Uniondale basketball player Zahara Saintyl also excels on runway as model

Before she starred on a basketball court and walked the runways of New York Fashion Week, Zahara Saintyl was a shy little girl afraid to raise her hand in class even when she knew the answer.

Basketball and modeling might seem like an unusual combination to most, but for this Uniondale junior, it's the perfect fit.

“I’ve always had big dreams,” Saintyl said. “But I was so shy, I never expected to have the confidence to walk on a runway in front of hundreds of people. It just shows how far I’ve come, and I’m very grateful for all of the opportunities.”

So how did she go from quiet and reserved to confident and bold? Her parents were the real game-changers.

When they found out how timid she was in school, they knew they had to take action.

“We were concerned,” Saintyl’s mother, Chantal, said. “Other kids would actually make fun of her because she was so quiet, and she wouldn’t even tell us. When we found this out from teachers, our hearts were broken.”

When Zahara was 8, her parents enrolled her in dance, acting classes and Girl Scouts hoping she would learn new skills and develop the confidence she lacked. Then she was invited to compete in a pageant.

"We did some research and saw the pageant consisted of three parts: a personal introduction, an interview with the judges and community service," Chantal said. “We were excited to have her do it because we knew it would push her out of her comfort zone.”

It was exactly what Zahara needed.

“Getting up on that stage the first time was a challenge for me,” Zahara said. “I even remember taking a pause when I got up there because I was so nervous. But when it was over, I felt a huge sense of pride and accomplishment, and that’s what made me want to keep competing.”

Saintyl won her first pageant one year later. In 2018, she won Miss New York Junior Pre-Teen and in 2021, she was awarded Miss New York Pre-Teen. The 16-year-old holds the 2025 United Miss New York Teen title, and she will be competing in July in Orlando for the international title.

“Eventually, the nerves faded,” Saintyl said. “I learned to enjoy the spotlight, embrace the moment and let my personality shine.”

Saintyl’s pageant coach, Celinda Ortega, said she’s witnessed first-hand how pageants transformed her from a reserved young girl to a confident leader.

“The way that pageants have impacted girls like Zahara — the confidence, the growth and communication skills she’s built over the years,” Ortega said. “That’s what it's all about. It’s been a really special thing to witness.”

Saintyl was also approached to model. In 2018, at 10, she was asked to walk at New York Fashion Week.

“A fashion designer reached out to us saying she wanted Zahara to model for her," Chantal said. "When we received the final letter, it said: Congratulations, Zahara, you’ve been selected to model New York Fashion Week. We couldn't believe it."

Since then, Saintyl has been no stranger to the runway. She’s made five New York Fashion Week appearances.

“So many people have doubted me and told me I can’t have the best of both worlds," Saintyl said. "But those two worlds have helped me become who I am today.”

From the stage to the court

Saintyl, a guard/forward, was a Newsday top 100 girls basketball selection this season despite starting basketball just four years ago.

When COVID-19 hit, Saintyl’s typically busy schedule filled with modeling, pageants, dance and acting slowed down.

In the eighth grade, her middle school basketball coach approached her to try out for the team because she is 6-feet tall.

Before then, she had never picked up a basketball.

“I used to practice with my son,” Saintyl’s father, Zacharie, said. “She would watch, but she never got involved, so when she came to me saying she wanted to try out for the team, I was surprised.”

She had to start from the beginning.

“We had to start with the basics,” Zacharie said. “I taught her how to dribble, then how to do a layup and little by little she started making progress. Zahara is a very fast learner and she's very competitive.”

That’s when Uniondale varsity coach Nolan Dunkley came in. He first spotted Saintyl while scouting the middle school team. He immediately noticed something unique about her.

“I was thinking, 'She’s tall, athletic, and probably one of the most coordinated bigs I’ve ever seen,' ” he said. “I knew that it could be a great foundation.”

Saintyl joined the varsity squad as a freshman, and by her sophomore year last season, she was already putting up big numbers. She averaged 13 points per game, including scoring 20 or more points in a game three times.

Saintyl, currently playing guard, has missed time this season with an ankle injury, but is still averaging 11.6 points in eight games for Uniondale (5-10).

Dunkley said it’s Saintyl’s coordination and footwork that sets her apart from other players he’s coached before, and he believes her background in modeling has actually played a role in that.

“Learning about her modeling, that’s what led me to believe why she’s the most coordinated big I’ve ever worked with,” Dunkley said. “It’s because of all of that modeling training. I’ve had other bigs that can never get their footwork together. And for her, she’s able to do it, probably because she’s so nimble from doing all those other things. It’s definitely helping her in this realm.”

It’s not just her footwork that has translated from the stage to the court.

Saintyl has been named captain of her team for the last two seasons because of her leadership and confidence.

“She’s kind of the glue that holds us together,” Dunkley said. “She leads by example, she’s a great communicator and because of her personality, she’s able to interact with everyone on our team and get them back on the right page.”

She can do both

Saintyl may be a part of two very different worlds, but she proves that it’s possible to excel in both.

“People usually tell us: ‘We don’t know how a girl can transform a gown and a heel into a jersey and a sneaker,’ ” Chantal said. “But she has many talents that allow her to do both.”

Ortega says that there are various stereotypes surrounding the world of pageantry and modeling. Many people think there are not many talents to a beauty queen. But Zahara's story proves otherwise.

“A lot of people don’t really understand, they see the girls portrayed a certain way on TV,” Ortega said. “Zahara shows that you don’t have to fit into just one mold. She’s inspiring young girls, showing them you can be multi-faceted and excel in many different things.”

Saintyl even hopes to continue athletics and modeling when she goes to college.

“I love breaking the stereotypes,” she said.