by By Dan Ninham
So many athletes continue their journey to honor those who have come before them. These are the ancestors of the current and future generations. The ancestors include tribal leaders and family members. They also include former role model coaches and athletes.
Daveya Sohappy, 16, is a sophomore at Federal Way HS in WA. Her tribes are Muckleshoot and Yakama. Her hometown is in Auburn, WA.
“My native name is Mamachat,” said Daveya. “It is a very old Yakima name passed down by my auntie Aleta Sohappy.”
“I compete for Lady Unity in the off-season,” said Daveya.
“My mom always brought us to the gym with her and my life had always revolved around sports,” said Daveya. “My cousin Michelle Sohappy started off playing basketball for my sister Rachel Lucy Givens. I’ve always wanted to practice with her because Rachel was her coach and I always admired her for her skills and every ability she had.”
“In middle school I did baseball, soccer, basketball, track, volleyball, and softball,” said Daveya. “In high school I do track, soccer and basketball.”
“My freshman year of high school I was the only freshman on the team as a starting point guard,” said Daveya. “I ended the season with Defense of the Year award.”
“My mom always says it’s not just me representing myself,” said Daveya. “You’re representing your people and your tribe and everyone who supports me.”
“Daveya is best known for her defense,” said mom Tanya Rojero. “She made all defense first team in the 28.5 Elite Girls Basketball League in Phoenix. Since she is very petite in size I have always told her that she has to set her game apart from other players and do something very well that other players are not, this is where her defense comes into play. Her defense is very aggressive and she has the ability to force turnovers on very skilled offense.”
“It’s a lot of fun to watch her play and she never shies away from a much bigger opponent. She has been playing since she was five years old and watching her develop her game in leaps and bounds has been such a gratifying experience,” added Tanya.
“Daveya has many championship titles under her belt and is a very well-traveled basketball player,” said Tanya. “She trains very hard to elevate her game and takes every opportunity to hit the weight and cardio room as well as get shots up and work on her handles. I am proud of her dedication to basketball and her studies being an honor roll student and taking AP classes and her future is bright.”
“My best friend Rachel Lucy Givens has always been a huge positive impact on Daveya as well as her sister Leelee,” said Tanya. “Rachel was a two-time state basketball champion and standout athlete. She was a big part of our lives and coached them in basketball and soccer. She always told the girls ‘always be coachable’ and that has stuck with them. When Rachel advised, the girls listened intently.”
“Daveya would tell Rachel she wanted to be really good just like her, and Rachel would respond I expect you to be better than me and you will be so long as you are coachable. She had very big dreams for the girls in basketball and soccer. Rachel was a shooter and Daveya dedicates her shooter ability to her,” added Tanya.
“Unfortunately, she was tragically taken from us,” said Tanya. Rachel Lucy Givens was walking across a street to meet some friends and was in a hit and run accident on October 5, 2013 and died two days later at the age of 23.
According to the tribute webpage by LifeCenter Northwest: https://www.lcnw.org/stories/rachel-givens/: “Through the donation of her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys she saved the lives of five individuals.”
“Someone who positively influenced me is my sister Rachel Lucy Givens,” said Daveya. “She always believed and had kept me on track during my grade school years. I push harder every day to make her more proud.”
“My pops Andre Pleasant had definitely made a huge impact on my life,” said Daveya. “Every skill I have right now I’ve gotten and practiced with him. He calls everything his ‘cheat codes’ and he really opened my eyes up to the wider vision of the court. He had created my passion for basketball.”
“Daveya is a skilled player,” said Andre Pleasant. “Defense is her strength. She is also a great team player and makes everyone around her better. She is a clutch player in big moments and always ready to take over when needed.”
“I work on handles in my garage and also go to parks with my pops in the summer,” said Daveya. “If I wasn’t doing anything I would go on runs and home workouts. I would just lay in bed with a ball and shoot it into the air to get my range right.”
“Daveya is very quick,” said trainer Dom Williams. “Good defender, gets her teammates involved. Can catch and shoot and drive good to the basket. Good ball handling. Hard worker and has the potential to be a great point guard in years to come.”
“In the 28.5 Nike Circuit in Phoenix, AZ, I got the first all team defense award,” said Daveya. “We also got the championship, and during the championship I hit the game winning free throws.”
Rachel Lucy Givens is proud of her little sisters.
Photo Credit: Brandon Lopez
