If his first season as coach of the Steinhoff Maties Hockey Men’s team was a written test Ashlin Freddy would have passed with flying colours…cum laude even considering Maties Men won USSA for the first time since 2009.
This past weekend Maties also defended their Western Province Grand Challenge title successfully to be crowned champions for the fourth consecutive time. It is the first time ever the Maties Men achieved this.
A former Matie player himself Freddy followed in the footsteps of coaches like Neville Rothman and Kurt Cerfontyne to coach the Maroons. “My first season as Maties coach was a good one, a great learning experience. Learning to deal with different personalities and experienced and inexperienced players. It opened my eyes to the level of detail and planning that is required to run a successful programme. I didn’t get it right all the time but it’s definitely something I will learn from and be stronger for it. I had a lot of support from Neville, Kurt and of course Paul Revington, which definitely made things easier from a hockey point of view. Their experience and guidance was truly invaluable.”
It was the first time since 2009 that Maties won both USSA and WPGC in one season and only the fifth time in the history of the club. In a season with many ups, but also a few downs Freddy can’t look pass USSA and the final WPCC weekend for his highlights, both for reasons other than winning. “USSA week because it was awesome to witness the mental shift the players made from the disappointment from the Varsity Hockey series. The WPGC season finale because that final week was loaded with challenges, with the depleted squad we had the guys standing up and showing their true character and battled to the end! It was a special feeling to witness those two moments.”
Freddy doesn’t want to single out a standout-player for the season. “Stars of the season? It is impossible to answer that question! Each player that was used throughout the season put their hand up and performed at different stages this year. So it’s really tough to single out individuals.”
Freddy’s biggest lesson learnt during the year is regarding off the field happenings. “I saw how powerful it is when players – no matter how old or young – get honest with themselves and each other, and are willing to express their feelings and allow themselves to be vulnerable. It does bring players together as a team in a way nothing else can. This was very evident pre USSA and during USSA week. The players and management allowed themselves to be vulnerable and open up to each other, which was extremely powerful and beneficial to the group.”
Captain Dylan Swanepoel played his last match for Maties this past weekend. “I was a player at Maties when Dylan started as a matric student from Paul Roos. From the start you could see the potential he had and how comfortable he looked in the Maties environment. He has grown and developed at a rapid rate as a player and a person. It was good to have him in the program, and along with Keenan Horne and Daniel Bell they definitely made the transition season a lot easier, so lots of credit to those three as well.”
AFRIKAANS
Vuurdoop vir Ashlin Freddy
As sy eerste seisoen as afrigter van die Steinhoff Maties Hokkie manspan ‘n geskrewe toets was het Ashlin Freddy dit met vlieënde vaandels geslaag … cum laude selfs as in aggeneem word Maties Mans het USSA vir die eerste keer sedert 2009 gewen.
Die afgelope naweek het Maties ook hul Westelike Provinsie Grand Challenge titel suksesvol verdedig om vir die vierde agtereenvolgende keer as kampioene gekroon te word. Dit is ‘n eerste keer ooit vir Maties Mans.
‘n Voormalige Matie-speler homself het Freddy in die voetspore van afrigters soos Neville Rothman en Kurt Cerfontyne gevolg om vanjaar die Maroons af te rig. “My eerste seisoen as Maties se afrigter, was ‘n goeie een, ‘n groot leerervaring. Ek het geleer om met verskillende persoonlikhede en ervare en onervare spelers te werk. Dit het my oë oopgemaak vir die vlak van detail en beplanning wat vereis word om ‘n suksesvolle program uit te voer. Ek het dit nie altyd reggekry nie, maar dit is beslis iets waaruit ek sal leer om beter en sterker in die toekoms te wees. Ek het ‘n baie ondersteuning van Neville, Kurt en natuurlik Paul Revington gekry, wat dinge makliker uit ‘n hokkie oogpunt gemaak het. Hul ervaring en leiding was werklik van onskatbare waarde.”
Dit was die eerste keer sedert 2009 dat Maties beide die USSA- en WPGC-titels in een seisoen gewen het en slegs die vyfde keer in die geskiedenis van die klub. Dit was behoorlik ‘n wipplank-seisoen vir die afrigter en spelers. Freddy kyk egter nie verder as die USSA-toernooi en die laaste naweek van WPGC-aksie nie vir sy hoogtepunte van 2016. “En dit is nie omdat ons gewen het nie. Die USSA week het gewys wat kan gebeur as spelers en bestuur ‘n kopskuif maak na ‘n teleurstelling (verloor in die halfeindronde van die Varsity Hokkie-reeks). Die laaste naweek van die WP-liga want die week vooraf was gelaai met uitdagings, die groep was uitgedun en toe het elke speler opgestaan en sy ware karakter gewys op die groot oomblik. Dit was ‘n spesiale gevoel om dié twee oomblikke te beleef.”
Freddy wil nie enige speler uitsonder nie. “Sterre van die seisoen? Dit is onmoontlik om die vraag te beantwoord! Elke speler wat gedurende die seisoen gespeel het, het hul hand opgesteek en hul werk gedoen. So dit is regtig moeilik om individue uit te sonder.”
Freddy se grootste les gedurende die jaar is met betrekking tot gebeure weg van die speelveld. “Ek het gesien hoe kragtig dit is wanneer spelers – maak nie saak hoe oud of jonk – eerlik met hulself en mekaar is, en bereid is om hul gevoelens uit te druk en toelaat dat hulle kwesbaar is. Dit bring spelers as ‘n span bymekaar op ‘n manier wat niks anders kan nie. Dit was baie duidelik voor USSA en tydens die USSA week. Die spelers en bestuur het hulself blootgestel om kwesbaar te wees voor mekaar. Dit was uiters kragtig en tot voordeel van die hele groep.”
Kaptein Dylan Swanepoel het sy laaste wedstryd vir Maties die afgelope naweek gespeel. “Ek was ‘n speler by Maties toe Dylan as ‘n matriek-leerder van Paul Roos by die klub begin speel het. Van die begin af kon jy sy potensiaal en hoe gemaklik hy in die Maties omgewing is, sien. Hy het teen ‘n vinnige tempo as speler en persoon gegroei en ontwikkel. Dit was goed om hom in die program te hê, en saam met Keenan Horne en Daniel Bell het hulle beslis het die oorgang die seisoen ‘n baie makliker een gemaak, so baie van die krediet aan die drie.”
