Swanepoel rewrote history books while at Steinhoff Maties Hockey
After some 100 matches, four Western Province Grand Challenge titles and one USSA title Dylan Swanepoel is saying goodbye to the Steinhoff Maties Hockey Club.
Swanepoel has been playing for Maties the past five seasons and as a matric learner at Paul Roos he played for Vics in 2011. For the past two seasons he captained the Maroon Machine.
Maties’ coach Ashlin Freddy remembers the time when Swanepoel joined the club. “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.”
Swanepoel captained the team that won the WPGC title for the third consecutive year; the first time it happened in the club’s history. This season Swanepoel and his team extended the league-winning streak to four. This season was also the first time since 2009 that Maties Men won both the USSA and WPGC titles in one season.
“Playing hockey for Maties is like playing with your family or friends rather than teammates,” said Swanepoel. “The environment here is one of where teammates become friends. Every single player I played with became a friend on one level or another.”
Even though his time at Maties ended in glory, it is not the way it started out. “In my first season at Maties I learnt to be humble when we lost the league. During the years I also learned to always work hard…it is always worth the effort. And this year especially I saw how important it is to have a good team spirit and vibe to be successful.”
Swanepoel did not hesitate to join the Stellenbosch University and become a Matie and he believes that those who are serious about their hockey must to the same. “The training setup here is very professional. You get at Maties what any international hockey player would want! You have access to world-class facilities, great coaches, and the High Performance programme just to mention a few of the resources you will have at your disposal. The level of coaching with Revs (Paul Revington) as our high performance coach is found nowhere else in South Africa. Finally the players at the club are all winners. They will push you to improve all the time.”
For Swanepoel the first (2013) and last (2016) WPGC titles are very special. “I will also never forget this year’s USSA. Winning the title was just the tip of the iceberg. The camp leading up to the tournament and the week’s action is what made the experience unforgettable for all the right reasons. I also enjoyed evening training sessions, Thursday mornings with Revs…there is actually too many special memories to mention!”
Swanepoel’s final message to those staying behind at Maties: “I hope you realise how special the environment at Maties is sooner rather than later. I also want you to always work hard to contribute to make the club better and stronger.”
AFRIKAANS
Swanepoel herskryf Steinhoff Maties Hokkie geskiedenisboeke
Na ‘n paar 100 wedstryde, vier WP Grand Challenge-titels en een USSA-titel sê Dylan Swanepoel totsiens aan die Steinhoff Maties Hokkieklub.
Swanepoel het die afgelope vyf seisoene vir Maties gespeel en as ‘n matriekleerder aan Paul Roos in 2011 het hy vir Vics gespeel. Die afgelope twee seisoene was hy die kaptein van die Maroen Masjien.
Maties se afrigter Ashlin Freddy onthou die tyd toe Swanepoel by die klub aangesluit het. “Ek was ‘n speler by Maties toe Dylan as ‘n matriek-leerder van Paul Roos by ons begin speel het. Van die begin af kon jy sy potensiaal en hoe gemaklik hy in die Maties omgewing ingepas het, sien. Hy het teen ‘n vinnige tempo as ‘n speler en ‘n persoon gegroei en ontwikkel. ”
Swanepoel was kaptein van die span wat die WPGC-titel vir die derde agtereenvolgende jaar gewen; die eerste keer dat dit gebeur het in die klub se geskiedenis. Die seisoen het Swanepoel en sy span die-liga segetog na vier geneem. Dit was vanjaar ook die eerste keer sedert 2009 dat Maties Mans in een seisoen beide die USSA en WPGC-titels gewen het.
“Om hokkie vir Maties te speel, is soos om saam met jou familie en vriende eerder as spanmaats te speel,” het Swanepoel gesê. “Die omgewing hier is een waar spanmaats vriende word. Elke speler saam met wie ek gespeel het, het ‘n vriend op een of ander manier geword. ”
Al het sy tyd by Maties geëindig in glorie, was dit nie hoe dit begin het nie. “In my eerste seisoen by Maties het ons die WP-liga verloor en dit het my geleer om nederig te wees. Met die jare het ek ook geleer om altyd hard te werk … dit is altyd die moeitewerd. En vanjaar het ek gesien hoe belangrik dit is om ‘n goeie spangees en atmosfeer te hê as jy suksesvol wil wees.”
Swanepoel het nie gehuiwer om om by die Universiteit Stellenbosch te studeer nie en hy is van mening dat diegene wat ernstig is oor hul hokkie dieselfde moet doen. “Die sisteem hier is baie professioneel. Jy kry by Maties wat enige internasionale speler sal wil hê! Hier het jy toegang tot die wêreldklas geriewe, goeie afrigters, en die Hoë Prestasie-program om net ‘n paar van die hulpbronne tot jou beskikking te noem. Die vlak van afrigting met Revs (Paul Revington) as ons ‘n hoë prestasie-afrigter het nie sy gelyke in Suid-Afrika nie. Ten slotte is die spelers by die klub almal wenners. Hulle sal jou druk om altyd aan te hou verbeter.”
Vir Swanepoel is die eerste (2013) en laaste (2016) WPGC-titels baie spesiaal. “Ek sal ook nooit vanjaar se USSA vergeet nie. Die wen van die titel was net die punt van die ysberg. Die voorbereidingskamp in die aanloop tot die toernooi en dit wat op en van die veld af tydens die toernooi gebeur het, het dit ‘n onvergeetlike ervaring om al die regte redes gemaak. Ek het ook ons aand-oefensessies en die atmosfeer daar geniet en Donderdagoggende saam met Revs…daar is regtig te veel spesiale herinneringe om op te noem!”
Swanepoel se laaste boodskap aan diegene wat agterbly by Maties: “Ek hoop jy besef hoe spesiaal die omgewing by Maties is vroeër eerder as later. Ek wil jou ook vra om altyd hard te werk en jou bydrea te lewer om die klub beter en sterker te maak.”
