The Kovsies hockey side are heading into a tough period with a national tournament as well as Varsity Hockey on their radar but coach Jacques Du Toit is confident they will be able to cope.
The side from the Free State won their first two games of the tournament comfortably but they slipped up against a determined Maties side and went down 1-0.
Du Toit told varsitysportssa.com: “There was a big difference in opposition from our first two games to the Maties game and that was something we needed to adapt to.
“I thought we started off well and had a great first 20 minutes,” Du Toit added.
His side went down by that one goal against the ladies from Stellenbosch but Du Toit is aware that their greatest tests are yet to be confronted.
“During the Bloemfontein leg we play against Pukke and Tuks.
“We have to go back to the drawing board and have a look at any footage we can to see where we can improve and what we can do against Pukke and Tuks,” the coach mentioned.
There is a national under-21 training camp coming up now and for Du Toit managing his players during this busy period is going to be paramount.
“Player management is vital at the moment; we have a lot of people on board that are crucial in helping the girls recover in time for our next group of games.
“We are going to be missing about six girls for the national U21 training camp and they will join up with us a few days before the Bloemfontein leg,” Du Toit explained.
Now that most of the sides have played each other the results could start getting a little closer as they will know what to expect.
“We have now seen what all the sides have to offer.
“The competition was new for everyone at the beginning so now we have to adapt,” he said.
With a tough schedule ahead the girls from Bloemfontein will have to be fit and firing going into, arguably, their toughest fixtures when Varsity Hockey heads to their home town on May, 11.
