The Rhodes Hockey First XI completed their first Varsity Cup hockey tournament over the weekend ending 18 May. Despite the fact that they started the tournament as the underdogs, the Rhodes team eventually ended the tournament with three draws - two against the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) and one against the University of Cape Town (UCT).
In the first game of the final weekend the team lost 3-5 to the University of Stellenbosch (Maties) with goals from Matthew Hunter, Timothy Westwood and top goal scorer for Rhodes University, Darryn van Huyssteen. Van Huyssteen described, "playing under constant pressure and with such intensity as something to relish" and added that the spirit for every game was phenomenal.
Rhodes' second game was a play-off for seventh against Wits which saw the boys in purple notching up a 2-2 draw thanks to van Huyssteen and SA U/18 player Cody van Wyk, who scored his second goal of the tournament. "It was quite a nice feeling as a midfielder to score two Varsity Cup goals," said van Wyk proudly.
Despite not being able to win any of their games, it is evident that the team has made considerable improvements over the three weekends during which the tournament was held. In the final weekend they scored five goals in two games - the same number of goals that they scored over the first two weekends combined. "This weekend we played our best hockey of the tournament," commented captain Brendon Smith.
"Individually each person learnt a lot about his game:' Smith continued. "As a team we learnt to play well together and build chemistry. It was a learning curve."
Van Huyssteen also emphasised this team spirit. "The boys played with tremendous passion and fight, each and every game," he said. The Varsity Cup hockey tournament takes place every year and alternates between the women's and men's sections. To keep their place in the tournament, teams need to stay within the top eight at the annual University Sports South Africa (USSA) Tournament which is held in July. Smith said that the next challenge for the First XI is two-fold: to win the local league, which kicks off on Sunday 25 May, and to stay in the top flight of USSA. The Rhodes Hockey First XI team after their first Varsity Cup hockey tournament on 18 May.
Photo by Darryn Van Huyssteen