Former St Benedict’s learner has success at USSA Hockey
Hockey ace turns adversity into strength to boss USSA National Institutional Hockey Championships in Stellenbosch.
Tshepiso Mametela
A scintillating week of sporting action came to a head for former St Benedict’s Catholic School for Boys learner Chad Futcher, who racked up seven goals to lead the USSA National Institutional Hockey Championships’ scoring charts.
His exploits ensured that the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) hockey men would ably run proceedings in the men’s A section, and end off as runaway champions for the 2019 campaign, which was held at Stellenbosch University from July 1 to 5.
The first team hockey player, who sadly lost his father on the cusp of the team’s tournament opener, cut a strong figure as he did enough to walk away with the tournament’s top goal-scorer award, and an MVP vote to go with it.
“It was a big surprise to be named MVP and top goal-scorer. But it really meant so much to me because of the circumstances leading up to the tournament,” said Futcher, noting the event would go down as unforgettable.
“My dad died on the morning that the team were leaving for tour, so I’d stayed behind to handle the crises that was. However, later that day, I decided to leave for the tour because he would’ve wanted me to go and not let the team down.
“It is definitely a tournament I will never forget as we have worked for about four years to check this goal of the list. To be able to do that has left me with a special memory I’ll cherish forever.”
Head coach Ricky West’s AstroTurf warriors sizzled to what is their maiden USSA Hockey Tournament title, having dashed Maties 2-0 in a penalty shoot-out in the final. The match had ended with the sides at one-all; however, in the end Wits ensured Maties would be the team to see silverware elude them this campaign.
“As coach of this programme for the last four years, this is exactly what we have been aiming for since I took over,” said West. “We started in the B section four years ago and won it within the first year. And to now get an USSA A section win within such a small period is testament to the quality of players and the quality of the programme which we have at Wits.”
