UP-Tuks hockey is in a great space ahead of the opening round of Varsity Hockey in Potchefstroom after some of their players were part of the Northerns Under-21 ladies team that claimed gold at the Inter-Provincial tournament.
After participating in the 2013 edition of the competition, National team member and Tuks goalkeeper Phumelela Mbande believes the Varsity Hockey brand has given all the players an extra chance to catch the eyes of the National selectors at both U21 and senior level.
“Varsity Hockey is absolutely brilliant and I would compare it to being similar to the Junior World Cup, with the commonality being music with every goal scored. The vibe is amazing and the just being part of it is fantastic.
“It’s not often that hockey gets television coverage but now that we have this event, we get a chance to showcase our talents and show the country what hockey is all about in the country. This tournament is the ideal springboard to catch the eyes of the various selectors and get yourself into the national setup,” she told varsitysportssa.com.
The success of the Northerns U21 team bodes well for Tuks’ confidence ahead of the Varsity Hockey event and Mbande believes the team is in a good space both on and off the field.
“Most of our team played in the U21 Inter-Provincial and for them to have gone on to win it, means that they return to Tuks with a lot of confidence and makes our job – as seniors – to motivate the new girls a lot easier.
“Obviously, there will be some pressure on the National ladies players to perform for their universities but that comes with the territory. As a goalkeeper, I have a very important role in the team – in terms of communication – but it is something I am accustomed to,” she added.
Mbande has seen an improvement in the level of the game since the addition of Varsity Hockey and seems to think it comes down to the players being more competitive as they push for places in the senior squad. Furthermore, she feels that Maties is the team to beat while Wits could be a dark horse to look out for.
“Wits are definitely in a rebuilding phase and they have a good thing going there at the moment, so they could definitely surprise a few teams. Maties have been the team to beat for a while now and they will continue to be a strong side. With a player like Quanita Bobbs in their team, who is a real game changer, they will once again have a strong team,” she stated.
Round One of the Varsity Hockey tournament gets underway on Friday, May 1 at North West University in Potchefstroom.
