Glory comes to modest grand master

Salt Rock resident Robbie Pissarra is headed for The Hague, in Holland, to represent the South African Grand Masters division A-team for World Cup hockey at the age of 61.
Pissarra has been playing hockey recreationally since he left school.
“I loved soccer and cricket at school, and I have always said hockey is soccer played with a cricket bat,” he said.
Pissarra currently plays for the Nutri-flow Umhlali side which has players as young as fourteen.    “I am the old croc,” said Pissarra with a chuckle. My two sons are also in the team with me, and that is great. Not many guys get to play with their lighties.”
“My family are chuffed for me, it is actually funny, my first date with my wife was at a hockey event.”
Despite being one of only four KZN players to be selected for the side, Pissarra comes across as a very humble man, even reluctant to speak to the Courier about his achivement!
“I have never been much for accolades, a pat on the back and a ‘well done’ after a game is the best accolade there is.”
Having been selected for the South African Grand Masters, Pissarra will be awarded national colours.
Pissarra was instrumental in setting up a competitive hockey club in the Umhlali area, which before he joined was a social club with not much of a competitive element.
Friend and Umhlali teammate, Don McCulloch hilighted Pissaro’s influence on hockey in the region.
“It is lekker that he is getting recognition, he has done a lot in the area. He has been a coach at Umhlali for nine years and basically set up and runs the hockey club,” he said.
Players have to fund themselves to get to Holland and accommodate themselves in hotels.
“There is very little sponsorship in hockey here, you might get sponsored a hockey stick. I knew this would be my last chance, so I had to go for it,” said Pissarra.
The South African Grand Masters finished sixth in the last World Cup in 2012, and Pissarra said they were hoping to do better this year.”
“If we could come in the top four that would be a real acchievement,” he said.
“The top teams in other countries are really jacked up. They have huge support, their hockey is like our soccer games in terms of spectators.”
Pissarra is excited about the World Cup for a number of reasons.
“I am looking forward to playing against other guys my age,” he said.
“I’m usually playing with youngsters, and they are a lot faster than you when you are my age, so you have got to be smarter than them. You can really see how good you are when you are playing with guys in your own age group.”
Born and bred in Salt Rock, this will also be Pissara’s first time overseas.
Pissarra will play center link for the side, and their first game will be on June 5.
He is holding a raffle to help raise funds to get to Holland to represent South Africa, which offers a prize trip for four to Tofu bay in Inhambane, Mozambique to the winner.
For more information contact Pissarra on 083 264 9518.