other equipment but also has a unique vision and dream for exciting times to grace cue sport in the country.
"Our vision is to help pool evolve from being "known" to being "organised, accessible and widely followed.
"To that effect, I want to see more structured competitions, leagues, regular tournaments and clear pathways for emerging players.
“I also want to invest in talent identification and development where academies or training programmes that discover players early and support them through growth stages are established," he added.
Earthquip also aspires to see better infrastructure and access as other prime facets to grow the sport. In that vein, quality tables, equipment and convenient venues that ensure athletes practice properly play a Cardinal role.
Earthquip, with gold mines in Shamva, Mazoe and Concession has pledged to work closely with the media - purveyors of information - to create visibility and effective story-telling so that players' journeys are closely followed with fans connecting with real personalities and real progress.
To complete the circuit of harnessing the role of all critical stakeholders, Earthquip wants to forge partnerships with schools, communities and sports bodies to widen participation beyond a small circle.
"Ultimately, the goal is that a young person who shows promise in pool can see a clear future in the sport locally and competitively," said Mutombo.
"Sponsorship should never be a one-way relationship. We want players to succeed, yes but we also want to learn from them: their work ethic, their discipline and what it takes to perform under pressure."
The business mogul believes pool has the potential to become a flagship sport, especially if stakeholders combine sponsorship with structured development and strong public engagement.
He said if stakeholders do that consistently, there would be more national heroes, more competitive depth and a stronger fan base year after year.
He urged business and stakeholders to come on board as pool needs partners who think long-term because the sport grows when support is consistent.
Three weeks ago, Earthquip that is stationed in the vicinity of N Richards in Westlea, Harare introduced a Masters Pool League that is already overly subscribed as stakeholders and players felt compelled and proud to identify with that super brand of perfectionism in sport and business.
To spice up its sporting activities, the Earthquip Riddim is being produced most likely by Ndunge Yut to also coincide with the official launch of the vast empire - the Earthquip Village on 28th August 2026.
Earthquip has also proved to be a peace-making corporate body that played effective midwifery to good workmanship between Maluva and Sakala.
This publication was taken back to a situation where the two athletes used to have sporting controversies until it (Earthquip) organised two back-to-back Race to 17 encounters that saw each player winning a leg of the same and there is now harmony in the camp.
Earthquip made them realise that pool is not about crossing swords of shinning armour to prove one's strength but that can only be achieved through sinking black ball with a piercing familiarity.
The company has a school that trains personnel in earthmoving machines and have indelible footprints in the mining and entertainment industry.
It serves across multiple regions in the country and its coverage is built around where demand is strongest and where clients require responsive support.
The company also scouts for investors into mines in view of stakeholder capacity and they are also linked to major Chinese companies in the country in line with the Look East policy. They also buy and sell mines in the country.
The vast and imposing Earthquip Village has capacity to host high profile sporting and entertainment events, with multiple bars and they uplift artistes with names like Daza D, Windsor, Silent Killer and Jah Signal sticking out like sore thumbs.
