Cheyna Tucker: Teen Sports Star

My name is Cheyna Tucker, I am 17 years old. I was born in Johannesburg and continue to live in Lonehill, Johannesburg. I am
currently at Dainfern
College doing Grade 12. Starting
this account of my "not so many" years on this wonderful earth, made me realise
just how fantastic my life has been and all the amazing things I have
experienced because of my love of sport.

I started standing on my hands and head, doing the splits
and cart wheeling wherever I could when I was three years old. I started
gymnastics at the age of four and got Gauteng Colours every year of my
competitive career.

Throughout primary school I was in the first team
athletics, swimming, netball, hockey and diving. I honestly believed that the
academic side of school should be done away with and then we would have far
more time to play sport.

Because my mother was very involved in squash, I developed
an interest in the game from the age of eight and starting hitting the ball at
every opportunity I could get. The game seemed to have a hold over me and the better
I played the more I wanted to play.

I got my Gauteng colours when I was nine years of age
and attended the U11 Interprovincial tournament in Pietermaritzburg. This was
an experience never to forget. A trip away with friends and doing the thing I
most loved, what more could a girl want.

Throughout my primary and high school years I have achieved
much on and off the sports field. I have learnt that participation in sport
teaches you life skills you will never learn in a classroom or elsewhere.

The
ability to lose gracefully, but a bigger lesson than that is to win gracefully.
It teaches you how to control your temper and emotions, team work and
individual dedication and commitment to everything you do.

Mostly, I have learnt time management, because without this
you will never have enough time in a day to complete everything that is
required of you on and off the sports field.

I love the sense of achievement
when I know that I have put many, many hours of intense training into the
physical and mental aspects of my game and you begin to reap the rewards by
winning matches that you previously lost or never thought possible.

Although times have been very rough sometimes as the
financial aspects of maintaining a certain level can be very costly and
financially draining.

I have been lucky to be sponsored by sports equipment
companies like Prince and Dunlop, whereby all equipment is supplied, but the
costs of getting to local and international tournaments takes its toll.

I have
received an exciting sponsorship from Mr. Price Sport which also provides
equipment and clothing. The burden of overseas trips and flights to other
provinces still exists.

I feel there is a lack of financial support for junior
sportsmen and women to enable them to gain the necessary international
experience to progress into internationally competitive and recognised seniors.

My Mom is my biggest supporter and I love her and my brother, Aston dearly. We
are a small, close knit family and this all adds to the positivity in my life.

If anyone would ask me for advice, it would simply be to
encourage young people to play sport, even if they do not excel at it. It
obliterates all the woes of becoming a young adult and gives you incredible
abilities to do things you never dreamt of doing. Your body is well and
therefore your mind is well and this will only make for easy living.

I love all sport and have achieved full colours in Netball,
Athletics, Swimming, Dancing (Drama). I have Gauteng Colours for Gymnastics,
Diving and Squash. I have been awarded Honours for Sport at Dainfern College,
Athlete of the Season, and Sportswoman of the Year at Dainfern College for two
years running, Junior Sportsman at Old Edwardians Sports Club, Junior
Sportswoman of the Year at Old Parktonians Sports Club and National Colours
from Squash SA for three years.

I have travelled to Australia
twice, England three times, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Holland,
Namibia, Botswana and all over South Africa.

I have played in the
British Open, All Africa Games, Women’s World Junior and a Test series against Holland.

My sense of
pride I have gained from these achievements gets me through anything and will
keep me forever involved in high level sport.