Former Steinhoff Maties Hockey player Ashlin Freddy is the new Maties Men’s first team coach. He replaces Neville Rothman, who coached the team for the past two seasons.
Freddy is a former national player who played 17 matches for the Proteas. He was at Stellenbosch University from 2008 to 2011.
“It is a massive honour to coach at Maties. Some great players and even better coaches have led this team to great heights. Simon Organ started the Maties revolution and Kurt Cerfontyne and Neville Rothman continued it. I know I am privileged to have this opportunity and I know the massive task that lies before me. However, it is something that excites me and I’m up for the challenge,” said Freddy.
Freddy have been coaching at Paul Roos Gymnasium since 2009.
“I started with the u/19E team and then slowly worked my way up from u/14B to u/14A to u/16A. This year I was appointed as the 1st team coach at PRG. I have been the coach of the Boland u/18A team since 2012 and coached them last year when we won u18 interprovincial tournament for the first time! That was my best hockey experience to date.”
As a player that knows all about being a Matie, Freddy is eager to set the standard early on and contribute his bit to the greatness of Maties hockey. “In my time with Maties I want to improve on the legacy set by previous coaches, and provide the standard of coaching to allow the youth of Maties Hockey to become the future of South African international hockey.”
Freddy’s first challenge will be to see Maties perform at the Varsity Hockey series in May. In 2014, Maties lost in the final to UJ.
AFRIKAANS
Freddy opgewonde oor uitdaging om Maties af te rig
Voormalige Steinhoff Maties-hokkiespeler Ashlin Freddy is die nuwe afrigter van Maties se manshokkiespan. Hy vervang Neville Rothman wat die span die afgelope twee seisoene afgerig het.
Freddy is ook ‘n voormalige nasionale speler wat 17 wedstryde vir die Proteas gespeel het. Hy was ‘n Matie van 2008 tot 2011.
“Dit is ‘n massiewe eer om ‘n afrigter by Maties te wees. Verskeie wonderlike spelers en besonderse afrigters het die span tot groot hoogtes gelei. Simon Organ het die Maties-revolusie begin en Kurt Cerfontyne en Neville Rothman het dit voortgesit. Ek weet ek is bevoorreg om hierdie geleentheid te kry en ek weet ook dis ‘n massiewe taak wat voor my lê, maar dit is iets wat my opgewonde maak en ek is gereed vir die uitdaging,” het Freddy gesê.
Freddy is sedert 2009 ‘n afrigter by Paul Roos Gimnasium.
“Ek het begin met die o.19 E-span en my stadig opgewerk van o.14 B, tot o.14 A tot o.16 A. Nou is ek die eerste span se afrigter. Ek rig sedert 2012 Boland se o.18 A-span af en verlede jaar het ons vir die eerste keer die nasionale o.18-toernooi gewen. Dit was my beste afrigting-ervaring tot op hede.”
As ‘n voormalige speler wat weet waaroor die tradisie van Maties Hokkie gaan, is Freddy gretig om die standaard vroeg te stel en sy deel by te dra tot die grootsheid van Maties Hokkie. “Ek wil verbeter op dit wat reeds deur vorige afrigters daargestel is en verseker dat die jeug van Maties Hokkie die toekoms van Suid-Afrikaanse internasionale hokkie sal wees.”
Freddy se eerste uitdaging is die Varsity-hokkiereeks in Mei. Maties het in 2014 in die eindstryd teen UJ verloor.