Adjusting goals comes quite naturally for the talented sportsman and former Potchefstroom Boys’ High old boy, Shusha Mabo.
The current NWU first-team men’s hockey player views hockey as his second favourite sport after football, which he feels is his first sporting love. His dream of being a professional footballer took a detour to another game with goals. But now he needed his stick to do the talking instead of his feet.
“Funnily enough, I enjoy football more than I enjoy hockey. I chose hockey after high school because I was awarded a bursary to further my studies at the university, having no initial plans to study. I was going to pursue a profession in football. Hockey gave me some-thing football couldn’t at that time of my life, which I’m grateful for.”
Mabo’s hockey journey started in Gr. 7 at Klerksdorp Primary School, where he learnt the game as a teenager.
“I had an amazing time there; I appreciate everything they’ve done for me! My best memories of school have to be making friends across the nation, playing provincial hockey games,” remembers Mabo.
At NWU, Mabo truly blossomed into the player he is today: Tenacious, clever and skilful on the astroturf.
“Being part of NWU hockey has taught me that hard work pays off, as cliché as it sounds. It’s not about what you don’t have but rather what you make of what you have that matters.
“My hockey highlights are being crowned USSA B section Champions in 2017 to qualify for Varsity Cup in 2018. There, we went all the way to the semis as the underdogs. It was an amazing 18 months of hockey,” he exclaims.
Mabo started playing hockey as a forward but has transitioned to playing a midfield role where the amount of work and hustle is multiplied in a battle for possession at each game.
“The best parts of my game are my speed, creating small combos with teammates and being able to play for very long spells. I am still working at bettering my goal-scoring too,” admits the talented midfielder, who is currently studying coaching science at NWU.
According to Mabo, Sheldon Rostron, Shaun Hulley, Essex Mbekeni and Tjoff van Staden have all played a huge part in his hockey career up to now. He adds that he has grown as a person away from the game during the lockdown.
“The lockdown has helped me discover a different side to me. I’ve surprised myself with many things in this period, the biggest one being enjoying home programmes given to us by our sports scientist. Those who know me will know I hated going to the gym, but I’ve kinda fallen in love with it.”
In the future, he wants to play in one more major tournament for the NWU before saying farewell to the purple-clad team.
“I plan to be the best player and version of myself in the future and maybe play in one more Varsity Cup if I’m still studying at NWU.”
