There is no doubt that 2015 has been Keenan Horne’s best season at the Steinhoff Maties Hockey Club thus far and his Player of the Year award is just reward for being a star player.
“When you start a season you don’t play for individual accolades so it’s always a surprise when you do receive it. When I received the award there were many amazing players’ names on the cup so it’s great to be added to that list. Hockey is a team sport though and you always have to give credit to your teammates as they are pushing you in training as well as helping you to play to your full potential in matches.”
Close to a perfect season not winning the gold medal at USSA is the one thing Horne regrets. “I would gladly trade this award for a USSA gold medal,” he added.
Horne started the year in January already when he played for the South African national men’s team. “I must say that this has probably been the most outstanding season of my five years playing for the Maroons. It was truly incredible to make my debut for the national team as that was one of my goals for the year, so to do it early on was really special and it really set the tone for what I wanted to accomplish individually this year.
“To win the Western Province Grand Challenge title three times in a row is really special as many players never have that opportunity to make history like this, and being the vice-captain and having the opportunity to captain such a group of quality hockey players as well as quality people is something that I will always remember. It is probably the one thing I didn’t foresee this year. To be trusted by the coach also gives you more confidence and a lot more drive to be consistent and worthy of your place. One knows that you never going to have a perfect season, but the biggest disappointment was probably missing out on the USSA gold medal. It’s just very perplexing to me to think that with the group that we had we couldn’t overcome this hurdle. We are all winners, we have won many tournaments be it for Maties or provincially but USSA is something which we focused on this year and it’s just very disappointing that we couldn’t add that to the cabinet.”
With the year drawing to a close Horne has already set his goals for next season. “A record breaking fourth WP Grand Challenge title, winning a third IPT title and getting that illusive gold medal at USSA.”
AFRIKAANS
Horne oor rekords, toekennings en die ontbrekende goue medalje
Daar is geen twyfel dat 2015 die beste seisoen vir Keenan Horne by die Steinhoff Maties Hokkieklub tot dusver was nie en sy Speler van die Jaar-toekenning is ‘n gepaste beloning vir die ster-speler.
“Wanneer jy ‘n seisoen begin speel jy nie vir individuele toekennings nie so dit is altyd ‘n verrassing wanneer dit wel gebeur. Toe ek die toekenning ontvang was die name van baie besonderse spelers se name op die beker en dit is wonderlik dat my naam ook nou daarby is. Hokkie is egter ‘n spansport en jy moet altyd krediet gee aan jou spanmaats, want dit is hulle wat jou druk in oefensessies en jou help om tot jou volle potensiaal in wedstryde te speel.”
Naby aan ‘n perfekte seisoen was dit byna as dit nie vir daardie verspeelde kans om ‘n goue medalje by USSA was nie. “Ek sou met graag die toekenning vir ‘n USSA goue medalje verruil,” het hy bygevoeg.
Horne het die jaar reeds in Januarie begin toe hy vir die Suid-Afrikaanse nasionale manspan gespeel het. “Ek moet sê dat die waarskynlik die mees uitstaande seisoen van my vyf jaar by die Maroens was. Dit was werklik ongelooflik om my debuut vir die nasionale span te maak.
“Om die Westelike Provinsie Groot Uitdaag-titel drie keer agtereenvolgens te wen, was baie spesiaal want nie baie spelers kry so geleentheid nie. Ook om onder-kaptein te wees en selfs die kans te kry om die span te lei, was die een ding wat ek nie hierdie jaar verwag het nie. Die kanse om ooit ‘n perfekte seisoen te beleef is skraal, maar die grootste teleurstelling is waarskynlik die ontbrekende USSA goue medalje. Ek kan nie anders as om te wonder hoekom ons – met al die kwaliteit spelers wat ons het – nie die hekkie kon oorkom nie. Ons is almal wenners en het al verskeie toernooie gewen, maar USSA was ‘n fokus vir ons en dit is baie teleurstellend dat ons nie goud kon wen nie.”
Met die jaar wat tot ‘n einde kom Horne het reeds sy doelwitte vir die volgende seisoen.
” ‘n Rekord vierde WP Groot Uitdaag-titel, ‘n derde IPT-titel en daardie ontwykende goue medalje by USSA.”
