Combining agility with astoundingly quick reflexes and close control, hockey is a sport that undeniably needs skill and practice.
Natural talent must be augmented by hard work, fitness and strength. Determination and the will to succeed will carry a devoted player the rest of the way.
With this in mind, hockey players from across Northern KwaZulu-Natal (NKZN) gathered in Newcastle for the first round of the Mixed League fixtures last Saturday.
Players from Ladysmith, Vryheid, Utrecht and Newcastle were mixed to form teams, sharing no geographic boundaries other than being from NKZN.
Playing host to the first game of the season Newcastle was privy to a sporting spectacle of note, as players engaged in the first competitive games of the year.
Five teams, Mumbai Magicians, Ranchi Rhinos, Kalinga Lancers, Delhi Wave Riders and Punjab Warriors, were compiled.
While some teams struggled to find the chemistry between players, others synced easily, stringing movements together and easily breaking through defences.
Exceptional individual aptitude helped teams to up the ante and punish weaker defences, scoring multiple goals.
One player who really caught the spotlight, was Newcastle’s Wendyl Frost.
Considered one of the best players in Newcastle’s arsenal, he is a player who controls the game whenever in possession of the ball. Entire teams move around his movement of the ball. A quick pass, or sudden dribble is all it takes for him to split defences with the help of a successful run from any keen-eyed attacker who supports his act.
Wendyl played for Delhi Wave Riders in the league and also featured in one of the most anticipated games of last weekend.
Mumbai Magicians faced off against the Delhi Wave Riders. The talented Blessings Khumalo masterfully controlled the Magicians from the defence.
Blessings is the type of player who seems to live and breath hockey. Natural talent aside, he coaches hockey players as well, allowing him to constantly polish his skills.
On the pitch he is a maestro, finding the seemingly impossible pass, and with enough skill to put the ball into the goal from seemingly anywhere within a 15 metre radius.
When coupled with team speedster and Newcastle player, Janneman Cronje, the two have the ability to pull the seemingly impossible out of the bag.
During the match-up, two moves from Magicians left the crowd gasping for more.
Managing to intercept a pass, Janneman made a daring dash from the halfway mark, beating three defenders on the fly before playing a one-two pass and crashing one passed the stunned goalie on the return, rising a raucous cheer from the crowd.
The second move was off a short corner, when Blessings pushed forward and struck in a cracker, after faking the first shot and dribbling past one defender. Many spectators believed this to be the goal of the day.
Although Delhi Wave Riders pushed back hard, they were kept on the defensive for most of the game, and conceded a total of four goals, while only managing to fire back one of their own.
Mumbai Magicians and Ranchi Rhinos lead the table with a three goal positive difference and two points in hand.
Kalinga Lancers follows the top two, also on two points, but with two goals in hand. Delhi Wave Riders and Punjab Warriors bring up the lower end of the table, with Punjab Warriors having played two with no wins.
