SA women prepare for Athens
Brad Morgan
21 January 2003
South Africa's women's hockey team begin their build-up to the Olympic Games in Athens with a three-Test series against Spain at Queensmead in Durban. It will be a tough challenge for Ros Howell's charges against a Spanish team that is ranked five places above them, in seventh spot in the world rankings.
Physically it will also be a tough challenge because all matches, three on four days, take place at three in the afternoon at a time of the year when Durban is particularly humid.
There is a reason for this, though. It is hoped that the conditions will be close to those in Athens, where the team will be contesting the Olympics, and where they will be headed early in February for a pre-Olympic tournament featuring the Spaniards, Australia and Great Britain.
Heavy schedule
Immediately after that the South African team returns home for a series against Australia. The heavy early season schedule meant there
was little chance for relaxation for the squad over the holiday season.
Captain Susan Webber says that, despite the holidays, the squad has worked exceptionally hard, and considering the time of year she reckons the skills and fitness of the players is good.
She says the Spaniards are going to be difficult opposition. Webber describes their style as "destructive", but adds that it is an approach the South African side needs to learn to deal with, while she says the match practice is very welcome.
Coach Ros Howell says she views the Durban Test series as preparation for the Athens tournament in February. "Every time we get together and every time we play it is part of the preparation process to try to make this team more competitive on the world stage, and of course with the Olympics as the ultimate goal for this year."
Great results
Based on the 2003 results, the South African team is pretty darn competitive already. In
probably their best achievement of the year, they enjoyed a superb tournament in the KT Cup in South Korea after Webber took over as captain.
They convincingly beat current world number three The Netherlands, drew against number two Australia, beat number six South Korea, lost to the fifth-ranked eventual winners England, and drew against Spain. Looking at that run of form, Webber and co can challenge the best.
Webber says the team's ever-increasing experience has certainly played a role in its improved showing. Also, she says, the players themselves have upped the ante, putting in a greater effort than ever before.
The players' spirit to better themselves is probably best demonstrated by Webber herself. Five years ago, then coach Gene Muller told Webber - a striker at the time - that she wouldn't make it on the international stage playing up front.
"I told him I was going to be an international player whether they liked it or not, and basically decided
that if I was going to be an international player I was going to have to move into the defence, and with some of the strengths I have, it was really a good move for me." No kidding. And look where she is today.
Renewed optimism
Both Webber and coach Ros Howell feel that the national team made a step up in 2003, notching some excellent successes, and they're approaching 2004 with renewed optimism.
"I really think we've turned around a couple of things that impacted on our performance at the 2002 World Cup", says Howell, citing the reason for the side's improvement.
At that tournament they finished a disappointing thirteenth, one place below Scotland. Last year, they thrashed the Scots 5-1, 3-1 and 2-1.
Howell admits it has been a slow, growing process, but believes the South African team has reached the next level. However, says Howell, "what is important on the world stage is to be able to do this competitively under
tournament conditions when it really counts."
It doesn't get bigger than the Olympics, and before that the SA women's team has plenty of opportunity to show that they have taken that step up. Howell says she is hesitant to make a prediction for the Olympics, but "at the Olympics anything is possible".
What price an unexpected medal in Athens?
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