Affies set for Founders Festival
Ten schools from across the country will travel to Pretoria for the Founders Hockey Festival that will be hosted by Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) from Saturday, 29 March, to Monday, 31 March.
The hosting side’s coach, Colin Mendoza, said he was ecstatic to lead his boys for the first time in the prestigious event. He’ll be assisted by Jaydon Lincoln.
The Founders Festival takes place at u14, u16, and 1st team levels, with the u14 matches being played at Parktown Boys’ High and the u16 games at Pretoria High School for Girls. Day one will see 30 matches taking place.
In the senior category, Northwood School gets the action rolling with an early 07:30 meeting against Rondebosch Boys’ High School. They’ll be followed onto the Astro by St Davids’ Marist Inanda and Dale College, with a repeat of Gauteng versus the Eastern Cape when St Stithians College takes on Queen’s College.
The hosts will kick off their tournament run in the fourth fixture against Kearsney College. Last year, when they hosted the Founders Festival, the KwaZulu-Natal outfit recorded three wins and two draws. In 2025, they’re a young side, but they’re talented.
Mendoza reckoned the Founders Festival will be a tough challenge for all the participants: “I think it is one of the top boys’ tournaments in the country, established in 1982,” he said. “Most of the teams participating will be knocking at getting a top 10 ranking in the country.
“I am very nervous and excited. There are some good schools, and there will be some very hard games,” he told SuperSport Schools about Affies’ chances.
The Pretoria school’s preparations began only two weeks ago, so they’ve had to hit the ground running. However, Mendoza has confidence in his charges.
He explained: “Unfortunately, due to athletics, we only get to do trials at the beginning of March, which leaves very little time to get games in before Founders. So, the preparations were short, but I think the boys will be ready. We had a few hard sessions, and the boys are looking good.
“Having to host two tournaments (the u16 boys will also be accommodated at Affies) made it a little harder. Jaydon had to step up a bit during prep as I have been busy with all the administration, organising the tournaments. He is an intricate part of the coaching staff.”
Mendoza expressed his appreciation of his number two’s support, adding: “He is a super kid. He currently plays at Tuks in their high-performance side, as well as for Northern Gauteng u21s.” Lincoln is a Jeppe old boy, and his father, Dave, is the Director of Sport at the Kensington school.
The 1st team festival will wrap up on Monday just before midday when Kearsney faces Paarl Gim.
FIXTURES
Saturday, 29 March
07:30 – Northwood vs Rondebosch
08:35 – St David’s Marist Inanda v Dale
09:40 – St Stithians vs Queen’s
10:45 – Kearsney vs Affies
11:50 – Parktown vs Paarl Gim
13:00 – Northwood vs Dale
14:05 – St David’s vs Queen’s
15:10 – Kearsney vs Rondebosch
16:15 – St Stithians vs Paarl Gim
17:20 – Parktown vs Affies
Sunday, 30 March
07:30 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Paarl Gim
08:35 – St Stithians v Affies
09:40 – Northwood vs Queen’s
10:45 – Parktown vs Rondebosch
11:50 – Kearsney vs Dale
13:00 – St David’s Marist Inanda vs Affies
14:05 – Northwood vs Paarl Gim
15:10 – St Stithians vs Rondebosch
16:15 – Parktown vs Dale
17:20 – Kearsney vs Queen’s
Monday, 31 March
07:30 – Parktown vs Queen’s
08:35 – St Stithians vs Dale
09:40 – Northwood vs Affies
10:45 – St David’s vs Rondebosch
11:50 – Kearney vs Paarl Gim
