As we take a small break window for the festive holidays, it’s only fitting that we take a breather and look back at some of the peak moments of the sports section that we shared during the year
Long-standing member of the Vygieskraal-based Central Hockey Club, Kurt Cerfontyne, was appointed as the technical director of SA Hockey national senior women’s side. The well-travelled journey man on the SA hockey scene has, however, always remained loyal to his roots at the club in Johnson Road. The club has produced key national players over the years and had no less than four players in last year’s Olympic squad.
Athlone News caught up with him earlier this year returning from the national under-21 championships and about to start preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
As per his contract, Cerfontyne is responsible for a number of aspects, including advising the head coach on technical and tactical aspects and supporting the head coach in managing and delivering the SA Women’s Hockey programme.
Marissa Langeni, Hockey chief executive officer, said he has the pedigree to help get South Africa on top.
“Kurt has shown tremendous commitment for a sustained period to the South African hockey environment,” she said.
“He has always been above reproach and committed to further the game in our country.”
On the baseball front, Cape Town continued to show its dominance over the rest of the country as they once again dominated in the national championships this year. A number of Athlone-based players took part in the national event and the games played a big role in choosing the SA squads that participated in World Cup events. Fourteen-year-old Athlone As player ,Wade Solomons, was one of the locals that donned the SA colours at the international stage in the under-15 world cup.
The Athlone A’s senior club has had a very good run itself as they set their sights to challenging the top dogs of Cape Town baseball in Bothasig Knights and Bellville Tygers.
On the football front, there was much to celebrate as grassroots footie was in full swing all year around. Heideveld Football Academy in particular had a successful outing this year making it all the way to the finals of the Coke Cup. Established in 2015 and affiliated to Heideveld Local Football Association (LFA), the academy has established a reputation as formidable opponents in various leagues and divisions, including the provincial Sasol League, Safa Cape Town’s Regional Development League and Cape Town Tygerberg’s under-16 Premier League.
The side lost to UCT in the final of the Coke Cup played in Athlone Stadium.
The South African flag also flew high this year in the IMMAF when a South African took the gold medal for the first time in the history of the event.
Fourteen-year-old Nuha Shah is a mixed martial artist who raised the flag when she won her finals match via an ambar in an event hosted in Dubai.