Tauhir lives hoop dreams

YOUNG STAR: Waitakere City Basketball’s Tauhir Toyer hopes to play basketball in the United States one day.

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Basketball has become a way of life for one Henderson youngster.

Tauhir Toyer, 9, was one of the youngest players chosen for the Basketball Waitakere City representative teams this season.

He played for the U13 Waitakere White development side.

Tauhir used his small size to his advantage despite the opposition being older and slightly bigger than him.

"It felt like they could just bump you off but I just moved like a rat in between them," he says.

Tauhir admits being infatuated with basketball ever since he played it on his first day at Summerland school when he was five years old.

"Shooting the goals was my favourite part and now I just play basketball with my friends whenever I get the chance." he says.

His love of the game has meant parents Yusuf and Mawadda have had to brush up on the rules of a sport they knew little about.

"It is very technical and so fast that you have to know all the fouls," Yusuf says.

"I used to not understand what certain penalties were called but last game I finally spotted a foul for the first time."

Yusuf says Tauhir's big dream is to play basketball in the US – sooner rather than later.

"He didn't understand at first that we couldn't just pack our bags and leave for the States," Yusuf says.

- © Fairfax NZ News