Rashaka Katadat never thought she would be serving in the military and a volleyball player at the same time.
“My dream was to be a lawyer, but certain financial constraints in my family put that dream on hold,” the Ghanaian told Olympics.com.
Her journey up to this point has been a myriad of tough decision-making that would affect major trajectories of her life.
“Rash”‘s initiation into the realm of volleyball occurred under the guidance of her elder sisters in Ejura, situated within the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Raised within a family deeply rooted in Islamic values, these principles would later pose challenges to her aspirations in professional volleyball.
During her upbringing, volleyball was not the sport she was most passionate about. Instead, handball held a special place in her heart until she enrolled at TI Amass Senior High School in Kumasi, located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
“I used to play handball before I went to senior high school. I loved it very much and it was my favourite sport. In TI Amass, you are encouraged to play other sports. I remember playing handball, volleyball, discus and basketball,” Rash said.
During her teenage years, she played for the Highlanders Volleyball Club in Ejura before gaining a national team call-up.
Out of all the hand sports, volleyball struck an impression on her when she was enlisted in the U-23 national team in 2014. An ecstatic Katadat revelled in the opportunity to train with the national team ahead of a solidarity tournament that Côte d’Ivoire would host.
Unfortunately, the Ebola epidemic heightened in 2014 and the games were called off.
However, the disappointment Katadat felt did not offset the impression volleyball left on her. In Accra, she witnessed “how effective the volleyball league was” and decided to make the sport her main focus.
Rash completed senior high school with mercurial performances in her sport, breaking records and being adjudged the best volleyball player in the Ashanti Region.
She gained a national team call-up for the 2015 African Games in Congo but again ended up on the wrong side of fate when, despite training with them, she was unable to join the final team.
