Hockey - the future is created in the now!

 Hockey - the future is created in the now!

By Phia Heydenreich

When the final whistle blew for the first team hockey match, my first thought was "I have never been prouder to be a Girls Higher."

GHS went into the game as the 'underdogs', having last won Interschools hockey 17 years ago! 

Paarl Gymnasium is a formidable hockey school in South Africa. Sometimes it seems as if the Paarl Gim players were born with hockey sticks in hand. In the warm-up session, the GHS players appeared like little tweety birds in one corner of the field against a Gym team that owned their half with confidence and poise. GHS could not help but go on the field with the utmost respect for their opponents. However, respect does not mean accepting a subordinate position and bowing to solid opposition. We were going to give them the game of their lives.

Earlier this year, against all expectations, GHS won their match against Paarl Gim at St Mary’s. This made the GHS supporters cautiously optimistic that GHS could repeat its performance. With history on their side, Paarl Gymnasium could possibly have had a false sense of confidence regarding their chances against this small team that blew in like a fresh breeze from the South of Paarl.

When the final whistle blew it was apparent that the players and supporters of Paarl Gymnasium grappled with a type of daze-and-confused astonishment at the score of 1-1. For GHS it was a tough match of NEVER GIVING UP and backing down, as every spectator can testify. GHS's players complemented each other and supported each other despite Gym's intimidating team and reputation. With Cassie's quick dribbling, Elize's skill on the touchline, and Jana's ability to keep any ball out of the goalbox, the GHS team made the fans proud.

To GHS the draw was a new beginning after 17 years of drought. We are, of course, most proud of the character shown by the GHS hockey team. The team has become a close family over the season and one could see how much this moment meant to them as the players hugged each other at the end of the match. 

We congratulate Paarl Gimnasium on an excellent game and can only hope that with this game we communicated the message that the future is created now. Hopefully, this draw marks the beginning of a new future for Interschool hockey between Paarl Girls High School and Paarl Gymnasium. May the hockey Interschool victors of the future be unpredictable and hockey, like on Friday night always be the winner!