Swanepoel joins rare Paul Roos century club at Hibbert Shield
Reaching 100 caps for your school is a schoolboy’s dream, and to do it in your matric year at a prestigious tournament adds a cherry on top.
A player that has made that dream become a reality is Paul Roos Gimnasium‘s (PRG) hockey captain, Christo Swanepoel.
He reached the milestone on Thursday, day two of the Hibbert Shield, at Grey High School, in Gqeberha.
Humble and soft-spoken, the midfield maestro was given a guard of honour by his teammates, coaches, and PRG’s u16 players as he walked out for a showdown with Maritzburg College at the Rectory AstroTurf.
If Paul Roos won the Pool B match, they would be guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals, with Clifton College, Maritzburg College, and Selborne College battling it out for second place and the other Pool B quarterfinal spot.
After a slow start, PRG turned on the afterburners and dominated the KwaZulu-Natal outfit. It was the first exhibition of “Baker Ball” at the tournament as they controlled the tempo of the game, capitalised on their chances, and gave their supporters, who had travelled from Stellenbosch, the show they had hoped to see.
They outscored College 6-2, finishing the pool with maximum points after their two victories on the opening day when they beat Clifton College 2-0 and Selborne College 4-0.
After the four chukkas had flown by, Swanepoel had a chance to reflect on reaching the 100-game milestone.
“It’s a huge privilege. I’m super grateful for this opportunity. I don’t think there are a lot of people who achieve this, and it’s something I will cherish forever,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus, in Gqeberha.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better team to share this experience and awesome moment with. There’s still a season left, but I’m grateful.”
It’s been quite the journey for Swanepoel in the maroon jersey, and it all began in his grade nine year, in 2022, when he made his debut at the Cape Co-Ed Festival, in Cape Town. He recalled that moment.
“I remember the nerves running out for the first time, and I never thought something like this would become a reality.
“As a grade nine, to play hockey at PRG was special. I didn’t worry about the spotlight or anything. I just wanted to play hockey. It didn’t matter if it was for the first team, u14, or anything else.”
The skipper has one of the most decorated CVs in schoolboy hockey currently.
Some of his standout accolades include winning the Hibbert Shield twice, representing Boland at age-group and u18 level, and donning the green and gold at the u17 Dato Mirnawan Cup in Malaysia last year.
Besides representing Paul Roos, Swanepoel also plays for the Central Hockey Club and has won several titles with the powerhouse club.
All of these achievements, however, wouldn’t be possible without the support of his parents, he said: “I have to give a lot of credit to my parents. They’ve been there since I was a kid, supporting me through every step.
“It wasn’t going to be possible for me to be here without them. My mom and dad have always been there for me and played an important role.”
Swanepoel is the only second Paul Roos player in history to reach 100 games for the school. Gys Steyn was the first to record the magnificent milestone in 2010.
