A new year brings new challenges, but the results seem to stay the same when the Tuks men’s hockey team take to the Astroturf. They win when it matters.

The past weekend in Durban, they were crowned USSA champions for the second consecutive time.

The Tuks boys’ campaign started with a slight hiccup when they drew the first game against Varsity College. The score was 2-all. But from then, there was no stopping the “Striped Team.” In their next four games, Tuks scored 20 goals and only conceded four.

In the semifinals, Tuks thrashed Wits 6-0, and in the final against Maties, the score was 4-1.

Sian Maart ascribed the team’s success to them, creating many more chances and being clinical when it mattered most.

“Also, we tried to be disciplined and not receive many cards. To be honest, we were the more experienced team. We scored goals, defended well, and tactically knew what we were doing, which won us games,” Maart remarked after the tournament.

It is no secret anymore what the Tuks captain’s, Guy Morgan, hobby is. It is scoring goals. The more, the better. He scored seven goals in five games during the USSA Tournament. At last year’s Varsity Cup final, Morgan scored a hat trick to help Tuks win.

Scoring goals is not Morgan’s only attribute. He plays as a centre-back. Those who had seen him play describe him as ‘general’ on defence.

“Centre back is exciting. You got to always be on the ball and continually thinking. You can’t afford to make mistakes if you are the near-last line of defence. Behind you is only the goalkeeper,” is the motto Morgan abides by.

Drag flicking is his other speciality, or one could say passion. According to Morgan, it takes hours of practice to master the art of drag flicking.

The Tuks captain is also rated as a drag-flick specialist. To him, the perfect execution of technique is of cardinal importance. That is why ever so often, he would go practice hitting up to 150 balls in a session.

Tuks’ women’s hockey team finished third at the USSA Tournament.

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