Stellenberg continues to make giant strides in the Western Cape
The 2025 season has produced special moments, unforgettable results and growth for Stellenberg High School’s hockey programme.
Both the boys’ and girls’ first teams have delivered quality performances and stunned some big names in the Western Cape.
Earlier this season, the boys, guided by coach Kyle Esau, bagged a famous 2-1 victory against Bishops Diocesan College. A few weeks later, the girls defeated Herschel Girls School 3-2, marking their first win over the Cape side in many years.
Stellenberg continued their fine form throughout the season and this past weekend claimed another massive scalp when both sides defeated Hoërskool Durbanville in the annual interschools clash.
The girls, coached by Paulene de Bruin, managed a 2-0 win, while the boys thumped their opponents 6-2. It was yet another Stellenberg masterclass, and coach De Bruin praised her side for showing up on the big stage.
“I am immensely proud of the girls; they were disciplined and determined to win the game,” she told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“Before the game, I asked them to utilise the energy of the crowd to motivate them to work as hard as they could. They also focused on each team member to ensure that they were always supporting each other to the best of their ability.”
Coach De Bruin’s side also faced Fairmont High School in a league fixture on Monday, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
They take on St Cyprian’s School on Friday night in the league decider. A win or even a draw will secure the team’s second consecutive league title.
As for the boys, they were emphatic in their outing against Durbanville and bossed their opponents.
Jacques Van Dyk netted a hat-trick while other goals were scored by Justin Brown, Zach Els, and Gerrars Matthews Boukoua.
“I am extremely proud of the boys and the group as a whole,” head coach Kyle Esau said.
“It has been a rollercoaster ride for this team, which is part and parcel of participating in sport. There have been ups and downs, but we ticked most boxes.”
Coach Esau said the loud, hostile crowd at Durbanville was something that his team had prepared for.
“The preparation during our training sessions allowed us to cope with the noise.
“I spoke to the boys during the team talk and moments before the game, emphasising that they should focus solely on their individual roles and the job at hand. I implored them not to focus on showing off for the crowd, and that the result would speak for itself.
“At the end of the day, the boys did exactly that. They were in the zone and focused solely on winning the game.”
Coach Esau and his troops have one league fixture remaining, when they host DF Malan on Friday at 20:15.
