Claire fulfils hockey dream

ASHLEY resident, Claire Hill, has a bright future in hockey, following her recent selection as a non-travelling reserve as goal keeper for the African Indoor Cup, which is the world qualifier in Namibia from 9 to 12 April.

Should the goal keeper on the team get injured, Claire will then travel to Namibia to continue the games with the South African team. Claire is currently part of the team’s training camps.

Claire said she started playing hockey when she was in Grade 4 at Benjamin Pine Primary School. Hockey was a big sport at school. She asked her cousin which was the best position to play, and she suggested out field player or striker, never a goal keeper. Claire decided to choose the latter and play as goal keeper.

She was chosen for the U10’s first team, played in a mini tournament in Northdene and won. She continued to play hockey until Grade 7 up until the Pinetown and Districts selections, but sadly didn’t make the team.

She then pursued her hockey dreams to play as goal keeper when she began her high school career at Westville Girls’ High School. She missed the try outs but was chosen for the U14 B team. In Grade 9, her teacher asked her to play for the indoor hockey 2nd team and they won that league.

She was then chosen for the Pinetown and Districts outdoor hockey team and then the KZN U14 A team, where she played at Krugersdorp – the team came fourth.

Claire then joined the Kearsney College Hockey Club and played for the 1st team. They won the first league and she got moved to the U14 premier league. When she turned 15, she played for the U16 A Pinetown and Districts team and the KZN B team, in which her team were runners up of the tournament in Potchefstroom.

Unfortunately because of her age, she couldn’t go to the premier league, so she continued to play for the Kearsney 2nd team and later won the league and was pushed up to first division.

She was then selected to play for the Kearsney Premier League’s indoor and outdoor teams. She played the indoor tournament at the club and won the premier league. She also played for the 1st team at school, and was selected for the KZN Mynahs as a reserve keeper. She filled in for the keeper at all the tournaments and the team came fourth, which led to her selection in the SA National team, for the women’s side as a non-travelling goal keeper reserve to travel to Namibia.

She said hockey is a great game. She’s learnt a lot from the tournaments and had to the opportunity to meet some great people.

“I have set goals for myself and am ticking them off one at a time,” said Claire.

Hockey has given this lass the self confidence to achieve her dream to play for the South African team and one day the Olympics.