TuksHockey receive almost half of all awards at Northens year-end function

The strength and success of the Tuks hockey club was evident at the recent annual prize-giving function of the Northern Blues Hockey Association.

October 20, 2018

Rekord Pretoria 2 minutes read

The captain of Tuks’s women’s team, Megan Anderson, received the Northern Blues Hockey Association’s junior women’s player of the year award. Photo: Reg Caldecott

The Tuks hockey players were really raking in the awards during the recent Northerns Blues Hockey Association year-end function.

Of the 31 awards, Tuks received 12 proving that their players, coaches and administrators were yet again all on top of their game.

Definite highlights for Tuks was the men’s team winning the Varsity Tournament for the first time while the women’s side defended their USSA-title.

The Tuks men’s captain Peabo Lembethe received the men’s player of the year award.

He is well known for his fantastic work rate every time he takes to the field and then he also has got big match temperament.

One of the most amazing moments in the history of Tuks hockey for a long time to come will be the “Lembethe’s magic” during this year’s Varsity men’s semi-final against Wits. With a mere 10 seconds left on the clock, Lembethe scored the equaliser which led to the game being decided by a penalty shootout. Tuks won to secure their place in the final and then went on to beat Maties.

Lembethe was deservedly selected to represent South Africa at the Hockey World Cup Tournament in India over December.

Phumelela Mbande is the women’s player of the year. She represented South Africa during the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games as a goalkeeper and the Tuks women’s coach, Inky Zondi, describes her as an asset to any team.

Megan Anderson who captained to Tuks women’s team to winning the USSA Tournament received the junior women’s player of the year award.

Tuks successful coach of the men’s hockey team, Guy Elliot, was named Northern Blues Hockey Association’s Coach of the Year. Photo: Reg Caldecott

Zondi is impressed with the way she took to be the leader of the field. He also describes her as tactically being one of the savviest players he ever coached, and she is apparently relentless when it comes to scoring goals.

Anderson certainly does not believe in limiting herself or the team.

“Our philosophy at Tuks will always be to go for gold. Nothing else matter. We would rather be disappointed in not winning a tournament than be happy with finishing third,” she said after receiving her award.

Elliott who apart from the Varsity success has also coached the Northerns under-21 team to win the provincial tournament is the coach of the year.

He admits to having grown as a coach over the years.

“I still feel very strongly about discipline and proper planning, but I changed the way I think about the game. My game plan is now more adventurous and at times can even be risky,” Elliott concluded.

Tuks Team Awards