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Most of the Maties sport clubs performed really well during the past semester. Here are some of the sporting highlights:
Future looking bright for hockey club
Hockey Photo: Shelley Russel (Photo: Jackie Wiese)
During the past semester the Steinhoff Maties hockey club proved that
they are well qualified to present a World Cup hockey tournament.
In December and January the club hosted a hockey test series at
Coetzenburg. South Africa and five international teams competed in the
series.
Local hockey fans could see women’s teams from Germany, the
Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland and Canada in action. According to
Jenny King, coach of the South African women’s hockey squad, the series
was a huge success, treating spectators to hockey of the highest
calibre.
“I believe this series gave the development of hockey in the Boland a
big boost. Hockey doesn’t get much television coverage, and seeing
teams like Germany and the Netherlands (the current world champion) in
action on your doorstep will definitely inspire any hockey player,"
says King. “Children cannot strive to become phenomenal hockey players
if they have never seen a phenomenal hockey player in action."
And to top it all, all the teams have indicated that they would like to
return to Stellenbosch. Apart from the tests they played, they also
held training camps at the excellent Maties facilities.
“I think now that the word is out, the Maties hockey facilities will
really start attracting international teams," says King. Germany and
Great Britain have already confirmed that they will be back in
November.
The supporting services provided by Stellenbosch University’s Sport
Performance Institute contribute to the world-class package available
to the teams.
The hockey club is going from strength to strength: their men and
women’s teams are currently leading in the WP Super League. Eleven
Maties were selected for the South African women’s squad that toured
Ireland in June.
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| Maties Athletics Club,
in cooperation with Boland Athletics, hosted the Yellow Pages Ultimate
Athletics V meeting at Coetzenburg in March this year. This meeting
attracted more than 10 000 spectators, who witnessed several records
being broken. Some of the world and South Africa’s best athletes were
in action and many Maties gave stellar performances. Medals were won by
the following Maties: Robert Oosthuizen (gold in the javelin), Janus
Robberts (gold in the shot-put), Ross Jordaan (bronze in the shot-put),
Keenan Watson (bronze in the long jump), Tihanna Vorster (bronze in the
400 m) and Dicardo Jacobs (silver in die 3 000 m steeplechase).
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| The Maties judokas
once again did the University proud and won the National Student
Championships for the sixth consecutive year. Maties won 25% (15) of
the medals. In April this year the Matie Jurgie van Zyl won two gold
medals at the Africa Zone VI tournament in Botswana on his maiden
tournament as senior judoka in the South African team.
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The newly established Maties/Helderberg Club for Athletes with a Disability
is performing extremely well. Sixteen of their athletes represented
Western Province at the National Disabled Championships held in
Germiston in April. The Maties athletes earned a total of 37 medals
amongst them, while breaking numerous records. The Maties swimmers
Elizabeth von Wechmar and Gina Lourens also performed superbly in the
disability events at the National Swimming Championships and brought
home three medals.
Photo left: Fanie van der Merwe
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The Maties cyclists once
again showed their mettle in the challenging Giro de Capo cycle race
that attracted some of the world’s top riders. Arno Viljoen (38th) and
Erik Kleinhans (55th) successfully completed this gruelling tour of six
days. During the annual Cape Epic mountain bike tour Arno and Erik,
riding for the GT EduLoan Maties cycling club, teamed up to finish 16th
overall among the 936 riders that completed the tour.
Photo: Arno Viljoen (front) and Erik Kleinhans (Photo: Sven Martin, Gallo Images)
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| The Maties Underwater Hockey Club
has rewritten the history books twice: In December, and again in March,
they won the National Underwater Hockey Club Championships. Six Maties
– Brent Borstlap, Dirk Tromp, Russel Millen, Kannas Wied, Piet Joubert
and Anton de Kock – were selected for the South African men’s team,
while three Maties – Amy Lansdell, Huibrie Janse van Rensburg and
Danicke Benadé – were selected for the SA women’s squad.
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"We are thrilled! There are only two players in our team that have won the league before.”
This was the reaction of Maties’s cricket captain, Warren Hayward,
after the Steinhoff Maties cricket team was crowned champions of the
Boland Premier League. Maties performed extremely well this year and
managed to come out on top in a highly competitive league.
With their victory, Maties ensured that the Boland Premier League
Trophy now takes pride of place in the display cabinet at Coetzenburg.
Maties will also represent Boland in the National Club Championships in
September.
"It is a new experience for us to be league champions. To get to the
top was a process that took time and hard work, but it finally paid
off,” says Warren. "The structure that was laid down by the Maties
Cricket Club, as well as the input of coaches Omar Henry and Adrian
Holdstock and Steinhoff’s financial support, all contributed to our
success.”
According to Warren, the commitment of the players was also great.
"Everyone gave it their all. The players sacrificed a lot to be at
every game, even through holidays and exams.”
To the question what their expectations are for the Club Championships,
Warren said: "The competition is going to be tough. We are an
inexperienced side, but luckily we have a very experienced coaching
side.”
Head coach, Omar Henry, is also proud of the team and says that they
can feel satisfied with their performance. "The players passed numerous
tests throughout the season, since the team had to make many changes
due to injuries and provincial commitments. The fact that they still
maintained their winning momentum says a lot about the depth of the
club and the commitment of the remaining players,” says Omar.
"However, there is still room for improvement. There is enough
potential in the team, but they will have to work very hard if they
want to achieve success at the Club Championships.”
The Maties cricket team will undertake a tour to Oudtshoorn during the
winter holidays, where they will play against South Western Districts
(SWD) as preparation for the National Club Championships.
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Photo above: Gio Aplon
Photo left: Louw Schabort
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Rugby flourishing in Stellenbosch
Later this year the FNB Maties rugby team will represent Western
Province at the National Club Rugby Championships for the 11th
consecutive year.
Since the revival of this tournament in 1997, Maties has been the only
club to qualify every year. However, last year Maties only managed to
win the Plate Final.
Maties started the 2007 season on a high note and won the first round
of the Western Province Super A league. For the past 11 years Maties
has never been beaten in the first round.
Maties is also the defending Super A league champions after being
crowned the overall league winners. They also won this title in 2005.
The year kicked off to a great start for Maties rugby club – supported
by Steinhoff International, First National Bank and Sanlam – when the
World Cup touch rugby tournament was held at Coetzenburg in January.
For the first time in history this tournament was presented in South
Africa and Coetzenburg was the ideal venue for an international event
of this stature. Spectators were treated to exciting touch rugby by the
world’s best teams – Australia (the eventual champions), New Zealand,
England and France.
This was followed by the Intervarsity series. Although Maties was
beaten 32–35 by Kovsies in the first match in Bloemfontein, their
triumphant wins over Pukke and Tukkies more than compensated for this.
Maties beat Pukke 38–37 in a brilliant match at the Danie Craven
stadium when Maties scored the winning points in the last second of the
game. The Tukkies were well and truly beaten in Stellenbosch, with a
convincing score of 50–27 in Maties’ favour.
Die last Intervarsity, which also served as a Western Province league
match, was against archenemy Ikeys. Maties surprised everyone by
beating the dangerous Ikey team 36–23 at Newlands.
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