When Dylan Swanepoel handed him the captain’s armband in one of the most crucial matches of the season, Alex Stewart new that something big is happening.
In the final match of the season for the Steinhoff Maties Hockey Men’s team – Western Province Grand Challenge final against WPCC – club captain Swanepoel was injured in the first chukka. It was only at halftime though that he handed over the captain’s armband to Stewart because he realised there was no way he could play again in what was his last match for Maties.
For both Stewart and Swanepoel it was an emotional moment. “To be honest, I was a bit shocked at first. I even said: ‘What must I do with it?’ Dylan just replied: ‘Put it on!’ It was then that it hit me that he wasn’t going to play the remainder of the match due to his injury. I knew from that second on that I was hugely responsible for the organisation and the communication of the team, especially in defence as everyone in defence was a first year player and they were looking to me for guidance and tactical awareness. I just went with my gut and trusted what leadership experience I had gained over the years and through the SA u21’s and basically just did what had to be done,” said Stewart.
Looking back on that moment Swanepoel said with brutal honesty that if this happened some 300 days ago, it would not have been easy at all to give his captain’s armband to the youngster. “A year ago I probably would not have been comfortable giving my captain’s armband to Ali, just because I didn’t know him that well yet. We got closer this season and I got the opportunity to get to know him better on and off the field. Giving him my captain’s armband was not an issue at all. It felt right. It actually was a pleasure to give it to him. Alex is ready to lead the team…of that I’m sure,” said Swanepoel.
There is no doubt that Stewart – next year a third year student and player at Maties – has been groomed for this position within the club. “At the beginning of this year I didn’t really think about the captaincy because there are guys who have played more seasons for Maties and I assumed they would take over. But after everything that has happened the past months I started to think about it. I never thought though that it would happen so soon and in such a bizarre situation.”
Stewart is the son of former Matie and national hockey player Leith Stewart. “It does feel quite weird that I seem to be accomplishing the same accolades as my dad. However I have never consciously tried to achieve what he has, it has almost just happened. I’m really inspired to have a dad that has achieved so much and for me to be marginally compared to him is really awesome.”
AFRIKAANS
Die oomblik toe Dylan Swanepoel aan hom die kapteinsarmband oorhandig in een van die mees kritieke wedstryde van die seisoen, het Alex Stewart geweet iets groots is aan die gebeur.
In die laaste wedstryd van die seisoen vir die Steinhoff Maties Hokkie-manspan – die Westelike Provinsie Grand Challenge-eindstryd teen WPCC – is klubkaptein Swanepoel reeds in die eerste chukka beseer. Dit was egter eers teen halftyd wat hy besef het hy sal nie weer op die veld gaan in sy laaste wedstryd vir Maties nie en die kapteinsarmband aan Stewart oorhandig het.
Vir beide Stewart en Swanepoel was dit ‘n emosionele oomblik.
“Om eerlik te wees, ek was aanvanklik ‘n bietjie geskok. Ek het selfs gesê: “Wat moet ek daarmee doen?” Dylan het net geantwoord: “Sit dit om jou arm!” Dit was toe dat dit my tref dat hy nie van plan was om die res van die wedstryd te speel nie as gevolg van sy besering. Ek het toe besef dat ek in die uiters belangrike wedstryd verantwoordelik gaan wees vir die organisasie en die kommunikasie van die span, veral in die verdediging omdat almal in die verdedigingslyn eerstejaar-spelers was en hulle na my gekyk het vir leiding en taktiese bewustheid. Ek het net met my instink gegaan en vertrou op die leierskapervaring wat ek oor die jare en met die SA o.21’s gekry het en basies net gedoen wat gedoen moes word,” het Stewart vertel.
As hy terugkyk na daardie oomblik sê Swanepoel met brutale eerlikheid dat as dit sowat 300 dae gelede gebeur het, dit nie so maklik sou gewees het om die kapteinskap aan die jongeling te oorhandig nie. “ ‘n Jaar gelede sou ek waarskynlik nie gemaklik gewees het om die kapteinsarmband aan Ali te gee nie, net omdat ek hom nog nie goed genoeg geken het nie. Ons het die afgelope seisoen baie meer gepraat en ek het die geleentheid gekry om hom te beter te leer ken op en van die veld af. Om hom die kapteinsarmbad te gee was nie ‘n probleem nie. Dit het reg gevoel. Dit was eintlik ‘n plesier om dit aan hom gee. Alex is gereed om die span te lei … daarvan is ek seker,” het Swanepoel gesê.
Daar is geen twyfel dat Stewart – volgende jaar ‘n derdejaar student en speler by Maties – goed voorberei is op die posisie binne die klub. “Aan die begin van die jaar het ek nie regtig oor die kapteinskap gedink nie, want daar is ouens wat meer seisoene vir Maties gespeel het en ek het gedink hulle sal seker oorneem. Maar na alles wat die afgelope paar maande gebeur het, het ek begin om daaraan te dink. Ek het egter nooit gedink dit sal so vinnig en in sulke bisarre omstandighede gebeur nie.”
Stewart is die seun van die voormalige Matie en nasionale hokkiespeler Leith Stewart. “Dit voel nogal vreemd dat ek besig is om alles te bereik wat my pa bereik het. Maar ek het nog nooit doelbewus probeer om in sy voetspore te volg nie, tans gebeur dit net. Ek is geïnspireer met my pa wat soveel bereik het en vir my om net in ‘n mate met hom vergelyk te word, is ongelooflik.”
