A new era: Gareth Heyns eager to keep the Jeppe machine rolling
Unbeaten seasons in schoolboy hockey seldom happen. It takes special teams, special players, and a strong programme to achieve such a feat.
That was the case for Jeppe High School for Boys in 2025 after they ended the year without a single loss.
Under the tutelage of former head coach Siya Sityana, Jeppe enjoyed a stellar season, playing 31 games, of which they won 29, while the other two ended in draws against Hilton College and Grey College.
The school had previously achieved an unbeaten season in 2018, when they also played 31 matches, winning 22 and drawing nine.
Building on the momentum created last year will be the goal for the forthcoming season, but Jeppe heads into 2026 with a new sheriff in town, Gareth Heyns.
Heyns took over the reins late last year from Sityana, who has joined King Edward VII.
“I think taking the coaching role was an absolute no-brainer,” Heyns told SuperSport Schools Plus. “I’m an Old Boy, and I coached the first team in 2016, so coming back just made sense.
“I love my school, and I have always kept in touch with the programme, so to have the opportunity to be involved again is something special.”
One of Heyns’ immediate goals will be to ensure the side remains strong and competitive against some of the country’s best sides.
Emulating the successes of last season is something he would like to achieve while impacting his charges on a human level.
“Whenever a new person takes over, naturally, there will be a change of the guard at some stage, but you never want to drop in standards.
“I think if we can emulate what the guys did last year, that would be great. However, playing good hockey is one thing, but we also want to build young men who will contribute positively to society.”
Jeppe has a handful of players who were members of the 2025 team, so coach Heyns won’t have to rebuild the squad. He is, however, keen on giving youngsters and some fringe players opportunities this year.
“The programme is generally quite strong, and there are some good young players in the u16 [age group] that will be trying to push their way into the team,” he said.
“The guys knocking on the door will keep the first team hungry, and that will hopefully create a strong environment and keep everybody on their toes.”
Besides participating in the Aitken competition this year, Jeppe will travel to Gqeberha to contest the Hibbert Shield.
The tournament, hosted by Grey High School, is undeniably the toughest schoolboy event in South Africa at present, and it brings together many of the country’s best teams.
“We’re looking forward to it. The boys are, as well,” Heyns reckoned.
“There’s a lot of noise that’s going around that tournament, and I think it’s important for us not to get sucked into that noise.
“We just want to get to a point where we’re playing good hockey, and the results will come. Don’t get me wrong, it will be a lovely challenge for the boys, and we’ll get to test ourselves against the best in SA.”
The Kensington crew opens their 2026 campaign on Saturday against Parktown Boys’ High at home. It’s a clash coach that Heyns is looking forward to.
“Traditionally, it’s a big rivalry, and I would like the guys to play a free-flowing brand of hockey.
“It’s still early in the season, and I don’t want to put pressure on the boys. Hopefully, they can implement what we’ve been working on, be creative, comfortable, and play a selfless brand of hockey.”
