Rhenish Girls High School’s first hockey team has secured their spot as the number one girls high school hockey team in South Africa. This comes after they ranked number one in the Fairtree Super 12 Hockey Tournament.
This is according to Chris Gerber, the team’s coach and head of hockey at Rhenish.
This placement means that Rhenish will be the school to beat in the next fixture of the tournament in 2025, said Leah du Plessis, the team’s captain.
Rhenish Girls High’s hockey first team’s success in the 2024 Fairtree Super 12 Tournament can be attributed to the hard work of the players while training, said Chris Gerber, head of hockey and coach of the first team girls hockey at Rhenish Girls High School. PHOTO: Alison Hermanus
Fierce competition
Oranje Meisieskool hosts the Fairtree tournament during August every year, according to saschoolsports.co.za.
The 12 best schools in South Africa are ranked by saschoolsports.co.za and are sent an invitation at the end of May each year to participate, according to the website.
Dutch field hockey Olympic gold medalist, Eva Drammund, flew in from the Netherlands to personally run a training camp with the team in preparation for the tournament, according to Du Plessis.
First time, first place
The Super 12 Tournament was in its ninth year this year, according to Gerber.
“[Rhenish has become] the fourth school to have won this tournament,” he said. The other schools that have placed first in this tournament in the past are Oranje Meisieskool, Die Hoërskool Menlopark and Eunice High School, according to Gerber.
Dutch field hockey Olympic gold medalist, Eva Drammund, flew to South Africa from the Netherlands to coach Rhenish Girls High School’s first hockey team ahead of the 2024 Fairtree Super 12 Tournament. The team appreciated the effort from Drammund, said team captain, Leah du Plessis. PHOTO: Alison Hermanus
“We always knew [that] it would be in reach, as for the past couple of years we’ve been one of the top teams in the country,” said Gerber.
“We were still developing this year because we’re quite a young team […] so I think next year we can hopefully put up a fight for the cup [again],” said Du Plessis.
Spar support secured
Paul Roos Kwikspar publicly supported and congratulated the team on their number one spot.
Rhenish learners make up a large number of Paul Roos Kwikspars clientele, said Christa Strydom, one of the owners of Paul Roos Kwikspar. “It’s the first time [that they have ranked number one in South Africa] that is why we are so happy,” said Strydom.
Rhenish Girls High School’s hockey team may be young but they are the team to beat in the 2025 Fairtree Super 12 Tournament as they are currently ranked number one in South Africa, according to Chris Gerber, head of hockey and coach of the first hockey team. PHOTO: Alison Hermanus