“The group has really worked well together [and] they’ve all been invested and driven by our team culture and values,” said Lenise Marais, coach of Maties women’s hockey. PHOTO: Jean-Marie Uys
The first team of Maties women’s hockey triumphed once more by recently winning the Western Province Grand Challenge League, after being crowned champions of the University Sports South Africa Hockey Championships earlier this year.
This is according to Ongi Mali, captain of the Maties women’s first team.
The team secured the league title with a 2-1 win against their regular rivals, Western Province Cricket Club, on 21 August at Coetzenburg, according to Mali. Maties were 0-1 down at the end of the first half but a second-half comeback sealed the team’s victory.
“We have worked hard as a team and it really showed on Sunday. This is one of the best teams I’ve ever been in,” said Mali.
Maties is currently ranked first in the league and has won the most titles in the league’s history, according to Anche Nortje, hockey manager at Maties Sport.
Consistency is key
“There’s been lots of wins this year but winning the league is important, because putting together performances throughout the year is what we are about,” said Lenise Marais, coach of Maties women’s hockey.
“It’s not just about winning one or two games. We want consistent performances [during] the season,” said Marais.
Committing to training hard year-round means team members have to sacrifice a lot, but winning the league is the “icing on the cake”, said Nortje. “Winning the league is the final outcome of a whole year’s preparation,” she said.
“We’ve just aimed to play our brand of hockey consistently, to enjoy ourselves while doing so and to grow as a team,” said Marais.
Maties Hockey’s management played an important role in ensuring the women’s first team’s success this season, according to Ongi Mali, captain of the Maties women’s first team. “They’ve done an impeccable job behind the scenes and were always a call away,” she said. PHOTOS: Jean-Marie Uys
Challenges for champions
The team has had to navigate major challenges throughout the tournament, including injuries and illnesses, said Marais.
“That’s just part of sports – not having some people in certain matches and having to adapt to keep to our structure has been a challenge,” said Mali.
Maties women’s hockey bested their regular rivals, Western Province Cricket Club, to win the Western Province Grand Challenge League this weekend, said Maties captain Ongi Mali. “It’s always a very tough match against them,” she said. GRAPHIC: Jean-Marie Uys PHOTO: Facebook/Maties Hockey
Au revoir to the astro
Maties women’s next appearance on the hockey pitch will be alongside the men’s team at the Varsity Sports Festival from 5 to 6 October, according to Nortje.
“I feel privileged to be leading such a well-structured team. I am very proud to continue forward with them one last time,” said Mali.