Parktown Boys’ High appoints David Grace first-team hockey coach
Parktown Boys’ High School has announced the appointment of David Grace as the new head coach of their first hockey team.
Grace takes over the reins from the highly respected Kyle Reddy, who recently stepped into his new role as Head of Sport at the school.
Grace has big shoes to fill. Under Reddy‘s guidance, the Parktown first side reached new heights, succeeding at developing talented players, cultivating a spirit of excellence, and raising the profile of Parktown hockey on and off the field.
In 2024, they also made the final of the Aitken Cup for the first time since 2010.
Grace brings an exciting CV to his position. He explained: “I am a Jeppe old boy. I played for the 1st team in 2006 and started coaching in 2007. I joined Parktown in 2022 as a Geography educator and the u16A coach.
“I am now HOD of Geography and Director of Hockey. Recently, I have been involved with the Joburg Hockey League (JHL) and Southerns.
“Last year, I was the assistant coach to the u14A Southern Gauteng boys’ team that won the first-ever u14 national IPT,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.
The appointment to take charge of Parktown’s best was a dream come true, he admitted: “Being a first-team coach has always been a dream of mine, and I am honoured to be the first-team coach at Parktown.” he said.
Last year was a season of success for the Parktown first side. They won 19 matches, drew six, and lost nine. More importantly, there was a renewed sense of pride in the school’s hockey and an expectation to challenge the best. They proved with their Aitken Cup run that they ranked among the top teams in the region.
Grace conceded that taking on the new role comes with some pressure. “There is pressure in taking over from such a distinguished coach as Kyle Reddy, but he and James Furlonger, our MIC, have been great supporters of mine over the past four years and back me 100 percent,” he said.
“I am honoured to be the first-team coach at this proud hockey school, and, as Director of Hockey, I am determined to maintain the proud legacy of the school,” Grace continued.
Then, turning his attention to his players, he added an optimistic note, saying: “I have a very good relationship with the boys as I coached them in their u16 year.”
Grace’s coaching will be based on a motto: “We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training”.
He and Parktown face a stiff challenge on Friday. They take on Jeppe High School for Boys, who performed well at the recent Nomads Hockey Festival, where they were unbeaten.
Parktown Boys’ High, Jeppe High School for Boys, Parktown High School for Girls, and Jeppe High School for Girls will be in action on the Boden AstroTurf, at Jeppe Boys, playing their matches under the banner “Unite against GBV” [Gender-based Violence). The occasion includes a sanitary pad drive.
The action starts at 15:00 when the u14A sides meet. The u16A teams follow at 16:00, and the 2nd XIs at 17:15. At 18:15, it will be the turn of the Jeppe Girls and Parktown Girls first teams, with the first team clash between Jeppe Boys and Parktown Boys, which starts at 19:30, completing the fixtures.
