Maties’ National Ladies player Quanita Bobbs is buzzing with excitement ahead of Round One of Varsity Hockey in Potchefstroom from May 1-4 as the Stellenbosch ladies look to retain the title they won in 2013.
Bobbs was part of the 2013 side who overcame NWU-Pukke in a tense final and knows the highly anticipated tournament will be no walkover as all the participating universities have increased their standards.
“After 2013, there has such a buzz of excitement about Varsity Hockey and it has become a major talking point among the ladies in the National squad. It’s really a massive tournament that is so exciting to play in, especially with all the sponsors who are throwing their weight behind hockey and the television coverage we are getting.
“Varsity Hockey brings a different dimension to the game which makes it more exciting and that bodes well for the game. I know that every university will be very competitive and have stepped up their game, so there will not be any easy games,” she told varsitysportssa.com.
Maties will be heading into the tournament fully focused on retaining their title but will have a tough task ahead of them as they have lost some experienced players due to the new age-limit rules.
“Our main goal is to retain our title but we are first aiming to secure a Top Four place and then take things from there. The age limit is a blessing in disguise as it now allows the younger players to step up to the plate and showcase their talents.
“Obviously we will miss the experience of Ilse Davids on the field but our preparation has been good, so the younger players are looking a lot sharper and their technical skills have drastically improved,” she added.
The 21-year-old BCom Management Sciences student has noticed a significant improvement in the standard of ladies hockey since the inception of Varsity Hockey and believes this tournament is the perfect example of what can be achieved when the sport gets exposure.
“Since 2013, everyone realised the importance of the Varsity Hockey tournament and that can be seen in the improved levels of performance by all the universities across the board. This is really a massive tournament that everyone wants to win.
Round One of the Varsity Hockey tournament gets underway on Friday, May 1 at North West University in Potchefstroom.
