Rashaka Katadat, the volleyball-playing soldier writing new chapters for Ghanaian sport

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.

Rashaka Katadat's all-important life-changing decision

Katadat's volleyball story was far from over, however.

In Ghana, various security agencies have sports teams, and especially in less popular sports civilians who are talented in sports can acquire training in these security agencies and subsequently gain employment while playing sports for them. Athletes who are not interested in joining these security agencies can opt to play for these sports teams and still get paid.

She ended up on the radar of the Ghana Army Force, which was unwavering in their pursuit to recruit Rash into their team.

The same year as her missed African Games chance, she had gained a full sports scholarship to study at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), located in the Central Region of Ghana.

“Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to pursue a degree, but I had to weigh my options before I made a decision,” Rash said. Her father was not in support of her pursuing volleyball in the military at the expense of her education.

She attended her first semester at UCC, while the Ghana Army Force also kept reaching out to recruit her. Eventually, Katadat settled on the offer from the Ghana Army Force.

Her decision to join the military was based on her family’s financial background, the fact that UCC would still charge huge sums for hostel fees, and that she wanted a certain level of financial freedom.

“I had to convince my father to allow me to try my luck at the military and he finally accepted.”

Rash joined Burma Camp in Accra and began her life in the Ghanian military. She was in training for six months and after she graduated from training, she was employed as radio communications personnel while still playing volleyball for the Army team in Accra.

Handling all these responsibilities at once took a toll on her zest and passion for volleyball. Through these issues, she acknowledged how her circle has supported her, showed her love, and encouraged her not to give up.

“Combining my military career and volleyball has not been easy, but I’m still pushing forward,” she said. “There are good days and there are bad days but I'm finding my way to balance it all.”

A beach volleyball first, and the 2024 African Games

The indoor team version of volleyball is how Katadat began in the sport before she added beach volleyball to her array of talents.

Through coach Seidu Ajanako, she decided to give beach volleyball a try and she excelled, just as she had in indoor volleyball. Rash joined the national beach volleyball team in 2019.

Together with her teammate, Juliana Otcherewaa, Katadat qualified Ghana for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – a first for the country. Rash described the experience as “beautiful and incredible to play at the world stage with volleyball players [I] learned from and idolised on YouTube”.

For her efforts, she was also recognised as the Best Female Volleyball Player at the Sports Writer’s Association of Ghana Awards in January 2023. Through that award, she was promoted in the army from being a Lance Corporal to the rank of a Corporal.

“Determination, discipline, being prayerful, sacrifice and perseverance” are traits Rashaka believes helped her to attain these feats and she advises young people to add those qualities in their volleyball pursuits.

Ghana is hosting the All Africa Games in 2024 in Accra and Rash will be partaking in both the indoor volleyball and beach volleyball events. Last month, the team went on a training tour in South Africa ahead of the African Games geared towards beach volleyball.

Rashaka expects that Ghana will be in play for a medal finish in beach volleyball, with Egypt and Mozambique being stiff opponents for the team. In indoor volleyball, she said, “it will be very difficult but drive and passion will help them play”.

Adequate funding for less popular sports in Ghana like volleyball remains a challenge. However, Katadat is optimistic, noting that gradual positive changes are underway.

“At first athletes did not get the chance to explore outside the country to train,” she remembered.

“But things are changing and our superiors are really helping to develop our talents.”