Southern Gauteng side polishing-up to make a statement at upcoming SASHOC Nationals
The 2025 SASHOC Nationals, set to take place at the historic Maritzburg College from the end of June, are around the corner.
The action-packed tournament will see the best hockey teams from across the country coming to showcase their great talent and skills, and among the teams hungry to make their mark this year is the Southern Gauteng under-18A side, led by passionate coach Kyle Reddy.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Reddy expressed the feeling of excitement within the camp as his squad gears up for this upcoming prestigious tournament.
“We are buzzing, honestly,” Reddy said. “The boys are excited, you can feel it. Nationals is always a big moment in the year, it’s where players go to test themselves against the best in the country. The level is higher than schoolboy hockey; you have to be sharp, you have to be ready. And these boys, they are ready to go. We are preparing to face everything South Africa throws at us, and we are really looking forward to it.”
The Southern Gauteng has bolstered its squad from a diverse and talented group of players representing seven leading schools in the province: Jeppe High School for Boys, King Edward VII School, Hoërskool Monument, Parktown Boys’ High School, St Benedict’s College, St David’s Marist Inanda, and St Stithians College. Together, they form a formidable unit packed with skill, speed, and ambition.
Having kicked off their preparations in early May, the team has already played a couple of warm-up matches, and Redddy said these encounters have helped the coaching staff assess combinations and build match fitness.
“We started our preparations in early May, and I have to say, it’s been very positive. We’ve already played a few warm-up games against the U16A and U18B sides. These matches are important, not just to try combinations, but to see what is working, what is not, and where the gaps are. It gives us real information,” Reddy explained.
He added that his team’s playing style is “heavy metal hockey,” fast-paced, intense, and entertaining.
“We play what I like to call heavy metal hockey. It is intense, fast, entertaining, but it’s also got structure and discipline. We want the boys to express themselves, to play with joy, but also with purpose. We still have a month to go, and there’s plenty to cover, but we are moving in the right direction. The quality is there, and their mindset is good.”
Following their fourth-place finish in last year’s tournament, there’s no doubt that the Southern Gauteng outfit will be aiming to improve from that. But while winning remains the goal, Reddy indicated that their aim is more than that.
“Of course we want to win — that’s why we compete. But for me, and our coaching team, this is about more than just results,” he reflected. “Winning is the destination, sure, but the journey is where the real growth happens. We take it one game at a time, one moment at a time.”
For many of these young players, Nationals is more than just a tournament, but a career-defining week for many players who will be aiming for higher achievements, as there will be national team selection after the tournament. Reddy said that another part of their job is to help the players grow, both on and off the field.
“But also, this tournament is a launchpad,” he said. These boys are on the edge of something really special. Some will go to university teams, some will push into national setups. So our job as a coaching team is not just to win games, it is to help them grow. If they come out of this more confident, more disciplined, and more prepared as good people and exceptional players, then that’s a big win too. And if we can do all that and win the tournament? Then that’s the perfect week.”
