NMMU-Madibaz will be relying on the experience of their dynamic midfielder Nicole Kemp to guide the fairly inexperienced side through the opening round of Varsity Hockey in Potchefstroom from May 1-4.
The diminutive player took part in the 2013 edition of the competition which saw the Madibaz end the tournament on a high note when they defeated Wits 2-0 to claim seventh place. The Madibaz were a fairly inexperienced side in that tournament and Kemp believes they have made some drastic improvements this time around as they look to give a better account of themselves.
“Being part of the 2013 edition was a good experience as it showed us [NMMU] what we needed to work on for future tournaments. This time, we are better prepared and know what to expect. We still have a fairly inexperienced squad but we all have provincial experience which gives us a lot of confidence.
“We have not set ourselves long-term goals for the tournament but have rather kept our focus on our first game. Momentum is going to play such an important role in a tournament like this and if we can walk away with points from our first game, we can then head into the remainder of the tournament with crucial momentum,” she told varsitysportssa.com.
The Madibaz have been hard at work preparing for the major tournament and have managed to fit in a few warm-up matches which they used to become accustomed to the powerplays which have become synonymous with the Varsity Sports brand.
The 23-year-old Business Management student holds the Varsity Hockey tournament in high regard as she believes it provides the sport with valuable exposure it so desperately needs.
“Over the years, hockey has struggled to gain any exposure and now, thanks to Varsity Sports, we [the hockey community] are getting the opportunity to expose the rest of the country to the beauty of the sport. This tournament provides great exposure for the game.
“The inception of Varsity Hockey has helped to improve the standard of the game in the country and I will not be surprised to see this tournament eclipse a tournament like the Ladies Inter-Provincial. It definitely has the potential to become the biggest hockey tournament in the country and the interest in being part of it has exploded.
“There are now High School pupils who want to get into a University so that they can play in a Varsity Hockey event because of the exposure it gives the game and the players,” she added.
Round One of the Varsity Hockey tournament gets underway on Friday, May 1 at North West University in Potchefstroom.
