A-section newbies Mandela University consolidated their status as one of the top men’s teams in the country following a solid showing at the University Sports South Africa tournament recently.
The men, who were bumped up from the B section last year, went down narrowly to Maties in the semifinals before losing a tense third-place playoff 3-2 to Wits.
Coach Cheslyn Gie was encouraged by the performance of his young squad, which featured 14 first-year students.
“Staying in the A section is always tough for newly promoted teams,” Gie, who was in charge of the national team at the Paris Olympics, said afterwards.
“This was one of the best team performances I’ve experienced. It gives the players belief that they can compete, and win, at this level.”
These were the results the club had been working towards, the Madibaz mentor explained.
“One of our key priorities was improving our conditioning.”
With the support received from the Madibaz High Performance Complex, Gie believed their fitness and strength were significantly better than in 2024.
The Madibaz women’s hockey team won the B division of the University Sports SA tournament to earn promotion to the A section. The event took place in Stellenbosch recently. Photo: Supplied
They also benefited from the specialist input of Moses Kagochi, who has worked with the Kenya national team as well as Delta Venlo Hockey Club in the Netherlands.
“He fine-tuned both the men’s and women’s teams and we’re hoping to bring him in even earlier next year,” Gie said.
Meanwhile, the Madibaz women earnt promotion to the A section after an unbeaten run in the B division.
Four straight victories were followed by a goalless draw, in torrential rain, against UWC. That saw the side from Gqeberha top the log on superior goal difference.
The men’s resolve was evident during the tournament, particularly after opening their campaign with a 7-2 loss to Tuks.
“Yes, we lost to Tuks, but we led 1-0 at one stage and missed a penalty stroke that could have made it 2-2. They scored less than two minutes after that miss and it broke the team’s spirit,” Gie said.
Their highlight was against NWU, where they equalised in the final minute to secure a 2-2 draw.
“That was a big moment. They showed great character to come back after the Tuks defeat. It was a true team effort.”
The women, mentored by Gerrard Noah, delivered emphatic wins over CUT (5-0), SPU (6-0), UKZN (2-0) and TUT (10-0).
“It was a clear goal for this group to gain promotion after a tough few years,” Gie said.
They were relegated in 2022 and again in 2024, but this year’s performance signalled a turning point and measures are already being put in place to ensure the pattern does not repeat itself next year.
At the top of the list is recruitment, with Gie hoping their recent exploits will inspire top school players to choose NMU for their studies.
He believes their current form will already help to grow the Madibaz Hockey brand.
“I’m excited about what lies ahead.”
Noah lauded Gie for his role in the university’s revival.
“If it weren’t for Cheslyn, none of this would have happened. He’s built a fantastic management team and brought in players who are eager to grow.
“I believe we’ll only improve from here.”