Schools hockey is key for development

The development of hockey in South Africa has been held back by the lack of support from corporates over the years.

Former Proteas hockey sensation Lindsey Wright, who played more than 200 matches before she retired in 2006, believes that the country has enough depth and talent to compete against the best in the world.

In an interview with the North Eastern Tribune at the 17th St Mary’s Investec Hockey festival, which saw more than 650 girls participating, Wright said it was really important for the South African women’s hockey team to find its way back into the Olympic Games, and more focus should be on schools’ hockey development.

“These kids need to be allowed to dream and be given the direction with the necessary tools to equip them as top athletes,” she said.

“We lose a huge number of hockey players from schools level going into tertiary education… We have to find the right balance to keep our athletes playing all the time.”

Wright also admitted that the lack of support and funding within the structures of the sport was one of the reasons players sought greener pastures elsewhere. “The national women’s hockey team has to fund their own camps and they are trying to be full-time hockey players but with a part-time salary, so that whole balance is wrong. If we don’t get the right financial backing all the way through our structures, it is bound to break down.”

Wright has dedicated her time to coaching since her retirement and is the current South African Women’s U21 coach.

Despite hockey’s lack of financial support from corporates, Wright praised companies such as Investec that continuously supported the sport.

“Investing in a schools’ festival like this is enormous and we are forever grateful that [Investec] get involved in a sport like hockey, but we want to be able to carry that dream and get more companies taking part – it will go a long way,” Wright concluded.