By Chris Totobela
An up-and-coming basketball star who made the provincial team in her first year of playing the sport has her sights set on playing for the national side.
“I will make the national team one day,” says Elam Balakisi, a 19-year-old matric pupil at Ntsika Secondary School.
Balakisi started playing basketball in 2023. “I was chilling out at school doing nothing when I saw a group of grade 12 pupils playing basketball and I got interested.”
She explained how the sport stole her heart. “Watching them making those moves and jumps got me curious and I felt like trying it out. I also wanted to challenge myself and play this sport that looked like more suitable for the other gender.”
Balakisi admitted that she never played any sport while growing up but decided to try basketball out. She joined her school’s team and did well for a beginner.
She played in the district trials and was surprised to make the team. “Honestly I could not believe it when my name was announced among those selected for the Sarah Baartman district team, but I told myself that I will work hard and see where that journey would take me.”
She represented Sarah Baartman district against other districts in the provincial trials. Her good run continued as Balakisi was named in the provincial team. This was a huge achievement for someone who had just started playing the male-dominated sport.
“This is the only time that I really realised that I had potential in this sport. The quick success was a result of my hard work at training and by making the Eastern Cape team on my first year of playing the sport was a huge achievement for me and I was extremely proud of myself and what I have achieved in a short space of time.”
She attributes her quick success to hard work.
However, Balakisi admits that finding a balance between her favourite sport and her school work is a challenge as she prefers to spend more time on her school work and uses her study breaks for basketball.
She says she would like to play for one of the top Cape Town sides if any opportunity presents itself, but most importantly, she would like to play for the national team.
“I fell short in making the national team in 2023 as I was competing against the best players. I still believe that if I continue to work hard and remain disciplined I will make the national team one day.”
Balakisi shared a message with the youth of Makhanda. “Make sure you play sport and avoid getting involved in things that will destroy your career. Sport helps us escape from peer pressure and other misleading factors in life. Education will liberate us from all the chains of life, let us get educated and make something out of life.”
The soft-spoken, ever-smiling Balakisi ‘s future looks bright and she is a good example to many Makhanda youth.
