FOR Riverside Hockey players, Matt Fairweather and Michelle Cogle, their collective dreams were realised last week after their selection for the national indoor hockey squad.

The men’s and women’s team will now take on Namibia in an African qualifying match for a spot at next year’s Indoor Hockey World Cup in Germany. Michelle who received her first national indoor call-up was upbeat about the national team’s chances of qualifying.

“The core of the side is from KZN, so there’s definitely a feeling of familiarity within the squad. We’ve got a great mixture of youth and experience within the squad. We all know each other’s strengths,” she said.

“We have played Namibia in an interprovincial tournament so we had a chance to suss them out. I’m confident that we will qualify for next years World Cup.”

Matt echoed his fellow Riverside club member’s thoughts. “I’m over the moon to have been selected for the national squad. A few members of the Namibian squad ply their trade in Germany (the league structure is recognised as one of the best in the world), so they aren’t going to be pushovers.

“Having said that, this is a chance to reach the biggest event of the indoor hockey calendar and I have no doubts in the team,” Fairweather said.