Shannique deShong – multi-talented national sportswoman

It takes a special type of commitment and much family support to be involved in four sporting disciplines, but Shannique deShong is doing so with much ease.{{more}}

At age 22, deShong has already represented St Vincent and the Grenadines in four disciplines — netball, basketball, women’s football and volleyball, both on court and beach, all at the senior level.

And, had it not been for the rough nature of rugby, that sport could have been added to the list, as she tried it for a brief period.

However, it was netball which she gravitated to naturally, having grown up in the same house as her older sister, Halimah deShong, a former national player.

And, with basketball not too far in variation from netball, she also developed a passion for that sport.

DeShong, however, thinks that gravitation towards football is in her blood line, as her father, Ashley “Hammers” Baptiste, is also a former national footballer.

However, her involvement in basketball and volleyball at the national arena was out of necessity.

She explained that when she participated in the Windward Islands School Games, participants were required to take part in different disciplines.

“So, after I started playing the different sports, I realized that I have good techniques, skills in the games, so I continued them after that”, deShong told SEARCHLIGHT.

And, deShong, for the earlier part of this year, was involved in all four sports, having to juggle them with caring for her young daughter.

DeShong’s schedule involved representing Western Union Mitres in the LIME National Club Netball Tournament; representing East Kingstown in the female division of the national Inter Community/League football competition; training with the national Under-23 netball team, as well as the senior female volleyball team which contested the second round of the World Championships in St Croix last month.

She explained that she would not have been able to do so, had she had not received the support of family members.

When quizzed if she had a preference for any of the sports, deShong said: “I do love all my sports equally, but if I do have to choose one to be my first, it would be netball because that was the first sport I started with”.

deShong revealed that she is contemplating choosing two, noting that netball will be one, but is undecided which will be the other.

In the meantime, deShong’s immediate national sporting focus is to help St Vincent and the Grenadines retain the ECCB OECS Under-23 Netball title, set for Antigua and Barbuda early next month.

“It is my last year at Under-23, and I want to do my best and help St Vincent and the Grenadines win the title”, deShong stated. (RT)