Two players from Maties Women’s Hockey recently represented the South African Women’s Indoor Hockey Team in an international series against Ireland.
Kayla de Waal and Daniella de Oliveira played in the five-match SPAR Indoor Hockey Series in Gormanston, Ireland at the end of February. This was according to Maties Sport.
South Africa won the series against Ireland 4-1.
The South African Women’s Indoor Hockey team sang the national anthem ahead of the second game of the SPAR Indoor Hockey Series against Ireland at a full Aras Preston sports complex. PHOTO: Sourced/Max Fulham
De Waal, 21, was named the Player of the Series and was the series’ top scorer, netting five times overall, while 18-year-old De Oliveira bagged two goals of her own playing as a defender. All five games were played in front of full crowds at the Aras Preston sports complex in Gormanston, according to Hockey Ireland.
De Waal and De Oliveira, both Stellenbosch University students, made their senior indoor debuts in 2019 and 2021 respectively, they told MatieMedia. De Waal is a third-year BCom industrial psychology student, while De Oliveira is a first-year Bachelor of accounting student.
“You can only really understand what playing for your country feels like when you’ve actually experienced it. I’m always nervous before playing,” stated De Oliveira. She said that it does not get any easier regardless of how many games she has played, explaining “you always want to represent your country to the best of your ability so it always creates some nerves.”
Maties Women’s Hockey player Kayla de Waal in action for South Africa during the first game of the SPAR Indoor Hockey Series. De Waal scored during this game, which ended in a narrow 3-2 loss – South Africa’s only loss of the series. PHOTO: Sourced/Max Fulham
An experience to cherish
“I was very happy with my performance in Ireland, however, I am very hard on myself and I always find something that I feel like I could have done better and that I can improve on,” said De Waal. “It was a great series with a very special team and definitely an experience that I will cherish for a long time.”
“It truly felt like the whole tour was just a highlight,” stated De Waal, who has made 22 appearances for the SA Women’s Indoor team.
“It was the first time I played international hockey again after Covid hit two years ago, so I just felt an immense feeling of gratitude to be able to be there and be able to play and represent my country, and I think we all felt like that.”
Maties Women’s Hockey player Daniella de Oliveira in action during the second game of the SPAR Indoor Hockey Series. De Oliveira scored twice for South Africa in this match, which ended in a 5-3 victory for her team. PHOTO: Sourced/Max Fulham
“I thought I did what I needed to do and got the job done, obviously scoring is an added bonus,” said De Oliveira, who has made 10 appearances for the SA Women’s Indoor team.
“My highlight of the tour was the last game when all the spectators came onto the field and they were taking pictures with us. We were swapping shirts with the other team, we were signing shirts, little kids were running up to [us] and asking to take a picture and to sign in their little books. That was just amazing,” said De Oliveira.
A summary of the five games between South Africa and Ireland played during the SPAR Indoor Hockey Series. GRAPHIC: Cody Hansen
Lenise Marais, head coach of Maties Women’s Hockey, described it as a “privilege” to play for South Africa. “I think we have some really talented players and I think them being rewarded and deserving of their selections is something they can be really proud of,” said Marais.
Both De Waal and De Oliveira have been selected in the Maties Ladies First Team Hockey ahead of the upcoming season.