Hockey bursary up for grabs
Varsity College offers bursary to one individual at the SPAR KZN School Girls Hockey Challenge this year
KZN first team hockey girls will have an incentive to train extra hard this season.
Varsity College has come on board this year’s SPAR KZN School Girls Hockey Challenge, offering one player a full bursary for 2017 and a spot in the Varsity College club hockey side playing in the Premier League.
From a local perspective, Empangeni High School, who has dominated girls hockey over the years by winning four out of five regional championships, will fancy their chances of having one of their charges make the grade.
Team coaches Lorna van Greunen and Nic Maitland are excited about the news, as five of last year’s players were selected for various KZN teams.
Empangeni High has already started with preparations for the hockey season, with trials last week, after which a squad of 13 will be selected.
This squad will train three times a week leading into the second term when school hockey starts.
‘We are going to train skills twice a week and fitness once a week. I am very positive about the new season. Even though we lost three key players who finished their matric, we still having explosive and talented individuals in the mix,’ said Van Greunen.
‘KZNCD U18 players Kimberley Swan, Anele Dlamini, Luyanda Mzulwini, Monique van Rooyen and Itha Kotze (KZN U16) are key players in the squad and players to look out for this year.’
The first of ten regional challenges starts next month and sees close on 80 first teams participating in the annual tournament, with the grand finals scheduled for July in Durban.
The winner of the bursary will be announced at the finals.
This years Northern Coastal Regional will be hosted by Grantleigh Schools on the astroturf on 7 May, with the finals taking place from 23 to 24 July at St Mary’s DSG.
