Bertie Jacobs
When talent and determination conspire, history is in the making. From 1 to 12 April, the North-West University (NWU) hosted the first ever hockey world cup under the banner of the sport’s global governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH), on the African continent: the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup. A captain was needed to lead the host nation’s charge and Christa Ramasimong stepped up.
This 21-year-old student from the NWU, who plays as defender, took the responsibility and led her team to a seventh overall finish, losing to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals. Fifteen teams in all participated in the tournament.
“It was a great honour and a privilege to walk out with the captain’s armband around my wrist. It was such a wonderful opportunity to represent my country,” says Christa.
“I have captained sport teams since high school. I do not know what makes me a good leader. I think I am an understanding person without biases. I respect my teammates and my coaches.”
Challenges abound, but it was a learning experience without equal.
“I think what hurt the most was being fully prepared for a game, but not getting the results we wanted. It is a challenge to pick yourself up, to pick the team up and to look at what did not work.”
She points to the opening game against England as a prime example: “We were very nervous. It was our first world cup match and I think we put a lot of unnecessary pressure on ourselves as host nation.”
But, no regrets. On the contrary: “For me it is being able to say that I led a team that ended seventh in the world. I do not think we have been in the top ten since 2005, so it has been a long time. I exceeded my expectations and I have no regrets. We all did our best. All 14 members of the squad can feel proud. As a new generation we learned a lot and we have a lot to give in the future.”
Christa has been invited to join the national senior setup after proving herself on the biggest junior stage in the world. “It is massive,” she exclaims.
Her immediate future lies on the 5 027 square metres that make up a hockey pitch.
“I want to see how far I can take my hockey and then I will look into teaching,” the fourth-year BEd student explains.
When she is not on the hockey field, she enjoys socialising with those closest to her heart.
“I like being around friends, to have some downtime with them and to have a braai. Beyond that I live for hockey.”
And hockey is the richer for it.
