From Ice Rinks to Iron Will

I have always believed Benoni has some of the most amazing people; you never know who you’ll bump into next or what their story is.

I recently had the pleasure of being invited for a coffee with Cassandra ‘Cassy’ Barnes. We met up at the very popular Kofi in Northmead. Our order included a flat white and a frozen coffee for Cassy, the first hint toward her affinity for ice!

Before our meeting, I had a vague idea that Cassy was involved with The Eagles Tumbling Club. However, that is just the tip of the iceberg of her now-impressive CV and intriguing story.

She spent her childhood on a secluded Delmas farm before she and her siblings followed their mom to Benoni in 2001, where she attended Tom Newby and later Ashton. Her passion for ice-skating took hold; years of sacrifice and discipline, and her family “making a plan”, followed. The hard work paid off when Cassy got a taste of where skating could take her – selection for the SA figure skating team brought trips to Amsterdam and Croatia.

When she was in matric, the hard calls came – she had the opportunity to audition for “Holiday on Ice,” the pinnacle for any figure skater. Unfortunately, the timing clashed with her matric finals, and she decided to forgo the audition opportunity; as gut-wrenching as that was, her education was never sacrificed. A few weeks after matric, a call came through that an opening was again available for “Holiday on Ice”. Again, her family and circle pulled together. This time, Cassy became a full member of the “Holiday on Ice” cast and toured the world. Cast, crew, production, operations, flights, hotels, security and fans – “It was an incredible time”, she recalled with joy. 

There are more twists to Cassy’s tale, and probably more coffee and column space could be dedicated to it. I loved the time and chat with Cassy; what came across was an undeniable passion for her craft and a never-say-die attitude. At the time of our chat, she was training for a gruelling event in Cape Town that involves mountains, elevation, and heat. Cassy is eagerly looking forward to the challenge. Cassy is an avid runner and a member of Benoni Northerns; she has completed several Comrades marathons. She is also involved with a charity called ‘Bling for Bravery’, Bling For Bravery is a foundation that awards children that have undergone massive surgeries, and she takes comfort in having seen the results of her efforts firsthand.

Her “day job” is being the proud owner of Crunch Fitness Studio in Northmead. Obviously, a passion for fitness matters, but it’s the people who make it all worthwhile for Cassy, which I think sums up living in Benoni.

Brewed Awakening SA

Caroline Franks