Lenise Marais questions and answers

LOCAL Olympic hockey athlete, Lenise Marais from Montclair answered some questions while busy training for various tournaments, including Olympic selections.

Lenise is part of the organising team at the SPAR KZN regional hockey tournament taking place at the end of July.

1. Q: Do you have a nickname on the team/ what do your teammates call you?

1. A: Leno

2. Q:Does your jersey number have any special significance?

2.  A:There were only three squad numbers available when I was selected for the team, all high numbers. None of them appealed to me but I went with 21. It took a while to get used to, but now 21 is my number and my team kit isn’t labelled with my name but just 21. Everyone knows 2-1 = Leno.

3. Q:What have you been up to in the last three years since the London Olympics?

3. A: 2013 and 2014 was the build up to the World Cup and Commonwealth Games , so it was two years of training, working, and getting over a two serious injuries six months before those competitions. Otherwise it was back to school, I’m a P.E. teacher at Durban Girls’ High School.

4. Q:You were hit by an injury last year, how was the road to recovery?

4. A: Two injuries J the first was in January 2014 – one torn and one sprained ligament plus a small bone fracture of the right ankle meant six weeks of physio and rehab. Then, in the build up to the World Cup I tore my right quad. The heavy training load affected my ankle, the ankle led to my calf overworking and in response my quad tried to help out. The torn quad meant 6 weeks out- more physio, rehab and strengthening. I will forever be indebted to my medical team at Prime Sports at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

5. Q:This will be your third time wearing the green and gold when you represent SA at the 2016 Brazil Olympics. That’s a huge achievement and you must be very proud?

5. A: Rio 2016 is still over a year away and the team for that will only be finalised much closer to the time. If I am selected to go, then yes it will be very special.

6. Q:How’s the prep going? What are your plans in the lead up?

6. A: We still have to qualify for Rio. We have World League in Valencia, Spain in June and Africa Cup in August which we have to win before we can even start dreaming about next year. So its lots of physical, technical and tactical work at the moment.

7. Q:Playing international level hockey must have you travelling quite a bit. Have you been to South America before?

7. A: Yes, I’ve been to Santiago, Chile as well as Buenos Aires and Rosario in Argentina.

8. Q:What’s the favourite place that you’ve visited and why?

8. A: I enjoyed Melbourne, Australia the most and can’t wait to go back as a proper tourist. The weather was great, it’s a beautiful city and the buzz about the place was amazing.

9. Q:What is the biggest lesson that you’ve learned from your Olympic experiences?

9. A: You spend years preparing for an Olympic Games, which is over in a fortnight. You cannot afford to get lost in the hype of the Games; you have to remain focused on why you are there. But at the same time you have to savour every moment that you are at the Games. It’s a balancing act, but it is a very special thing- being an Olympian. Not many people get to say they have competed at an Olympic Games. It is the absolute highest level an athlete can compete at.

10. Q:Being a seasoned campaigner do the younger girls come to you for any kind advice and guidance?

10. A: Yes they do. Many of them just need a calming influence or a steady presence; I’m not much for words but more about actions on the field. When we’re under pressure, it’s my job to help those around me stay calm and play through the moment. I do that by defending and getting in the way of the opposition. The rest of the team will see me fighting and working hard, and they feed off that.