Hockey contest blows Jason’s whistle

Jason Naidoo, a former pupil of Kingsway High School, was named most promising umpire in the Durban South regional at the SPAR KZN regional hockey tournament, where he was representing his alma mater.

 
“This was the third SPAR tournament that I was a part of. Our girls did well, finishing in the top four and we all enjoyed ourselves.

 
The first time I picked up a whistle, I was in matric,” said the confident young Toti man. “There was a shortage of umpires, so I was asked by my first team coach to help out by umpiring a junior girls’ match.

 
Kingsway was taking on Hillcrest at Hillcrest. It was rather nerve-racking.

 
Not wanting to mess up or show any bias, I tried my hardest to see everything I could through the bunched group of girls around one ball, but I actually enjoyed it.”

 
That was five years ago and Jason is still going strong, with either a whistle or hockey stick in hand.

 
“The fast-paced nature of hockey stands out the most to me. This mixed with the physicality and technical skill required makes hockey my favourite sport.

 
There’s just something magical about being out on a just-watered astro turf on a hot day.”

 
The young sports star spends his working days being a striker for Red Bull, which is an international term for members of their off-premise sales team; he is responsible for how the brand is communicated within retail and convenience stores.

 
“My hobbies include playing sport and keeping active. I also really enjoy exploring new and interesting coffee shops and dinner spots,” he said. “On the sporting front I participate in both soccer and cricket. Recently I’ve taken up golf, which is a whole new challenge, but I’m enjoying it. Set your standards high and never settle for less than you deserve.”