A fresh start in 2026: Rhenish will not rest on past successes
When Sir Alex Ferguson led Manchester United to their first English Premier League title during the 1992/93 season, backing it up the following year was always going to be a major hurdle, but it was also the primary goal.
In an interview after the historic triumph, Ferguson said: “We’ve done what we’ve done, but I just hope we can keep the hunger.”
They certainly maintained their hunger and dominated the English Premier League over the next two decades, with the Red Devils winning 13 titles under Ferguson.
Now you might be wondering why the football comparison. It’s about cultivating a championship mindset.
Rhenish Girls’ High produced back-to-back stellar seasons in 2024 and 2025, during which they dominated schoolgirls’ hockey in South Africa. They intend to maintain that “hunger” in 2026 to continue to build upon those successes.
“Every year is different and has different types of challenges,” head coach Chris Gerber told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“This group has been together for a couple of years now, and we need to build on this to make sure we work hard. These girls are extremely motivated to do well, and they don’t take anything for granted.”
Gerber has been at the wheel for several seasons now, during which Rhenish’s hockey programme has undergone a remarkable resurgence.
He bade farewell to some of his senior players last year but has retained the bulk of the team, with a couple of youngsters set to make the step up to first-team level. These are exciting times, he said.
“It’s important to keep moving the team forward from what we’ve been doing over the last couple of years. It’s exciting to build on these trends and bring a couple of fresh players into the system.
“The new players in the squad have really been excited to be part of this special group. I’m also excited to work with them because they have the drive to get better and perform against the best.”
Speaking of the best, Rhenish will be tested once again this season, not only in the Western Cape but by teams from all corners of the country.
They’ll open their campaign at the Greg Beling Festival in East London, from 13 to 15 March, before heading to Johannesburg for the annual St Mary’s Waverley Festival.
The Stellenbosch side will also host the All Girls Festival in May. Between the tournaments, they’ll lock horns with their local rivals.
“I think a lot of teams will be really good this year, so we will have to be at our best each game if we want to be successful,” Gerber said
“We will keep working on our systems to improve and make sure we are as well prepared as possible for every challenge.”
“From a Rhenish perspective, you can expect a passionate team hungry for success that will play with lots of fire and energy,” he ended.
