The Masters Hockey World Cup took place in Cape Town from Friday 11 to Monday 21 October 2024. I am a player in the South African over 75 men’s team. We had been preparing for this event for over a year and in the process had two hockey camps here in Cape Town. Our matches took place at Wynberg Girl’s School, Western Province Cricket Club, Hartlevale and The University of Cape Town.
It was a vast event with some 2,000 people attending and just over a hundred teams from various parts of the world. I took it upon myself to invite as many of my friends and family to come and support our team. Many came. As a player and a striker, I was disappointed that we did not do better in the competition. A number of our players got unfortunate injuries and illnesses just before and at the start of the competition.
We started off however, in great fashion by beating Germany 2-0. We had never beaten them before. We played Wales, England, Australia and Southerns. Southerns are a team made up of Australians and New Zealanders. We played Germany again at the end of the competition for a medal but lost 2-0 to them. They improved with every game they played and deserved to win.
Now, despite my disappointment with my and our performances, what I found so interesting and which made me realize something important, was that those who came to watch, friends and family, were most impressed with what they saw: the amazement of 75 year olds, and older, (we had three 80 year olds in our team), running and playing some skilful and pleasing hockey. Many of them, didn’t believe that 70+ years olds could run, let alone play hockey.
There are now 80+ year old teams, playing in Europe. England won gold in our competition and like Netherlands and Australia, they have some 50 players to choose from. We have less than 20 to choose from and we are scattered throughout a vast country so don’t play together very often.
However, the future is bright for our hockey for at our World Cup the SA Women 35+ team and the SA men 40+ team, both won gold and outshone their opponents by far. I saw the men’s final against Australia on television which we won 3-0 and in which we totally out-played Australia for a gold medal.
How lovely that we can go on playing hockey well into our 70s and 80s and so enjoy all the excitement and creativity of a team sport, and after the game to have a refreshing beer with our opponents and enjoy all the camaraderie of being a team.
THE OPENING OF THE WORLD CUP AT THE CAPE TOWN WATERFRONT
MEET SOME OF OUR 70’S PLAYERS IN ACTION
Watch me scoring a short corner goal against Southerns. The ball can’t be lifted into the net. It has to hit the board at the back of the goals. Satisfying when we get it right. Follow the link by clicking it.
https://web.facebook.com/898855075/videos/1079538810362169
George Frost, Noreen Wonnacott (Manager), Roger Mayes (Vice Cpt), Basil Evans, John Des Ligneris, Ian Richter
Front: Peter Wilson (Vice Cpt), Ed Fisher, Tom Lawless, Syd Cullis, Trevor Whitehead, Rob Birt, Trevor Bohler
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