GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Defending champions DSG will take the approach of being the underdogs when the SPAR Eastern Cape Schoolgirls Hockey Challenge kicks off at Union High in Graaff-Reinet this Sunday, 5 March.
This is the view of DSG captain Laura Campbell as the Makhanda school strive to land the Gqeberha North regional title for a fourth time.
The first of five regional events in the Eastern and Southern Cape will be hosted by Union High and feature eight schools, divided into two pools, vying for the coveted title.
Union High is in the same pool as DSG, Pool A, while Volkskool is in Pool B. Of course Graaff-Reinet residents will be rooting for our home-grown teams and locals are encouraged to attend the event to show their support for the girls. The action starts at 09:00.
Besides their victory a year ago, DSG was also crowned regional champions in 2016 and 2019, but Campbell said the past did not count for much this weekend.
“The whole squad is excited and hopefully we can take the title again, but we know it will not be easy,” said the 17-year-old matric pupil.
“It’s difficult to say who will be the main rivals because teams change every year and you never know what to expect.
“We will just go in there with the mindset of being the underdogs and being prepared to work for every scoring opportunity.”
Campbell, who plays right-back, said the shorter format of the competition (matches are played over 20 minutes) created extra pressure.
“But my message to our team is that you just have to go into every game not worrying about what happened in the last match or what is to come.”
The inaugural SPAR Schoolgirls Hockey Challenge took place in 2016 and this year a slight change has been introduced. The provincial finals, which were contested by the five regional champions, have been scrapped in favour of boosting the status of the regionals.
Pool A: DSG, Union High, Brandwag, Cradock High
Pool B: Kingswood, Volkskool, Victoria Girls’, Union Invitational
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