Multi-sporting Mohammeds excel through sibling rivalry

IT is not everyday you see three siblings all playing multiple sports in one family.

It is even rarer to see each sibling competing in one of these sports at a national level.

And it is probably impossible to find two siblings scoring centuries on the same day in the Secondary Schools’ Cricket League (SSCL).

However, that is the case of the Mohammed family from Charlieville as Zakariyya, 16, Jannah, 13, and Hidayah, ten, are all talented athletes who have been excelling in their respective disciplines.

Attention came to the family as Jannah scored 227 not out for ASJA Girls’ Charlieville in a SSCL girls’ cricket game against Chaguanas North Secondary on February 14.

Her brother Zakariyya was also playing and batting in an under-16 game for Presentation College, Chaguanas during his sister’s whirlwind innings.

“When I came out for the water break, I heard she made the double hundred. I was on 40-something then.

“I made it my goal to make 100 that day to try and match her and to come out not out as well.”

He ended on 132 not out.

Talent overflowing in the family

Shareeda, their mother, said the siblings have always had a competitive rivalry and not necessarily in sport.

“Jannah asked what Zakariyya got in SEA in each subject area. They are always trying to out do each other.

“We don’t even fuel it, because we always tell them that everyone is different.”

Shareeda saw Jannah’s innings in person and thought it was unbelievable.

“I saw everything happen. I woke up the next day and asked, ‘Did this really happen?’

“It is an amazing accomplishment and we are so proud of her.”

Jannah started playing cricket at the age of three, due to her brother’s involvement.

Shareeda said, “She never played with dolls or anything girly. She followed in her brother’s footsteps.”

On her innings, Jannah said she was only aiming to make 50.

“The 100 came and then I was just aiming to make how much ever I could have gotten.”

Jannah also plays table tennis at the national level and is currently the national under-15 champion.

“It is really nice but it is a lot of hard work to make the team.”

Asked if cross-training helps with one sport over the other, Jannah said, “Table tennis helps with the cricket more as it helps with my movement and hand-eye coordination.”

Shareeda said Jannah has expressed an interest in cricket as her career. Jannah hopes to play for the senior West Indies women’s team by age 20.

Zakariyya also started his cricket career early and credits his father as his inspiration.

“Ever since I was a baby, I was around the sport a lot. I always had a liking for being active and picked up cricket when I was four.”

He has gone on to play nationally at both the under-13 and under-15 levels, having served as captain and vice-captain of those teams, respectively.

Zakariyya also plays football for the school’s championship team and volleyball, in which the school recently placed third in the Secondary Schools’ Volleyball League. He also played table tennis and lawn tennis, but has focused on cricket as he enjoys it the most.

“It’s a team sport and my teammates are another family to me.”

The right-handed wicket-keeper batsman said his favourite player is Dinesh Ramdin as they have similar playing styles.

Zakariyya hopes to also become a professional cricketer and has one ultimate goal in mind.

“I want to play Test cricket for West Indies by age 20.”

When asked about the rivalry between Jannah and himself, he said, “We have always been competitive with each other trying to outdo the other.

“I think that has pushed us to another level.”

Hidayah, the youngest of the Mohammed family also plays cricket, lawn tennis and table tennis.

She is the current under-11 national champion in table tennis and has seen success in local lawn tennis competitions.

While Hidayah currently plays three sports, she told her mother that she wants to become a doctor, unlike her two siblings, who envision careers in the sports industry.

Super parents: Sport is the way

With three children playing multiple sports, Newsday asked Shareeda and her husband, Rasheed, how difficult it was to manage each day.

Both said it was time-consuming and financially challenging, however, they chose to see the positives in the situation.

Shareeda said, “When you see things like the 227 and the 132 happening on the same day it makes it all worth it.”

She said both she and Rasheed sacrifice a lot for their children as their lives revolve around them and their sports.

Rasheed said their holidays have also changed since their children have been involved in sports,

“It’s now sporting holidays. When they make a team, we go with them. We have visited Guyana, Dominica Republic and Antigua through our children.”

He joked about not knowing how costly raising athletes were.

“I didn’t know a table tennis racquet was over $1,000 and you have to change the rubber every six months.

“I thought we’d buy a $250 racquet and that was it. We were clueless.”

Rasheed said additional strength and conditioning training as well as nutritional needs were another added cost.

Rasheed, a mechanical engineer takes jobs based on his children’s sporting schedules. Shareeda gave up her job to be with her children.

Both parents were thankful for the support from their parents as well as the multiple coaches they have met over the years.

“The places we go, we have built relationships and it makes you feel at home. Sometimes we feel like we spend more time at the Kumar Rampat Cricket Academy rather than at home.”

Rasheed believes sport is the way and has a message for other parents.

“Believe in your children when they come to you and express interest in something.

“If you can afford to do it give them the opportunity because you never know where they could reach. Don’t shut them down because you don’t have the time or don’t want to make the time.”