Cedarwood hockey player gears up for national tournament
Phawu Sinxoto, a Grade 7 student at Cedarwood College, has been selected for the U13 Eastern Gauteng provincial hockey team, to compete at the IPT.
Rising hockey star Phawu Sinxoto, a Grade 7 learner at Cedarwood College, has been selected to represent the U13 Eastern Gauteng provincial hockey team at the upcoming Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT), hosted by South African Schools Hockey (SASHOC) from June 28 to July 2.
This exciting achievement comes after years of dedication and hard work on the field.
Phawu, who first picked up a hockey stick in Grade 5, has been dreaming of this moment since her journey began. “I feel very happy, and am proud of my achievement.”
Pointing out her strengths, Phawu said: “I am a good defender and I am fast,” and she believes her faith has guided her journey. “God helped me get this far.”
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With the demands of Grade 7 and the college environment, balancing academics and sport can be challenging, but Phawu is already managing her time with maturity and focus. “I study every day and only play hockey once a week, during assessment period. I need to put my schoolwork first.”
Looking ahead to the IPT, Phawu knows exactly what she wants to do. “I want to score many goals and enjoy the tournament with my teammates.” She added that she feels her team spirit and enthusiasm for the game will bag them the coveted win.
She said her inspiration to take up hockey as her favourite sport came from a close family member. “My older sister inspired me to play hockey. I used to watch her play and saw how nice the sport is.”
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Like her sister, who made the provincial team in both 2024 and 2025, Phawu trained diligently to reach this level, and the young athlete is already thinking about her future in the sport. “I hope to make other provincial teams, and, when I am older, I would love to play for South Africa.”
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