VALHALLA STAR SHINES IN NAMIBIA

A YOUNG baller from Valhalla Park is proving that your hood doesn’t define your hustle, after doing South Africa proud at a youth tournament in Namibia.

Saskiah Johnson, 16, who plays for the Montana Vikings basketball club, was chosen to represent the country in the U/16 South Africa Basketball team at the Region 5 Youth Games where top African countries went head-to-head on the court.

It all kicked off when she impressed selectors during an All Star tournament. However, once she received the call-up, the real race began at home.

Her proud mom Shantal tells the Daily Voice: “Getting all the stuff ready, you know it is a dream for your child that’s coming true because she is going to wear green and gold. At that time she didn’t realise what it was but she said she can’t stay at home.”

However, the journey almost faced a setback when Saskiah’s unabridged birth certificate delayed her travel documents.

Shantal says Saskiah stood her ground: “She told me it was something that she can achieve not just for herself, but for every young child in the country that lives in a place like Valhalla Park, Bishop Lavis, Elsies River, Kalksteenfontein that wants to reach a level of professionalism in any time of sport and said she could not be held back because of her birth certificate that she did not have.”

Saskiah’s love for sport didn’t start on the basketball court. She first played netball, but wasn’t too keen. It was a school friend, now her teammate who introduced her to basketball.

Shantal shares: “At that time I thought okay you are interested I will sign the forms, but not realising that basketball will be the one sport that will become her comfort zone, passion and her happy space. As time went on her passion and love for the sport grew.”

The road to success hasn’t been easy. Shantal admits that trying to help Saskiah reach her Western Province colours came with setbacks. She failed the first and second time.

But the third time was the charm.

Since then, it’s been no looking back for the humble young star who knows it’s not just about personal glory.

Saskiah is set to return home along with her team on 15 July and her mother says she will continue to have the mindset that “no player is better than the rest”.