Deutsche Internationale Schule Johannesburg learner, Kai Giessen-Hood walked away feeling victorious after competing at an interprovincial ice hockey tournament held in Cape Town from June 25 to July 2.
Giessen-Hood’s Gauteng Black U18 team won their division to take gold and his Gauteng Blue U20 team took second place, beating Western Province in a nail-biting game.
The Grade 10 learner said, “Not only did I compete against the best players in South Africa, but also had the opportunity to learn about playing in high pressured situations. The feeling of stepping onto the ice rink in front of a lot of spectators, with a lot of high expectations, is indescribable.”
He added that he started playing ice hockey at the age of 12.
Kai’s interest in the sport began when his parents gifted him with ice skates for Christmas.
“I enjoyed skating in my free time and wanted to get better at it, so I joined the ice-skating courses at Northgate to learn how to skate properly. Out of the blue, an ice hockey coach asked my mother if I wanted to try out ice hockey, as I had the correct posture for it.”
The ice hockey player practices at Northgate once a week on a Monday for a club named Wolves, between 19:00 and 21:00, and during the week he does off-ice training at home to keep fit.
He noted that the biggest challenge he faces playing ice hockey is having confidence in himself.
“One becomes more confident as one plays the sport longer and the only way to work through it is to take risks and have coaches that believe in you. You have to put yourself out there and not be afraid of messing up.”
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