Joburg teen breaks barriers in women’s baseball
After years of dedication, Zoe Pestana is ready to represent South Africa against the world's best young female baseball players.
An 18-year-old baseball player has been given the chance of a lifetime, reports Randburg Sun.
Zoe Pestana has been playing baseball since she was six years old, at a time when the sport was still seen as one for boys. She fell in love with the game anyway, and refused to let that stop her. Now, after almost twelve years of hard work, Pestana has been invited to represent South Africa as part of the U18 South African women’s baseball team. The team will compete at the Baseball For All International Tournament in Rockford, Chicago, from July 17 to 27.
The Baseball For All Nationals is one of the biggest events in the world dedicated to growing girls’ and women’s baseball. Talented players from across the US and abroad take part, giving female athletes a stage to compete, show their skills, and inspire the next generation of girls to take up the sport.
Pestana’s journey to this point has been filled with milestones. She became one of the first female players picked for a South African boys’ baseball elite training squad, and has gone on to play in boys’ provincial teams throughout her career. She has also represented Gauteng in baseball and has been part of South Africa’s U18 women’s baseball programme, taking part in international series and development initiatives aimed at growing the women’s game in the country.
She says baseball has taught her discipline and resilience, along with the belief that hard work can break down barriers, even when the odds seem stacked against her. Being invited to the tournament in the US means more to Pestana than just another competition. It gives her the chance to represent South Africa on the international stage, test herself against some of the best young female players in the world, and show how far women’s baseball has come in South Africa. It is also a chance to inspire young girls back home to believe they belong in the sport.
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