Brown reflects on St Mary’s Waverley’s season of growth
Head coach, Cindy Brown, has reflected on a season defined by growth and resilience for the St Mary’s Waverley first hockey team.
Her side took on a demanding calendar of tournaments and league fixtures, producing some moments of brilliance while also learning valuable lessons from tough encounters.
St Mary’s wrapped up their season, which included playing some of the country’s leading sides, with a record of 28 wins, 16 losses, and 13 draws.
Brown was open in her assessment of the campaign, noting that while the team delivered flashes of outstanding hockey, their biggest challenge had been in converting their chances into goals.
“The season was very up and down,” Brown admitted. “I think we played pretty well against some of the top teams, and at times we struggled against some of our opposition. But overall, we played some really good hockey.
“We just struggled to score. That said, we had some really good wins. It was a good season, with a very strong team spirit. The girls worked incredibly hard. It was a good season all round.”
The team’s campaign concluded at the Challengers Cup Tournament earlier this month, where St Mary’s finished fourth overall. Despite battling fatigue from a long season, they left their mark with their spirited performances.
“At the Challengers Cup, we had some really good wins against strong opposition,” Brown said.
“Our last game was against Hoërskool Garsfontein, a side we had met a number of times this season. Unfortunately, we went down 2–1. But it was a good game of hockey.
“By the seventh game of the tournament, teams are always a bit fatigued, but we fought until the very end.
“Particularly in the last two chukkas, we finished strongly, played some good build-up hockey, and made good connections. We just struggled to put the ball in the box.”
Looking back on 2025’s campaign, Brown singled out several moments that stood out.
“The highlight of the season would definitely be the derby win against St Stithians College,” she said with pride. “A game against Saints is always a big occasion, and to come away with a victory was special for the girls.
“Another highlight was the St Mary’s Waverley Festival, which is always such an important tournament for us. We performed well there and collected good results against strong opposition.”
Brown also drew satisfaction from her team’s performances against some of the country’s powerhouses. “There were some big matches,” she said. “We faced Paarl Gimnasium for the first time in a long while and, although we lost 2–0, I think we played really well against such a strong side.
“For me, what stood out most this season was the team spirit. The way the girls supported each other on and off the field really made the difference.”
With lessons learned in front of the goal and confidence gained from testing themselves against some of the country’s finest schools, Brown believes her charges have laid a strong foundation for the future.
