SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS – The record breaking Southern Cape men’s hockey team has set its sight on winning its sixth consecutive South African Country Districts hockey title when it participates in the provincial tournament at Hilton College in July this year.
The squad is hard at work, preparing itself for a tough challenge as no Southern Cape hockey team has ever won a tournament in Kwazulu Natal or the Midlands.
The challenge rests upon the 15-man squad selected from various clubs including the George, Quarry, Knysna and NMMU Hockey Clubs. They are: Marc van Staden (captain) – Knysna, Kevin Damons (vice captain) – Quarry, Andrew Moolman – Quarry, James du Pisanie – Quarry, Girshwin Sparks – NMMU, Alistair Trafford – Knysna, Sean Mackenzie – Knysna, Mathew Forbes – Quarry, Craig Clowes – NMMU, Nigel Leverton – Knysna, Darren Berry – Knysna, Bhakier Mahomed – Quarry, Ben Buys – George, Louis Barkhuizen – George and the goal keeper.
The Southern Cape team has been drawn in a very difficult pool and plays the following teams:
- Sunday, June 30: versus KZN Coastals
- Monday, July 1: versus Eastern Gauteng
- Tuesday, July 2: versus Southern Gauteng
- Wednesday, July 3: versus Western Province
- Thursday, July 4: versus Northern Blues
- Friday, July 5: playoffs
- Saturday, July 6: final playoffs
The Southern Cape Men’s Country Districts Team has played in 11 consecutive finals over recent years, being crowned South African Country Districts champions eight times during the same period. These results make the Southern Cape men’s hockey teams some of the most successful sporting teams in the Southern Cape for many years.
As in the past, the players selected rely on sponsorships and donations to raise the funds needed to attend this prestigious tournament and the financial implications are once again the deciding factor whether some players attend the tournament or not.
An opportunity to sponsor the Southern Cape men’s hockey team is being offered and any interested parties are asked to contact Nigel Leverton (083 440 0086) or Donald Olivier (083 380 9499). Anybody interested in donating money towards the players’ tour costs, are asked to contact the same.
Ref: George Herald