Like mother like son – hockey is in the genes of this family
Celia Seerane talks about how her hockey skills rubbed off on her one-year-old and her upcoming tournament.
Little did Celia and her husband Hendy Seerane know that her passion for hockey had rubbed off on their son Milan (1), until when they saw him carrying the stick like a pro. With excitement coursing through their veins, the couple watched in amazement as Milan knew exactly what to do with it.
It was a proud moment for the family as they realised that Celia’s love for the sport had been passed down to the next generation, and who knows, maybe her son will become a hockey superstar like her.
Celia Seerane is a South African female field hockey player who plays for the South African women’s national field hockey team. She has been playing hockey for 20 years. She said her career in sports was pretty much influenced by her older brother Brett Evans who is a former Bafana Bafana football player.
She became a soccer player but later chose to switch and commit to hockey after realising that women’s football was not well established at the time.
“I love the fact that hockey is a team sport. I enjoy working together to try and achieve a common goal. I love pushing boundaries and limits. I have always loved all sports but I think only when I was in Grade 9 did I realise that I had a dream to be part of the national team. Mostly my previous teammates are the ones who inspire me. I think it was the senior players that have pushed me to work and train harder.”
She said what is challenging about hockey is that there are hundreds of skills and technical aspects of the sport that need to be mastered. “One day you get something right, the next day you are struggling with something else. It is very humbling,” she says.
Seerane is currently playing in a tournament in Johannesburg called the Joburg Hockey League where she plays for the Hawks.
“It is amazing to see the young talent come through. We also just finished a summer series vs France and we did well. We are leaving for Ghana for All African Games on March 12 this year.”
When asked if she trains with her son, she said, not yet, and maybe when he is older. She said for now he must just be a child and play.
“No shame he does not have any pressure to play. He just loves being busy and active.”
Attending the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, and preparing for the Olympic Games this year in Paris is what the Paulshof resident said she is most proud of achieving, “I am in the squad and trying to make the final team.”
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