HOCKEY TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA

Forty Seven Hurstpierpoint College Hockey players - both boys and girls aged between 14 and 17 - accompanied by Hurst staff have just returned from a packed round trip to South Africa covering some 15,000 miles in just 19 days.

First stop was the Hockey Academy in Potchefstroom, followed by a hectic schedule of fixtures against South African schools and colleges, in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth to name but a few, for both the boys’ and the girls’ teams. The trip was not just about hockey, however, and visits included a day spent discovering the history and traditions of the native South African tribes and visiting 5 different types of tribal village; the Maropeng Cradle of the Earth Museum where some of the earliest fossils of mankind are to be found; a day spent on an ostrich farm at Oudtshoorn, the ‘ostrich capital’ of the world; a jeep safari at a game reserve, tempered by a sobering visit to the Langa Township near Cape Town.

All in all, Hurst played an extraordinary 32 hockey matches during the trip winning14, forcing 4 draws and incurring a total of 15 losses.  “All the games - win, lose or draw - were played in the spirit that sets Hurst apart” said Director of Sport Rob Kift. “Everyone worked together, all were very determined and – despite at times being very tired –they unfailingly demonstrated great sportsmanship and great good humour”.

“I was enormously proud of our pupils” commented Hurst’s Master-in Charge of Hockey Chris Wilson “they conducted themselves superbly both on and off the pitch, they learned a great deal about themselves and each other and, through staying with host families, gained an invaluable insight into life today in this great ‘Rainbow Nation’”.

Hurst’s Headmaster, Tim Manly, is a strong believer in the benefits of touring. “Such tours” he said “help to foster a genuine understanding between young people of different nations, enable lasting friendships to be established and, of course, provides invaluable lessons in vital life skills such as teamwork, leadership, mutual support and tolerance. Above all, however, I believe it is vital that our young people gain an understanding and respect for other nations and cultures; sporting tours, such as this one, can be an important part of that process.”