Campbell-Smith quartet excelling in various sports

THE QUARTET of Yeshowah Campbell-Smith and his sisters Em-Miryam, Abba and Rukha are not only trying their hands, but they are seeking to make their names in a number of sports.

The siblings are excelling in tennis and golf, while they are involved in table-tennis, football, cricket, water polo, chess and basketball.

The 13-year-old Yeshowah, a Form Two student of Fatima College, has represented his school in table-tennis, cricket water polo, chess and basketball.

A member of Total Tennis Academy, the 58th ranked singles player locally was the Under-10 singles champ at the 2018 RBC tournament, the Under-12 doubles champ at the 2019 Sagico and Subway tournaments, and the 2021 East Clubs tournament singles and doubles champ.

He also plays golf at St Andrew’s Golf Course, Moka, where he has earned several monthly medals tournaments, basketball with SpartansTT, as well as table-tennis and cricket for Queen’s Park.

Em-Miryam, 11, is a student of St Monica’s Prep. She won the RBC Under-12 singles last December, and the 2021 East Club Classified Class B women’s singles (the youngest to do so). She was also the Under-10 doubles champ in the 2019 Lease tournament.

Like Yeshowah, she plays golf at St Andrew’s, basketball for SpartansTT, football for Sport Faculty, table-tennis, football and cricket at Queen’s Park.

At the 2021 Catch Junior tennis tournament, three members of the Campbell-Smith family (Yeshowah, Em-Miryam and nine-year-old Abba) had the distinction of playing in three finals at the same time – Under-14 boys, Under-12 girls and Under-10 girls doubles.

Rukha is involved in Under-10 tennis, at the age of six.

According to Smith, “I am only doing what any parent should do, support my children.”

Ward, coach of Total Tennis Academy, mentioned, “Luckily, they have a big sporting background. It’s four of them. Because they’re exposed to so many sports from an early stage, they’re a little bit more developed than their peers, (in) their respective ages.

“It bodes well for them in all sports, especially in tennis. You’ll find they’re more athletic than the others,” Ward continued.

“It’s a good thing. They’re all doing well, every single one of them winning titles in their age groups, or reaching finals.”

Asked if the children can be a bit mischievous during training, Ward replied, “Luckily (Yeshowah) is the oldest one so he leads by example. Not like they are a problem but when (the girls) are alone, you can see where it can go haywire a little bit. But he plays his role really well as a leader of the group. He gets them in line, gets them focused and they follow him.”

On May 13, the quartet, at the St Mary’s Tennis Club in St Clair, spoke about their love for sports as well as their future aspirations.

What sports do you play?

Yeshowah: I play tennis, basketball, golf, cricket, water polo and chess.

Em-Miryam: I do golf, table tennis, tennis, chess, basketball and football.

Abba: I play table tennis, tennis, basketball, football, golf, gymnastics and cricket.

Rukha: I play tennis, table tennis, basketball, football and chess.

What are your favourite sports?

Yeshowah: I don’t really have a personal favourite sport. I like all the sports that I play, more or less.

Em-Miryam: My personal favourite is tennis.

Abba: I like all.

Rukha: I like tennis.

Who is your favourite sporting personality?

Yeshowah: I like to see Giannis Antetekoumpo, the Greek Freak, from the Milwaukee Bucks. I like him because of his work ethic, and he just never gives up. That is what I like about him.

Em-Miryam: I like Gael Monfils because he is so energetic.

Abba: I like Naomi Osaka because she is energetic, she never gives up and she has good sportsmanship.

Rukha: I like Coco Gauff because she plays in the Wimbledon and US Open at a young age, and she is really good.

At home, do you all play against one another?

Yeshowah: At home, we do play against each other. Mainly I play against the younger ones so I can help them develop, mainly in chess, table tennis, basketball.

Em-Miryam: I play with Yeshowah in basketball. Sometimes I play with them, and we mostly play table tennis, like doubles. I usually play with one of the younger ones and Yeshowah picks (the other). We play against each other.

Abba: Sometimes (Em-Miryam) beats me and sometimes I beat here back. Obviously Yeshe beats me and I never beat him back, and it’s obvious that I beat Rukha and she never beats me back.

Hopefully one day she can beat the elder three – “Technically I lose to every one of them because they’re better than me. Sometimes I do cry but sometimes I don’t, because I understand that they’re supposed to beat me.

She hopes one day she can beat them back (Rukha) – “yes”.

Favourite sporting moment –

Yeshowah: My most recent accomplish (was) I got a double crown in the East Tennis Tournament, I won both singles and doubles. That took place at the Country Club. I feel very happy about that because this is my first double crown ever. I’ve also won other stuff in basketball, I won Most Improved Player twice in a row at Spartans Basketball Academy. In cricket, I topscored in all the matches I played with Fatima; (in) table-tennis, Fatima came first in a tournament in December. For chess, when I was five years old, I came third in a national tournament. I was also the youngest person to play in that tournament. For water polo, in my primary school St Monica’s, I was the topscorer and I also got the All Star award and, (at high school), Fatima came first overall. For golf, I won a few tournaments in Chaguaramas.

Em-Miryam – the most recent one was the East tournament. It was my first time there. I dominated and won Division B. I came first in singles but I played mixed doubles. We didn’t win anything but it was a good experience. I also won Under-12 singles in the RBC tournament last year.

Abba – I didn’t win anything but I came second in Catch doubles.

Rukha – I didn’t win anything but I came second when the coach had a tournament here. Technically, my brother was winning. I came with him.

Sporting aim –

Yeshowah: my goal is to be a professional multi-sport athlete, in whatever sports I’m doing the best in, when I reach that time.

Em-Miryam: I want to play in two sports, football and tennis, but mostly tennis.

Abba: My biggest dream is to become a tennis player.

Rukha: I would like to be a professional tennis player.