Coach Flowers celebrates a historic season for Hoërskool Zwartkop
The 2025 season will go down as one of the finest for Hoërskool Zwartkop’s u19A hockey side, which made huge strides.
Coach Connor Flowers’ charges made their presence felt with their desire to play an entertain and exciting brand of hockey, and it brought them many successes.
From the start, the focus was on the process and not the results, but looking after the process led to good results.
Flowers said the season wasn’t about chasing silverware but about developing a unique identity, one that celebrated skill, confidence, and community.
“We aimed to harness the talent offered by a humble group and to give it back to the community through displays of confident performances,” he explained.
“As the team progressed in its technical and tactical ability, we gained momentum and confidence in our ability to sustain high-level performance. Furthermore, we developed a healthy hunger for winning.
“It became clear that our primary goal for intrinsic satisfaction could be expanded to longitudinal success. We identified that qualification and subsequently competing in the Noordvaal A tournament would be our secondary goal.” he said.
As the season unfolded, Zwartkop’s growth was evident. Their progress, fuelled by hunger and resilience, showed itself in almost every match. Then, what had started as a mission of growth and enjoyment evolved into something greater, a pursuit of historical achievement.
The team’s consistency in the local league paid off when they clinched a second-place qualification spot for the prestigious Noordvaal A competition, which marked the first time in the school’s history that Zwartkop had qualifed for the A section playoffs.
“This was already a success in itself,” Flowers said. “To qualify was a blessing, and every minute on the field from then on was a privilege.”
The Noordvaal tournament, held from August 7 to 9, proved to be a true test of character and Zwartkop showed they weren’t there to merely make up the numbers.
They overcame successive slow starts to win both of their pool matches, which left them top of the group and propelled them into the quarterfinals. Another win earned Zwarries a shot at playing for a place in the final.
They faced the hosts, Hoërskool Pietersburg, in the semi-finals. It was a nerve-wracking contest that ended goalless, but Zwartkop kept their composure to triumph in a penalty shootout, which guaranteed them a medal in their very first shot at the Noordvaal A-League competition.
In the title game, they took on the defending champion, Hoërskool Monument. At last, their groundbreaking journey was halted, with Monnas comfortably defending their crown with a 3-0 victory. Zwarries, though, had done themselves proud and had shown they could mix it up with the best teams in the region.
Beyond the successes of the team, some of the players also celebrated memorable milestones, including captain Handré Coetzee and vice-captain Roche Oberholzer, who both received their 100th caps for the first team during the season.
“This is a huge testimony to their commitment, love for the game, and perseverance,” Flowers remarked.
Summarising how his squad had played, Flowers spoke of “tremendous growth, heart, and passion”.
Apart from Coetzee and Oberholzer, he added: “Other players were also able to showcase their ability and talent, achieving other personal triumphs that did not go unrecognised.”
Directing a message at the team, he said: “To the players, I cannot thank you enough for the time, the commitment, and the love you shared with me. I am proud of you, and I ask only that you be proud of yourselves.
“To the parents, thank you for providing such a healthy environment. Your time and commitment lay the foundation for these players’ success, not only throughout the hockey season, but also for the well-being and prospects of these young men.
“To Zwartkop and the staff behind the scenes, your effort and willingness to contribute to a successful hockey programme are instrumental in building the blocks required to sustain a healthy environment for the benefit of young athletes and young adults.”
Looking ahead, Flowers said the 2025 first team has set a high bar for future teams to aim at. “Although we are proud and satisfied, this is the new standard we have set for ourselves,” he said. “There is still so much that Hoërskool Zwartkop can offer. We look forward to sharing our love for hockey and competing against the best again next season.”
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