Meet Cody van Wyk, the hockey star
Gqeberha-born hockey star shares his journey and the hardships he endured.
Cody van Wyk (27) was born in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, and relocated to Johannesburg in 2017. He began playing hockey at the age of six.
He fully committed to the sport at the age of 13 when he started high school and captained his U14A hockey team.
Clyde Abrahams was his role model throughout. “He is a national hockey player who competed at the Athens and Beijing Olympics in 2004 and 2008, respectively.
“He was such a level-headed and calm hockey player who dictated the pace of the game when he was on the ball. I was fortunate to play alongside him when I was competing for my club, Lakeside Cavaliers, in the club league at the time.”
The biggest challenge that he faced during his hockey career was not making the final selection for the South African U21 men’s team who competed at the U21 World Cup in India.
“Having to bring myself to remain positive and believe that I am good enough to compete at the time was something that I struggled with. However, I never became discouraged to the point that it negatively affected how I played and this was proven by my inclusion in the SA senior men’s squad a few years later.”
Van Wyk said hockey can be made more attractive by more television coverage. “I feel many South African spectators can be intimidated by the rules and technicalities, but this can be overcome the more the sport is shown to them. It is also very fast-paced and goals are scored quite frequently, so this also adds to the entertainment value.”
Due to the fast pace of hockey, the training routine may be cardio-intensive. Generally, teams meet up twice a week for group training sessions and the days in-between are dedicated to gym sessions and fitness training sessions. Matches are generally played on Saturdays and Sundays and occur at several venues.
Share your comments on our social media pages, Twitter @Sandton_News and Facebook @SandtonChronicle
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/331064/st-davids-marist-inanda-school-rolls-on-with-victory-over-three-schools/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/330097/christiaan-makes-his-mark-on-the-ice/
