Maties men’s hockey coach, Ashlin Freddy says his team is fully aware of the importance of the final two games of the season this week, with only three points needed to secure the Western Province men’s grand challenge title.
“No nerves at all. The guys know what is expected of them and I have full confidence in them to see through what has been a successful league campaign to date,” says Freddy.
The hockey team or also known as the Maroontjies face off against Langa this evening and Western Province Cricket Club (WPCC) on Thursday 30 August. Currently Maties sit on 31 points after 12 games and and WPCC on 30 points after 13. Mathematically then, only one win is needed to secure the title.
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If the Maroontjies manage to go all the way this week they will secure their sixth league title in a row. However as routine as that may sound, one of the teams top goal scorers, Luke Schooling (21) feels there is been a step up in performance from their rivals this season.
“The league was a lot more challenging this year with the likes of Central and WPCC being very competitive but we started the season off well with a lot of goals. So I think personally and for the team it gave us momentum for the rest of the league season which I think has been very successful”.
One of Maties top goal scorers Luke Schooling (21), goes on a dribble against Pinelands Hockey Club. Photo: Eunice Visagie.
After stumbling at both the final hurdles of Varsity Cup and the annual University Sports South Africa (USSA) against Tuks and UCT respectively, Freddy is taking it one game at a time he says.
“We are viewing it [Langa] as the second last game of the season, not about the overall points situation. Once we cross the hurdle of the second last game we then shift the focus to the last game and approach it in the same manner. We hold ourselves to our own standards and the rest will take care of itself.”
This sentiment of having certain standards is shared with league captain and striker Keenan Horne (26).
Maties Hockey Captain Keenan Horne (26) protects the ball during a league match. Photo: Eunice Visagie
“I don’t feel that anyone remembers the captain win. They see a team has won a title. For me it’s about leaving the team in a better place than I inherited it. So winning another league title would mean that under the leadership groups watch we have maintained the standard and let the juniors taste some success for the season and make them even hungrier next year,” he says.
In saying that however, narrowly missing out both on the Varsity cup and USSA titles would have taken quite a moral and emotional toll on the team.
“I think this has been one of the toughest seasons our Maties men have experienced. We haven’t ticked all the boxes we have wanted to but we have maintained our level and standards which is always a controllable,” says Horne.
Maties vice-captain Alex Stewart (22). Photo: Eunice Visagie.