By Elliott West
“It’s been a male-dominated sport for so long, and you don’t see women playing it on TV, so young girls don’t have that role model”.
Rebecca Kenna
Introduction
Rebecca Kenna is a player who is not afraid to challenge injustice within snooker and already highlighted last year, the bizarre rules of her local snooker league to have a ‘men-only’ policy in some clubs. A decision that had media exposure but led to her leaving the Crosshills and District Snooker League, citing feeling “abandoned”. Currently on the Women’s tour, Kenna will be playing in next week’s Snooker Shootout, a one frame, fast playing tournament where herself and Reanne Evans will battle it out against the other men on the tour with the winner having the opportunity to play in the Champion of Champions.
The Constant Struggle
Currently ranked number 4 on the women’s tour, Rebecca has already won the Yorkshire Ladies Snooker Championship and reached numerous finals. A competitor in both billiards and snooker, Kenna reached the semi-final of the ladies’ world championship at her first attempt and went to progress to a further two. An entrepreneur who runs the company, Cue Sports Yorkshire with her husband Ashley, she is also a snooker coach, holding a Level 2 certificate.
A player who first picked up a cue, aged 8, thanks to her father’s love for watching snooker on television, she was quick to take to the table when she was tall enough and had constant paternal support whilst her career grew. A support that led her joining the women’s tour in 2016.
However, playing on this tour is a constant struggle with prize money although rising in recent years, still remains low in comparison to the main tour. Many lower ranked, female players, struggle to travel to tournaments because the travel costs will outweigh the prize money.
Some argue that the main tour is not just for men, citing the fact that women can qualify for the tour by means of the World Championship qualifiers and possibly the Shootout. However this process is arduous and would mean consecutive wins to climb this sheer slope. Even the most successful player in recent years, Reanne Evans hasn’t managed it. Despite these hurdles, there is still hope with players like Kenna leading the way in their sport via positive mindset and a rigorous practice regime.
Rebecca Kenna has been very vocal on this issue and recently commented, saying :
It’s been a male-dominated sport for so long, and you don’t see women playing it on TV, so young girls don’t have that role model”.
Rebecca Kenna
Although still sceptical of why the Snooker Shootout is now a ranking event, Rebecca always supports a move that gives women an opportunity to compete and progress. Playing Germany’s Simon Lichtenberg in her first match, she will go into this match not knowing much about her opponent but she remains positive in a format that can swing either way but favours the brave who take opportunities when they are presented to them.
Summary
Rebecca Kenna has become a rising star in her sport and is never afraid to speak her mind when needed. A potential contender for the main professional tour, Kenna has already reaped rewards in her field and now has the potential to play against men, a landmark moment if it happens.
