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Maties dominate inaugural Varsity Sports MTB Challenge : 2016-10-03
Photo credit Robert Ward
Cyclists from Stellenbosch University dominated both days of the first ever Varsity Sports MTB Challenge held in the Cape Winelands over the weekend.
Maties had done all the hard work during stage one on Saturday and just needed to protect their lead to be sure of securing overall Varsity Sports MTB honours on Sunday. The final general classification reflected the Stellenbosch students’ dominance: Maties finished in a cumulative time of 4:47.50, with UP-Tuks in second place (4:53.33) and UCT in third place (4:56.14) over the two days.
Cycling and Mountain Biking joined the HP Unit in 2016. “We have a very talented group of student athletes as one can see from Maties taking the inaugural Varsity Sport competition this weekend and winning USSA in July…yet again! We are very excited about our current IMAS interventions that has been added in their preparation plan and we look forward to supporting them pushing the boundaries of their performances in seasons to come,” said Sean Surmon, head of the Maties Sport HP unit.
Highlights from day one included a memorable 15 km climb through shady plantations towards the top of Du Toitskloof Pass, swooping downhills and manicured trails across private wine farms, while the outstanding features of day two were undoubtedly the unique Boschendal trails looping through forests and around farm dams.
Maties team captain CP van Wyk enjoyed the race and thinks that his riders worked together well as a team. He is very pleased with this opportunity for student cyclists to shine. His team mates were Ian Lategan and Jacques Lloyd.
Photo credit: Robert Ward
The Maties women’s team of Vera Adrian, Mariske Strauss and Nicky Giliomee crossed the line together and were all smiles as they described their experience.
“It was an amazing race in beautiful surroundings and it was great riding together in this format,” they said. Their time over two days was 5:32.34, with UP-Tuks in second place (6:26.28).
Maties Sport manager Candice Appollis-Williams was extremely proud of the Maties cyclists. The Maties team won the USSA competition earlier this year and have now cemented their reputation as arguably the best university cycling club in the country.
“For them to have dominated the way they did proves that our high performance cycling programme is leading the way,” she said.
Although the official varsity teams were predictably at the sharp end of the race, the Varsity MTB Challenge offered a world-class riding experience to both alumni and non-varsity-affiliated mountain bikers as well. Cyclists could nominate a university to ride for and earn points for that university. It came as no surprise that Stellenbosch University won that competition as well, earning a total of 3453 points. UCT was second with 2619 points.
Copy: Maties Sport and Varsity Sport
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Maties HP gebruik VX Sport GPS om Maties Sport-spanne te help : 2016-05-30
Om ‘n studente-atleet se fisieke werklading op universiteitsvlak te bestuur, is baie belangrik vir die Maties Sport Hoëprestasie-eenheid (HP-eenheid).
Die VX Sport GPS-atleetnasporingstelsel is een van die baie instrumente wat deur Maties Sport se HP-eenheid gebruik word om seker te maak dat spanne en atlete slimmer en meer doeltreffend oefen.
“Vir jare kon ons nooit meet hoe ons spanne of atlete fisiek op die speelveld presteer nie. Die beste wat ons kon doen, was ‘n ingeligte raaiskoot neem oor hoe moeilik of fisiek veeleisend ‘n wedstryd of ‘n oefensessie was, sonder die werklike getalle en statistieke om dit wat ons sien, te staaf of verkeerd te bewys. Die VX Sport GPS-stelsel laat ons toe om te meet hoe ons speel of oefen. Noudat ons toegang het tot die getalle en statistieke oor hoe ons speel, gee dit ons die geleentheid om krities te kyk na hoe doeltreffend ons ons spanne of studente-atlete afrig,” verduidelik Grant van Velden van die HP-eenheid.
“Ons het oor die jare heen data oor ‘n hele paar van ons spanne en studente-atlete ingesamel en dit het ons ‘n idee gegee van hoe fisiek veeleisend wedstryde vir ons studente-atlete oor die verskillende sportkodes heen, sowel as oor verskillende posisies binne dieselfde sportkode heen, is. Ons wil uiteindelik hê ons spanne moet oefen soos hulle op die veld speel, en ons span die data en statistieke wat gedurende die wedstryde ingesamel word in om dit te bereik. Ons probeer om die intensiteit van wedstryde na te boots in oefeningsessies sodat ons slimmer en meer doeltreffend oefen met die beperkte tyd wat ons met ons studente-atlete het.”
Van Velden verduidelik dat Maties se rugbyspan met die Varsitybeker-kompetisie verskeie kondisioneringswedstryde of kort spelstukkies (pockets) tydens oefensessies gespeel het. Hierdie spelstukkies was onder, bo óf teen dieselfde intensiteit as wat die spelers in ‘n wedstryd sou ervaar. “Met ons kennis van hoe intens ‘n Varsitybeker-wedstryd teen ‘n spesifieke opponent is, kan ons spelstukkies in die span se oefenweek posisioneer sodat ons hulle goed genoeg voorberei vir die intensiteit van die komende wedstryd of hulle laat herstel van die vorige week se wedstryd.”
Volgens Van Velden is om toegang tot hierdie tipe nasporingstegnologie vir atlete te hê, baie relevant in die universiteitsomgewing.
“Studente-atlete is eerstens studente en dan atlete. As gevolg hiervan is hul akademiese verpligtinge gedurende die dag hul prioriteit. Dit laat ons met miskien twee uur se oefentyd in die laatmiddag/vroeë aand, twee tot drie keer per week as ons gelukkig is. Met hierdie beperkte kontaktyd moet ons slim en doeltreffend afrig, anders sal ons nie die oefensessie kan maksimeer tot sy volle potensiaal nie. Deur die statistieke en getalle wat ons van die GPS-eenhede kry, te gebruik, weet ons presies wat ons in ‘n spesifieke oefensessie moet doen en kan ons die oefensessie ooreenkomstig ontwerp om daardie sessie se doelwitte te bereik.”
Die HP-eenheid het tans 30 VX Sport GPS-eenhede – 15 van hulle is “regstreekse” eenhede.
“Regstreeks beteken dat ons gedurende ‘n wedstryd dadelik op die skootrekenaar langs die veld kan sien wat met ‘n speler op die speelveld gebeur. Onmiddellike veranderinge kan dan gemaak word as ‘n speler tekens van moegheid toon of nie sekere fisieke mikpunte haal wat hy of sy gewoonlik in ‘n wedstryd sou behaal nie. In ‘n ideale wêreld sou oefensessies ook met regstreekse eenhede gemonitor word. Dit sou dan geleentheid gee vir kommunikasie tussen die afrigter, die sporttegnoloog en die kondisioneringafrigter om net daar en dan veranderinge aan te bring as die fisieke mikpunte nie bereik word nie.”
Van Velden voeg by: “Wanneer ‘n speler die GPS-eenheid aan het, is daar geen wegkruipplek op die veld nie. Atlete wat probeer kortpaaie neem, sal uitgevang word. Big Brother hou jou dop en in hierdie geval is Big Brother in die ruimte in die vorm van ‘n satelliet wat nie net sien as ‘n speler te min doen nie, maar ook as hy of sy te veel doen.”
Van Velden waarsku egter dat om net die data en statistieke van die GPS te gebruik om te interpreteer hoe ‘n atleet op die veld presteer, jou net die helfte van die storie vertel. GPS-data moet saam met video-data gebruik word. Die GPS-data kan wys dat ‘n speler 9 km op die hokkieveld gehardloop het – wat baie is – maar dan sal die video wys dat hy dié afstand behaal het sonder dat dit die spel noemenswaardig beïnvloed het – hy of sy het soos ‘n afkophoender rondgehardloop. ‘n Ander speler mag dalk net 7 km aflê, maar sy of haar invloed is veel meer deurslaggewend. Deur dus verder te hardloop in ‘n wedstryd beteken nie noodwendig jy was die beter speler of het ‘n groter invloed op die wedstryd gehad nie. Die statistieke moet saam met die video-data geïnterpreteer word en dít is waarom video-ontleding self so belangrik is.”
Die Steinhoff Maties Hokkie-manspan het GPS-eenhede by die onlangse Varsity Hokkie-toernooi gebruik vir wedstryde wat in Stellenbosch gespeel is. Volgens Van Velden sal hierdie statistieke, saam met vorige jare se statistieke, handig te pas kom wanneer hulle vir die USSA-toernooi in Julie voorberei.
“Dit is ‘n baie soortgelyke toernooi met wedstryde elke dag van die week. Ons het ook ‘n aantal eerstejaars in ons span oor wie ons nog nie data kon insamel nie. Dit is belangrik dat ons verstaan wat die fisieke eise is wat aan nuwelinge gestel word en hoe hul liggaam reageer op en herstel ná vier dae se hokkie teen hoë intensiteit. Ons weet wat die fisieke eise aan elke speler is nog voor die USSA-toernooi begin het. Dit gee ons kans om die spelers beter voor te berei en die beste moontlike kans te gee om na die beste van hul vermoëns te speel.”
Van Velden explained that during the Varsity Cup competition, the Maties Rugby team played different conditioning games or “pockets” during training sessions. These “pockets” were either below, above, or at the same intensity that the players would experience during a match. “By knowing how intense a Varsity Cup game is against a particular opponent, we can position ‘pockets’ accordingly in the team’s training week so that we adequately prepare them for the intensity of the upcoming game or to recover from the previous week’s game.”
According to Van Velden, having access to this type of athlete tracking technology is very relevant in the university environment.
“Student-athletes are first and foremost students and athletes second. Due to this, their academic commitments are a priority during the day. This leaves us with maybe two hours training time in the late afternoon/early evening, two to three times per week if we are lucky. With this limited contact time, we have to train smart and efficiently otherwise we will not be able to maximise the training session to its full potential. By using the stats and numbers we get from the GPS units, we know exactly what we should do in a particular training session and can therefore design our training session accordingly in order to achieve that sessions objectives.”
The HP Unit currently has 30 VX Sport GPS units – 15 of these are “live” units.
“Live means that during a match we can instantly see on the laptop on the side of the field what is happening with a player on the field of play. Immediate changes can then be made if a player is showing signs of fatigue or is not reaching certain physical benchmarks that he or she would normally reach during a game. In an ideal world, training sessions will also be monitored with live units. This will then allow for communication between the coach, the sport technologist, and the conditioning coach to make changes to a training session right then and there if certain physical benchmarks are not being achieved.”
Van Velden warns though that using only the data and stats from GPS to interpret how an athlete performed on the field will only give you half the story. “GPS data must be interpreted alongside video data. The GPS data can show that a player ran 9 km on the astro, which is a lot, but then the video will show that he achieved that distance without influencing play very much… he or she ran around like a headless chicken. Whereas another player may only cover 7 km on the astro, but his or her influence on the game was far more pronounced. So running further during a match doesn’t necessarily mean you were the better player or more influential in the game. The stats need to be interpreted alongside video data and that is why video analysis is so very important as well.”
The Steinhoff Maties Hockey men’s team at the recent Varsity Hockey tournament used the GPS units for the matches played in Stellenbosch. According to Van Velden these stats, along with the previous year’s stats, will come in handy when preparing for the USSA tournament in July.
“It is a very similar tournament with games every day for a week. We also have a number of 1st years in our team who we haven’t been able to collect data on before. It is important that we understand the physical demands placed on the newcomers to the team and how their bodies react to and recover from four days of high intensity hockey. We now know what the physical demands will be on each player even before the USSA tournament has started. This will allow us to physically prepare the players better and give them the best possible chance to play to the best of their abilities.”
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Despite the loss, Steinhoff Maties stay positive : 2016-05-19
Varsity Sports Hockey, Coetzenburg Sports Grounds, Stellenbosch, Day 1. 13 May 2016. Photo: Thys Lombard Maties celebrate a goal
Even though the disappointment of losing in the semi-final of the Varsity Sports Hockey tournament was huge, coach and captain of the Steinhoff Maties Hockey men’s team did find enough to be positive about looking forward to the rest of the season.
Coach Ashlin Freddy and captain Dylan Swanepoel both mentioned tighter team cohesion.
Maties men lost 0-1 to Tukkies in the semi-final of Varsity Hockey on Monday in Stellenbosch. This was the first time since August 2012 that Maties lost on their home ground. The result was even more disappointing because Maties have been dominating all their opponents since their loss to UJ in the first match of the Varsity Hockey tournament. They scored 43 goals in eight matches.
Keenan Horne, Shannon Boucher and James Drummond all scored six goals. Eight other players also got on the scoreboard. Daniel Bell scoring five goals and Dylan Swanepoel and Reece Arendse hit the back of the goal box four times. Horne was named Super Striker three times and Man of the Man twice.
“Monday was extremely disappointing; I don’t think we gave a good account of ourselves. We pushed hard physically and played with really good intensity in the league phase. In the semi-final we never got close to those levels that were so successful for us. We spoke about discipline before the game and this really let us down. We played large amounts of the game without our full compliment on the field and yet we still dominated the game,” said Freddy.
Swanepoel added: “I am pleased with the way the tournament went. We made lots of progress as a team even though we couldn’t put it in the right performance when it counted most. However, like I said we have made huge strides as a team, and now we must keep improving as we turn our focus back to the league and USSA.”
Freddy also preferred to look at the positives from the tournament. “I feel as a group we got a lot closer. We also started to discover how far we can push the boundaries physically which meant we could play with a really high intensity which was very successful for us. We had the best defensive record in the league phase only conceding 7 goals in seven games (the next best was 16!) and we also topped the scoring chart with 43 goals (next best was 33). The first years definitely grew from game one to game eight, with the steep learning curve they coped really well. It will give us a good platform as we shift our focus to the league and then prep for USSA.”
Maties play WPCC at the Maties Astro on Sunday. “It is going to be a real mental test for us. We have some really young players who have tasted disappointment for the first time, and the more experienced guys have been in this situation before. We are playing against a very experienced side that have a 100% record thus far. Playing during exams is never easy, as we put a big emphasis on academics, which adds difficulty to our task on Sunday.”
Action starts at 16:30.
Varsity Sports Hockey, Coetzenburg Sports Grounds, Stellenbosch, Day 2. 14 May 2016. Photo: Thys Lombard Maties vs Wits Luke Schooling (Maties – 19)
Ten spyte van nederlaag, bly Steinhoff Maties positief
Selfs al is die teleurstelling van die nederlaag in die halfeindronde van die Varsity Sport-hokkietoernooi groot, glo afrigter en kaptein van die Steinhoff Maties-hokkiemanspan dat daar genoeg is om oor positief te wees met die oog op die res van die seisoen.
Afrigter Ashlin Freddy en kaptein Dylan Swanepoel het beide ‘n sterker spaneenheid genoem.
Maties het 0-1 teen Tukkies verloor. Dit was die eerste keer sedert Augustus 2012 dat Maties op hul tuisveld verloor het. Die nederlaag was nog meer teleurstellend omdat Maties hul teenstanders oorheers het sedert hul nederlaag teen UJ in die eerste wedstryd van die toernooi. Hulle het 43 doelwitte in agt wedstryde aangeteken.
Keenan Horne, Shannon Boucher en James Drummond het al drie 6 doele aangeteken. Agt ander spelers het ook doele behaal. Daniel Bell vyf keer die doelhok laat raas, terwyl Dylan Swanepoel en Reece Arendse die agterkant van die doelhok vier keer getref het.
“Maandag was uiters teleurstellend. Ek dink nie ons het goeie rekenskap van onsself gegee nie. Ons was fisiek en het met baie goeie intensiteit in die liga-fase gespeel. In die halfeindstryd het ons egter nie eens naby aan daardie vlakke gekom nie. Dissipline was ook ‘n probleem vir ons. Ons moes groot dele van die wedstryde sonder almal op die astro speel,” het Freddy vertel.
Swanepoel het bygevoeg: “Ek is tevrede met die manier waarop die toernooi verloop het. Ons het baie vordering as ‘n span gemaak, selfs al het ons nie die klas vertoning gelewer wat ons kon in die belangrikste wedstryd nie. Ons moet nou egter fokus op die liga en USSA en aanhou werk aan dit wat ons reg gedoen het in die toernooi.”
Freddy verkies ook om na die positiewe aspekte van die toernooi te kyk. “Ek voel as ‘n groep het ‘n goeie eenheid gevorm. Ons het ook begin om te ontdek hoe ver ons die grense van ons fisieke vermoëns skuif wat beteken ons kan met ‘n baie hoë intensiteit speel wat baie suksesvol vir ons is. Ons het die beste verdedigende rekord in die ligafase gehad deur net 7 doele in sewe wedstryde (die naasbeste was 16!) af te staan. Ons het ook die meeste doele (43) aangeteken. Die volgende span was op 33. Die eerste jaars het ook baie geleer en gegroei. Dit was ‘n steil leerkurwe, maar dit sal baie beteken vir die res van die liga en die USSA-toernooi.”
Maties speel Sondag tuis teen WPCC. “Dit gaan ‘n groot geestelike toets vir ons wees. Ons het ‘n paar baie jong spelers wat vir die eerste keer teleurstelling ervaar het. Ons speel teen ‘n baie ervare span wat ‘n 100% rekord tot dusver het. Om tydens die eksamens te speel, is nooit maklik nie, want ons plaas groot klem op akademie wat Sondag nog ‘n groter uitdaging maak.”
Aksie begin om 16:30.
Varsity Sports Hockey, Coetzenburg Sports Grounds, Stellenbosch, Day 1. 13 May 2016. Photo: Thys Lombard Keenan Horne (Maties – 10)
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Steinhoff Maties set for big Varsity Hockey weekend : 2016-05-11
With three wins from four matches and 24 goals scored the Steinhoff Maties Hockey men are in the third spot of the the Varsity Sports Hockey tournament’s log.
The tournament started last Friday with the first round matches all played at the University of Johannesburg. Maties got off to a bad start with a 3-5 loss to the defending champions, UJ. On Saturday they started to play like a team that can challenge for the title with a 4-0 win over Kovsies. But on Sunday and Monday they walloped their opponents with 17 goals and conceding only one in victories over the Madibaz (8-0) and Pukke (9-1). These send out clear warnings that Maties are finally warmed up and ready go one better than in 2014 when they lost in the final after a penalty shootout.
Top scorers thus for Maties are Shannon Boucher (4), Keenan Horne (4), James Drummond (3), Charlie Bowren (3) and Dylan Swanepoel (3).
Maties are in third place with 9 points. Wits’ team is fourth also with 9 points, but Maties have a healthy goal difference. UJ and Tukkies are both still undefeated and respectively first and second on the log.
This coming weekend the action is in Stellenbosch at the Coetzenburg astro with games on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Entrance is R20 and if you book online R10. Maties will play Tukkies, Ikeys and Wits. The semi-final round is on Monday. The final is on 23 May. The match against Ikeys will also be an Intervarsity clash.
All Maties’ matches are at 18:45 and action starts daily at 13:30.
James Drummond of MATIES
Maties Sewes wen derde Varsity-titel : 2016-05-04
Pieter Schoonraad Credit: Varsity Sports
Maties se Pieter Schoonraad is welverdiend as die Speler van die Toernooi aangewys by die pas afgelope Varsity Sports-sewestoernooi wat by Villager-rugbyklub aangebied is.
As kaptein het Schoonraad sy span gelei tot Maties se derde Varsity Sewes-titel. Maties het die titel ook in 2013 en 2014 gewen, maar kon in 2015 nie die halfeindronde van die kompetisie haal nie.
Maties het UWK Maandag in ’n taai eindstryd met 19-5 geklop. Die halftydtelling was 5-5, maar Maties het in die tweede helfte beheer van die wedstryd geneem.
Paul de Wet het twee drieë in die eindstryd gedruk en is as die Speler van die Wedstryd aangewys.
Schoonraad se individuele beloning was nie ’n verrassing nie. Die Maties-kaptein het soos ’n poppemeester deurentyd sy span se aanvallende en verdedigingslyne beheer. Dit het egter nie beteken Schoonraad het gestaan en kyk hoe sy manne die instruksies uitvoer nie. Inteendeel. Schoonraad was die enigste Matie wat nie ’n drie in die toernooi gedruk het nie en dit sê dalk die meeste van die tipe speler wat hy vir sy span was.
“Die Speler van die Toernooi-toekenning beteken baie. Ek sien myself as ’n speler wat elke wedstryd alles gee. Elke oomblik tot die laaste een,” het Schoonraad gesê.
“Dit was ’n wonderlike toernooi vir die span. Ons is ’n hegte eenheid. Dit was vir ons belangrik om elke wedstryd op ons eie spel te fokus. Die nederlaag teen Tukkies (in die uitspeelrondes) was beslis ’n bedekte seën, glo ek. Dit was soos ’n wekroep aan die einde van die eerste dag om te onthou van die uitdaging wat nog wag.”
Volgens Schoonraad was die eindstryd baie taai, veral die eerste helfte.
“Die eerste 10 minute het albei spanne alles gegee. Dit was hoëintensiteitrugby. Ons ken UWK se spel en spelers goed, want ons het voor die toernooi gereeld teen hulle oefenwedstryde gespeel. Dit het beslis op die dag gehelp. In die tweede helfte het alles wat ons voor die toernooi ingesit het, begin uitwerk op die veld.”
Nou is dit eers terug na die boeke en 15 man-rugby voordat Schoonraad-hulle begin voorberei om hul USSA-titel in Desember te verdedig.
Maties Sevens wins third Varsity title
Maties’ captain Peter Schoonraad was deservedly named the Player of the Tournament at the recent Varsity Sports Sevens tournament played at the Villager Rugby Club.
Schoonraad led his team by example to Maties’ third Varsity Sevens title. Maties also won the title in 2013 and 2014, but failed to reach the semi-finals of the competition in 2015.
On Monday, Maties beat UWC by 19-5 in a tough final. The halftime score was 5-5, but Maties took control of proceedings in the second half.
Paul de Wet scored two tries in the final and was named the Player of the Match. He was also named the Steers Most Valuable Player of the Tournament.
Schoonraad’s individual reward was no surprise. Like a true puppet master the Maties captain took control of his team’s attacking and defensive lines. This does not mean Schoonraad just watched while his men executed his instructions. On the contrary, Schoonraad was the only Matie that did not score a try in the tournament and this shows best what kind of player he is for his team.
“The Player of the Tournament award means a lot. I see myself as a player that gives everything in each game…every single moment until the last one,” Schoonraad said.
“It was a great tournament for the team. We are a tight unit, much like a family. It was important for us to focus on our own style of play in every game. The defeat against Tuks was a blessing in disguise, I believe. It was like a wake-up call at the end of the first day to remember the challenge that still lay ahead of us.”
According to Schoonraad the final was very tough, especially the first half.
“Both teams gave it their all during that first ten minutes. It was high-intensity rugby. We know UWC’s game and players well because we played against them in warm-up matches before the tournament. It certainly helped on the day. In the second half, everything that we put in before the tournament began to work on the field.”
Now it’s back to the books and 15-man rugby for Schoonraad and his teammates before they start preparing to defend their USSA title in December.
Varsity 7s, Villagers RFC, Cape Town, Day 3. 2 May 2016. Photo: Thys Lombard Maties Captain, Pieter Schoonraad receives the trophy after winning the Varsity 7’s Tournament Maties Celebrating
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Hectic month awaits Steinhoff Maties Hockey Men : 2016-04-20
From 22 April to 23 May the Steinhoff Maties Hockey Men will play in a string of matches in three different competitions.
This combines to a possible 19 matches in some four weeks. The crazy month starts this Friday with a Western Province Grand Challenge match against Pinelands at the Maties Astro. Next week is the Interprovincial Tournament in Johannesburg and bar a few players the whole team will be in action either for Western Province or WP Peninsula. The Varsity Hockey series starts on 6 May with four matches in four days at the University of Johannesburg. The following weekend 13-16 May takes place in Stellenbosch and once again it will be four matches in four days. The Varsity Hockey final is on 23 May. Maties not only want to play in this match, they also want to win it.
In between Maties will also have to play more WPGC matches that include an Intervarsity match against Ikeys.
It is going to be a hectic month for players and new coach Ashlin Freddy. It is no secret that Maties really want the Varsity Hockey title after loosing to UJ 2014 after extra time in a shootout. The Maties women’s team won the first Varsity Hockey title in 2013. Last year they played in the semi-final. UJ is currently both the men and women’s champion.
This is something that Dylan Swanepoel and his team wants to change. For most of the Maties players it will be their last chance at playing in this tournament.
On Friday the action starts at 19:00 at the Maties Astro with the women playing first followed by the men at 20:30.
Last weekend’s WPGC results: MEN – Fish Hoek 0, Maties 2; Maties 4, Vics 2. WOMEN – Maties 9, Vics 0; Conberg 1, Maties 5.
Big 2016 awaits Maties HP : 2016-02-02
The pursuit of USSA- and Varsity titles. This is the focus of the Maties How Performance unit for 2016.
The first Varsity Sports tournament was the second edition of Varsity Cricket last week in Potchefstroom. Steinhoff Maties Cricket – who played in the final last year – finished fifth this time.
Varsity Cup starts on February 8 and the expectations for Maties rugby is huge after recent years’ disappointing performances. In April, it is the Varsity Cup Sevens and shortly thereafter, the Steinhoff Maties men’s hockey team will be in action in the Varsity Hockey series.
Maties Sevens has won the Varsity Cup, but last year failed to make even the semi-finals. A victory in December’s USSA tournament has hopefully given the team the necessary confidence again to tackle the Varsity Cup with the belief that last year was just a slip-up.
This is the fourth year that hockey has a Varsity Series. Maties women’s team won in 2012 and in 2013 the men played in the final against UJ. Last year a very inexperienced women’s team finished fourth.
The High Performance Unit’s Sean Surmon said there are big expectations, but hard work is done to make sure the teams and players are equipped to achieve their goals. “This year is indeed a significant year for Maties Sport with special reference to our Maties Olympic and Paralympic athletes as well as our continued strive for success in the University competitions. Each of these athletes as well as our focus sport codes are supported through the Maties Sport integrated medicine and science support programme, focusing on the health and wellness, performance enhancement and holistic development of our athletes. The Varsity Cricket tournament just finished, Varsity Cup kicks off in two weeks and hot on its heels will be Varsity Sevens. 2016 it set up to be a cracker and we are so excited to be part of it all.”
Varsity Cup fixtures: 8 FEBRUARY – Maties v CUT; FEBRUARY 15 – NMMU v Maties; 22 FEBRUARY – Maties v Tuks; 29 FEBRUARY – UJ v Maties; 7 MARCH – Maties v Shimlas; 14 MARCH – Maties v UCT; MARCH 21 – Pukke v Maties.
Groot 2016 wag op Maties HP
Die strewe na USSA- en Varsity-titels. Dit is die fokus van die Maties Hoe Prestasie-eenhoud vir 2016.
Die eerste Varsity Sport-toernooi van die jaar was verlede week se Varsity Krieket-toernooi in Potchefstroom. Steinhoff Maties – wat verlede jaar in die eindstryd gespeel het – was vyfde.
Die Varsity Beker-rugbyreeks begin op 8 Februarie en die verwagtinge vir Maties Rugby is groot na die afgelope paar jaar se teleurstellende vertonings. In April is dit die Varsity Sewes-toernooi en kort daarna sal die Steinhoff Maties manshokkiespan in die Varsity Hokkie-reeks in aksie wees.
Maties Sewes het al die Varsity-toernooi gewen, maar verlede jaar nie eens die halfeindronde gehaal nie. ‘n Sege in Desember se USSA-toernooi sal die span egter weer die nodige selfvertroue gee om die Varsity-toernooi aan te pak met die geloof dat verlede jaar net ‘n glips was.
Dit is die vierde jaar wat hokkie ‘n Varsity-reeks het. Maties se vroue-span het in 2012 die eerste reeks gewen en in 2013 het die mans in die eindstryd teen UJ gespeel. Verlede jaar was ‘n baie onervare vroue-span vierde.
Sean Surmon van die Hoë Prestasie-eenheid het gesê daar is groot verwagtinge, maar harde werk word ingesit om seker te maak die spanne en spelers is toegerus om hul doelwitte te bereik. “Dit is inderdaad ‘n baie belangrike jaar vir Maties Sport met spesiale verwysing na ons Maties Olimpiese en Paralimpiese atlete asook ons voortdurende strewe na sukses in Universiteitskompetisies. Elke atleet en ook ons fokus-sportkodes word ondersteun deur Maties Sport se mediese en wetenskaplike ondersteuningsprogramme, fokus op gesondheid, prestasie-bevordering en die holistiese ontwikkeling van ons atlete. Die Varsity Beker skop af oor n week en kort daarna is dit Varsity Sewes. Dit gaan ‘n uitsonderlike jaar wees en ons is baie opgewonde.”
Varsity Beker-bepalings: 8 FEBRUARIE – Maties t KUT; 15 FEBRUARIE – NMMU t Maties; 22 FEBRUARIE – Maties t Tukkies; 29 FEBRUARIE – UJ t Maties; 7 MAART – Maties t Shimlas; 14 MAART – Maties t Ikeys; 21 MAART – Pukke t Maties.
Posted in HP Unit, News, USSA, Varsity Cup, Varsity Sports | No Comments »
Maties reach first ever Varsity Netball final : 2015-10-13
Photo by: Catherine Kotze/SASPA
For the first time ever the Maties netball team will play in the final of the Varsity Sports Netball series.
Maties will take on Pukke in the final on Monday in Stellenbosch. Maties beat Tuks 55-50 in Pretoria; while Pukke got the better of two-times defending champions Kovies in Bloemfontein with 56-48.
On paper Tuks and Kovsies should have won, but both Maties and Pukke showed no regard for the more fancied opponents. Not only is this the first time Maties will play in the final, but it was also their first victory ever over Tuks in this tournament.
Co-captain and key player Juline Rossouw was player of the match. She has been leading by example the whole series and her skills on the defence have played a big role in the success of Maties.
Pukke handed Kovsies their only defeat of the season. It will be the first time Kovsies wont play in the final. This is the second time Pukke will play in the final after they were undefeated in 2013 only to lose to Kovsies in the final.
Maties have been playing better every year since the tournament started in 2013. The first time they finished fifth, last year they played in the semi-final after finishing fourth and this year they finished third on the log, but with a place in the final they can finish no worse than second.
Before the start of the series, the experienced Melandi Pretorius made it clear that a home final is the ultimate goal in the tournament for any team. “We are so ready to perform to our full potential. We are physical and mentally strong and have a great team spirit. We want to surprise a few teams and persons and in the process hopefully achieve more than what was expected from us.”
The previous time Maties and Pukke played against each other this series, Maties won a tight battle 46-39.
The final is Monday at 19:00 in the Coetzenburg centre.
Maties speel in eerste Varsity Netbal-eindstryd
Vir die eerste keer ooit sal die Maties-netbalspan in die eindstryd van die Varsity Sports Netbal-reeks speel.
Maties pak Pukke Maandag in die eindstryd in Stellenbosch. Maties het Tuks met 55-50 in Pretoria geklop; terwyl Pukke die tweemalige kampioene Kovies in Bloemfontein met 56-48 uitgeskakel het.
Op papier moes Tuks en Kovsies wen, maar beide Maties en Pukke het geen genade vir hul veel besproke teenstanders gehad nie. Nie net is dit die eerste keer wat Maties in die eindstryd speel nie, maar dit was ook hul eerste oorwinning oor Tuks sedert die begin van die reeks.
Mede-kaptein en sleutelspeler Juline Rossouw was die speler van die wedstryd. Sy lei met voorbeeld en haar vaardighede op die verdediging speel ‘n groot rol in Maties se sukses.
Pukke het Kovsies hul enigste nederlaag van die seisoen toegedien. Dit sal die eerste keer wees wat Kovsies nie in die eindstryd speel nie. Dit is die tweede keer wat Pukke in die eindstryd speel nadat hulle in 2013 onoorwonne was net om in die eindstryd teen Kovsies te verloor.
Maties speel elke jaar beter sedert die toernooi in 2013 begin het. Die eerste keer het hulle vyfde geëindig, verlede jaar het hulle in die halfeindronde gespeel nadat hulle vierde op die punteleer was en vanjaar was hulle in die derde plek op die punteleer, maar met ‘n plek in die eindstryd kan hulle nie slegter as tweede eindig nie.
Voor die aanvang van die reeks, het die ervare Melandi Pretorius dit duidelik gemaak dat ‘n tuis-eindstryd vir enige span die uiteindelike doel in die toernooi is. “Ons is gereed om ons volle potensiaal te wys. Ons is fisiek en geestelik sterk en het ‘n goeie spangees. Ons wil ‘n paar spanne en persone verras en in die proses hopelik meer bereik was wat van ons verwag was. ”
Die vorige keer wat Maties en Pukke teen mekaar gespeel het in die reeks, het Maties ‘n taai wedstryd met 46-39 gewen.
Maandag se eindstryd is om 19:00 in die Coetzenburg-sentrum.
Posted in Maties Netball, Varsity Sports | No Comments »
Maties must travel to play Tuks : 2015-10-06
Maties will take on Tuks in the first semi-final of the Varsity Netball series on Monday in Pretoria.
The other semi-final is between undefeated and defending champions Kovsies and Pukke in Bloemfontein.
Maties finished third on the log after losing the final match of the group phase against Kovsies this past Monday in the Coetzenburg centre. Maties fought bravely against their superior opponents but lost 33-41. Finishing third on the log is Maties’ best performance in the series since the start three years ago.
The score is not really a true reflection of how tight this match was. The final two minutes of the match was a power play and before that the score was 33-37. At halftime the gap was already nine goals and against a quality team like Kovsies, that is a big gap.
Maties co-captain Juline Rossouw admitted that they made life difficult for themselves. “We gave ourselves so much to do with a halftime gap like that, but I must give credit to my players who never gave up. We fought hard until the final whistle and I am proud of my teammates,” said Rossouw.
The simple verdict on the match is that Kovsies were more calm and calculated, while Maties played with lots of emotion. While Kovsies were consistent, Maties had periods of brilliance, but struggled in the goal circle at critical times.
It’s never easy singling out a player in a match like this, but Jo Prins deserves special mention. She left if all out on the court and was Maties’ best player.
Monday’s match is at 17:00.
Maties moet reis om Tuks pak
Maties speel Maandag in Pretoria teen Tuks in die eerste halfeindstryd van die Varsity Netbal-reeks.
Die ander halfeindstryd is tussen die onoorwonne en die verdedigende kampioene, Kovsies en die Pukke in Bloemfontein.
Maties het derde op die punteleer geëindig nadat hulle die laaste wedstryd van die groepfase teen Kovsies die afgelope Maandag in die Coetzenburg sentrum verloor het. Maties was dapper teen hul beter teenstanders, maar het met 33-41 verloor. ‘n Derde plek op die punteleer is Maties se beste vertoning sedert die reeks drie jaar gelede begin het.
Die telling is nie ‘n ware weerspieëling van hoe taai die wedstryd was nie. Die laaste twee minute van die wedstryd was ‘n kragspel (waar elke doel twee punte tel) en voor dit was die telling 33-37. Teen halftyd was die gaping reeds nege doele en teen ‘n span van Kovsies se gehalte, is dit ‘n reuse-gaping.
Maties se mede-kaptein, Juline Rossouw het erken dat hulle die lewe moeilik vir hulself gemaak het. “Ek moet egter krediet gee aan my spelers wat nooit moed opgegee het nie. Ons het hard geveg tot die eindfluitjie en ek is trots op my spanmaats,” het Rossouw gesê.
Die eenvoudige uitspraak oor die wedstryd is dat Kovsies meer kalm en bereken was, terwyl Maties met baie emosie gespeel het. Kovsies was konsekwent en Maties het oomblikke van briljantheid gehad, maar het op kritieke tye in die doelsirkel gesukkel.
Dit is nooit maklik om ‘n enkele speler uit te sonder in ‘n wedstryd soos die nie, maar Jo Prins verdien spesiale vermelding. Sy het haar alles gegee en was Maties se beste speler.
Maandag se wedstryd is om 17:00.
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