It was a season where the players and coaching staff of the Steinhoff Maties Hockey Women’s team had to dig deep for overall victory in the Western Province Grand Challenge.
For coach Jenny King this showed the value of having the support of the High Performance team behind her and the players. “Never underestimate the HP team of people who work with the coach to enhance the team performance. When the chips are down they are the coaches’ biggest support and the reason the team wins.”
King has been coach of the women’s team since 1998 and this season she coached Maties to a 15th WPGC title in the past 16 years. It was one of the more challenging leagues for King. “Due to the different league format it felt like we had to win the league three times before we were eventually crowned. The season was also longer and with the added tournaments the players played in the season (USSA and IPT) it was really difficult maintaining a full HP schedule.”
This season the winner of the WPGC was decided after two rounds. The first round was the same as always and the second round was the four top teams playing another round of matches against each other at a neutral venue. Maties, Somerset West, Conberg and WPCC were the top 4. After the three matches Maties and Somerset West were equal on points and because goal difference weren’t considered a final had to be played to decide the winner. Maties were at the top of the standings after round one, but that counted for nothing came the second round.
For King the highlight of the season came on the last weekend of the season. “The final performance is my highlight of the year. The team played very well and displayed the Matie determination to win that has been part of our club for so many years.”
Co-captains Quanita Bobbs and Heather McEwan got special mention from King for the way the lead the team by example. “You never want to single out a player as every team member played their part to the best of their ability. However Bobbs and H Mac always lead from the front supported by some very able team players.”
Like always a few players played their last matches for Maties. “It is part of coaching a university team. You do however take pride out of the calibre of person the club produces and the enjoyment they have had whilst playing at the club. They move on as proud Maties forever.”
AFRIKAANS
King kyk terug op 2016 se WP-liga
Dit was ‘n seisoen waar die spelers en afrigters van die Steinhoff Maties Hokkie Vroue span diep moes delf vir die algehele oorwinning in die Westelike Provinsie Grand Challenge.
Vir afrigter Jenny King het 2016 die waarde van ‘n Hoë Prestasie-eenheid se ondersteuning duidelik gewys. “Moet nooit die belangrikheid van HP-span wat saam met die afrigter werk om die span prestasie te verbeter, onderskat nie. Wanneer dit regtig moeilik raak, is hulle die afrigters se vernaamste ondersteuning en die rede waarom die span wen.”
King is afrigter van die vroue-span sedert 1998 en dié seisoen het sy Maties na ‘n 15de WPGC-titel in die afgelope 16 jaar gebrei. Volgens King was dit een van die meer uitdagende ligas waarvan sy deel was. “As gevolg van die nuwe liga formaat het dit gevoel asof ons die liga drie keer moes wen voordat ons uiteindelik as wenners gekroon is. Die seisoen was ook langer en met die bykomende toernooie waarin die spelers gespeel het was dit regtig moeilik om ‘n volledige HP skedule te handhaaf.”
Die seisoen is die wenner van die WPGC ná twee rondes beslis. Die eerste rondte was dieselfde soos altyd. Met die tweede ronde het die vier top-spanne in nog ‘n rondte van wedstryde teen mekaar op ‘n neutrale veld gespeel. Maties, Somerset-Wes, Conberg en WPCC was die top 4. Na drie wedstryde was Maties en Somerset-Wes gelyk op punte en omdat die doelverskil nie ‘n rol gespeel het in die bepaling van ‘n wenner nie, moes die spanne ‘n eindstryd teenmekaar speel. Maties was bo-aan die punteleer ná die eerste ronde, maar dit het nie getel in die tweede ronde nie.
Vir King het die hoogtepunt van die seisoen met die laaste naweek gekom. “Die laaste wedstryd van die seisoen is my hoogtepunt van die jaar. Die span het baie goed gespeel en die vasberadenheid om te wen, wat ‘n kenmerk van enige Maties-span is, gewys.”
Mede-kapteins Quanita Bobbs en Heather McEwan het spesiale vermelding van King gekry vir die manier waarop hulle die span met voorbeeld gelei het. “Jy wil nooit ‘n speler uitsonder nie omdat elke spanlid hul rol na die beste van hul vermoë vertolk. Maar Bobbs en H Mac lei altyd van voor af met die ondersteuning van vaardige spelers.”
Soos altyd was daar ‘n paar spelers wat hul laaste wedstryd vir Maties gespeel het. “Dit is deel van die proses om ‘n universiteitspan te brei. Jy kan egter trots wees op die kaliber van persoon wat die klub geproduseer het en die genot wat hulle tydens hul tyd by die klub gehad het. Hulle beweeg aan as trotse Maties vir altyd. ”
