Lyle Barlow (35) has recently achieved what he thought was a distant dream; being selected to be part of the South African Masters hockey team.
The SA Masters are set to take place in October in Cape Town, and Lyle is one of the U35+ hockey players whose hard work has paid off.
Lyle started playing hockey when he was only six years old and quickly learned the basics. He continued to dedicate his life to hockey, playing for his school, club, and provincial masters, and his love and passion for hockey have been growing ever since.
He is a highly respected figure at Khosa Sports Club. He has won multiple awards, including two Player of the Year awards and the Players’ Player Choice award, solidifying his reputation as an exceptional hockey player and leader.
Lyle mentioned that he tried out for the SA Masters before, but didn’t make it, and he somehow thought his chances of earning the national colours were gone. But he continued to train, pouring his heart and soul into every practice and every game, and now his hard work has been rewarded.
“What made me go try out again at the provincial masters was when a random guy who had never seen me play told me that one day I would make the SA Masters. That motivated me to try again,” he said.
Lyle and two fellow female players who are part of the SA team have started a Backabuddy campaign in an attempt to raise the necessary funds for their 10-day tournament in Cape Town.
If you would like to support these hockey players, contact Lyle on 072 917 1557 or go to their Backabuddy page on https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/sa-masters-hockey-world-cup.
