The cream of the crop honoured at the Hockey on 216 Awards
Litha Kraai, of South African College High School (SACS), was named the Boys’ Player of the Year, while Leah du Plessis, from Rhenish Girls’ High, and Abigail Holderness, of DSG Makhanda, shared the Girls’ Player of the Year Award, at the inaugural Hyundai Hockey on 216 Awards, in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
The awards, which aired on DStv channel 216 and the SABC Plus App, honoured the best hockey players in the country after a thrilling 2025 season.
The winners were selected by the Hockey on 216 panel, which consisted of Kelvin Watt and co-hosts Bridgett Kee, Krinesan Moodley, and Manny Segale.
There were some tough decisions to be made and twice it was decided that awards should be shared in the categories of Girls’ Player of the Year and Boys’ Goalkeeper of the Year.
The breakdown
Players of the Year
The winning trio – Kraai, Du Plessis, and Holderness – were outstanding from the first match of the season to the last, whether in action for their schools or their provincial teams at the SASHOC National Week, and all three scored a bucketload of goals while serving as the engines that drove their sides.
Kraai, whose name is arguably the most recognisable in the schoolboy game, was at the forefront of another superb season for SACS, in which they played 35 matches, won 33 matches, and drew only two.
He also helped Western Province u18A to win their fifth straight SASHOC National Week title and made the SA Schools u18A side. He, furthermore, represented the SA u21 team, and early in the year won a bronze medal at the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup with the SA Men’s Indoor team, which was the best result in the history of South African men’s indoor hockey.
Du Plessis and Holderness were equally effective for their sides as Rhenish and DSG dominated the schoolgirls’ hockey scene.
The Rhenish skipper led her side to 38 victories in 45 matches this season. They drew seven matches and scored a whopping 140 goals while only conceding 15. On three occasions, they lost out in a penalty shootout, but they were never bettered in regulation time.
Du Plessis also played a leading role in helping the Boland u18A side to claim the SASHOC National Week title after beating KZN Coastal A 3-0 in the final.
As for Holderness, she was at the heart of DSG’s outstanding season, playing arguably the best hockey of her career yet.
DSG finished as the best team in the Eastern Cape after beating Collegiate Girls’ High 4-1 in a key showdown in June before finishing in fourth place at the Fairtree Super 12 Tournament.
Holderness also put together a splendid run with the Eastern Province u18A side at the SASHOC National Week, but they just missed out on a podium finish, ending fourth.
Goalkeepers of the Year
In the boys’ section, Khotso Mabona, from St David’s Marist Inanda shared the Goalkeeper of the Year accolade with Owen McMenamin from Pretoria Boys High.
Both shot stoppers were influential, reliable, and sometimes spectacular performers for their schools, and they represented Southern Gauteng and Northern Gauteng respectively at the SASHOC National Week.
Mabona was named the Goalkeeper of the Tournament, after helping Southerns to a runner-up finish at the SASHOC National Week, while McMenamin pulled off some incredible saves to help his side to a somewhat unexpected third place and the bronze medal under the guidance of coach Steven Paulo.
In the girls’ category, Rebecca Haswell, from Pearson High School, took home the prize. Although Pearson didn’t have the best of seasons, Haswell was a rock-solid performer in the last line of defence.
She also starred for Eastern Province and was rewarded with a place in the u18A SA Schools side.
Several good goalkeepers missed out, which proved how safe goalkeeping is in South Africa.
Defenders of the Year
Luken Brunette (Garsfontein), Jo le Roux (SACS), and Ethan Kapanda (Jeppe) were the three defenders nominated in the boys’ category.
Meanwhile, Jehan Abrahams (Wynberg Girls’ High) and the Rhenish duo of Puck Bakker and Katherine Sickle were nominated in the girls’ section.
The awards went to Kapanda and Bakker, who played monumental roles at the back for Jeppe and Rhenish, respectively.
Kapanda led his side to an unbelievable season in which they won 29 games out of 31, while Bakker was the fulcrum around which the Rhenish defence turned.
Midfielders of the Year
The Midfielder of the Year category was hotly contested, and it was an unenviable challenge to separate the nominated players.
Ultimately, the selectors went with Christo Swanepoel, from Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG), and Abigail Holderness, from DSG Makhanda.
Swanepoel, who put together an impressive season with the Stellenbosch school, was selected ahead of the SACS duo of Litha Kraai and Mohlodi Maseko.
Holderness, meanwhile, just edged out Rhenish’s Pippa Viljoen and Paarl Gimnasium skipper, Joné De Winnaar.
Forwards of the Year
The Forwards of the Year awards were given to Reece Theunis, of SACS, and Leah du Plessis.
Theunis, in his second season at first-team level, came into his own and owned the striker position in a star-studded SACS outfit.
He scored some outrageous goals and was a constant source of stress for defenders.
Young Players of the Year
The special awards of boys’ and girls’ Young Players of the Year went to Alanda Rademeyer, of Paarl Gimnasium, and Callum Anderson, from Bishops Diocesan College.
Coaches of the Year
In the boys’ category, Siya Sityana, from Jeppe High School for Boys, received the award.
He oversaw a memorable unbeaten season for the Kensington school and also led the Southern Gauteng u16A boys’ side to IPT glory at Hilton College, in July.
Chris Gerber, from Rhenish Girls’ High, won the girls’ award. Throughout the season, Rhenish set the standard, and Gerber also guided the Boland u18A side to the SASHOC National Week title.
HOCKEY ON 216 AWARD WINNERS
Teams of the Year
SACS and Rhenish Girls’ High
SACS record in 2025: Played 32, Won 33, Drew 2.
Rhenish record in 2025: Played 45, Won 38, Drew 7.
Tournaments of the Year
Boys
Hibbert Shield
Girls
Spar KZN Challenge
Best hospitality experience
St Stithians College – Easter Festival
BOYS
Goalkeepers of the Year
Khotso Mabona – St David’s Marist Inanda
Owen McMenamin – Pretoria Boys High
Defender of the Year
Ethan Kapanda – Jeppe High School for Boys
Midfielder of the Year
Christo Swanepoel – Paul Roos Gimnasium
Forward of the Year
Reece Theunis – SACS
Player of the Year
Litha Kraai – SACS
GIRLS
Goalkeeper of the Year
Rebecca Haswell – Pearson High School
Defender of the Year
Puck Bakker – Rhenish Girls’ High
Midfielder of the Year
Abigail Holderness – DSG Makhnada
Forward of the Year
Leah du Plessis – Rhenish Girls’ High
Players of the Year
Leah du Plessis – Rhenish Girls’ High
Abigail Holderness – DSG Makhanda
Young Player of the Year – Boys
Callum Anderson – Bishops Diocesan College
Young Player of the Year – Girls
Alanda Rademeyer – Paarl Gimnasium
Coach of the Year – Boys
Siya Sityana – Jeppe High School for Boys
Coach of the Year – Girls
Chris Gerber – Rhenish Girls’ High
Teams of the Year
SACS and Rhenish Girls’ High
