Umpire blows whistle on KZN school girl hockey talent

“PART of growing up is the adventure of adolescence, where you can get into trouble, mess up and might be a bit stupid, but it’s how you get back up, dust yourself off and learn from these mistakes. This goes for hockey as well! You may mess up on the field, but it’s how you track back and work hard for your team to fix your mistakes that make a huge difference.”

These simple words were the advice Nduduzo Mchunu received from his coach, Nathi Ngubane.

“Coach Nathi is like a father to me. His words will stay with me forever. He has moulded not only my skills on the turf, but helped me with a number of lessons in life as well,” said Mchunu, who is one of 10 umpires who have been invited to the grand finals of the Spar KZN school girls hockey challenge which takes place at St Mary’s DSG.

You may mess up but it’s how you get back up, dust yourself off and learn from these mistakes that make a huge difference

This is the first time that he is involved in the finals, representing Grosvenor Girls High. “My girlfriend coaches there. I’m looking forward to umpiring and being able to watch the amazing hockey on display from the top girls schools in KZN. There is a lot of young talent in our province that still hasn’t been discovered, and I think we will see a lot of it at the finals.”

“I play hockey for the INK Hockey Club. We are in the first division but might be promoted to the premier league next year. I started playing hockey when I was seven-years-old in grade 3, and perfected a number of my skills at Northwood School.”

Mchunu, who has been umpiring for two and a half years, claims with the background knowledge of the rules as a player, he made a smooth transition on his first occasion with the whistle. ‘I’m actually on my way home from Johannesburg, having officiated at the U16 boys IPT.”

“My first time with a whistle was actually not that bad. But having to manage the game was an eye-opener for me. It was very hard, and I thought I would never umpire again but now with a number of games under my belt, I have advanced to blowing at the fast moving U16 IPTs,” said the proud young umpire.

Other sports he participates in are tennis and soccer. “I am venturing into the golf world as soon as I wrap up the hockey season. I am looking forward to the new challenge.”

About his hobbies away from sports, the intrepid umpire said: “Well, I’m a curious person, so I search a lot on the internet. I love to read and I relish delving into history. Socialising with my friends and doing fun stuff like bowling is a great break from reality for me.”

Laughingly he adds: “I’m not in a band but it would be fun to join one though. I’ve always wanted to play drums in a band. I wonder if my stick skills from hockey would impress – they’re not quite drumsticks though.”

Asked about his role model is in life, he affirms it’s Barack Obama. “Obama has done a lot of good for not only America, in my opinion. In hockey I truly admire Jamie Dwyer’s agility; the way he plays the game is majestic. The Australian men’s hockey side is by far the best team. Best hockey club in the world would have to be the Dutch Den Bosch club.”

Having just finished school, Mchunu is taking a gap year with the intention of studying business law at either DUT or UKZN next year. “I’m currently coaching hockey and soccer at Danville Park Girls’ High School. I am also coaching soccer at my old school, Northwood School.”

“This is my first time I am involved and it definitely won’t be the last. I can’t wait.”

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