By Erwin Handura
Various Namibian Junior Hockey teams left for Harare, Zimbabwe on Wednesday to take part in the SADC Hockey Tournament scheduled for Saturday and Sunday between Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.
Namibia’s participation had been in doubt after the transport company that owned the busses insisted that certain Government Ministries had to pay outstanding fees before they would travel to Zimbabwe. The Ministry of Sport however came to the rescue of the teams by paying for two of the three busses (N$160 000) and by doing so reduced the players’ contribution from N$4 500 to N$2 500. This allowed a total of 96 junior hockey players, 18 officials and close to 30 parents to leave for Zimbabwe on Wednesday morning.
What started as an annual test series between the senior men's teams of Namibia and Bostwana in 1997 has developed into one of the best developmental tournaments on the African continent. This tournament caters for U14, U16 and U18 boys and girls teams as well as senior men and women's teams as well as Masters teams from the three countries, and carries the support of the African Hockey Federation.
Due to Namibian Senior Invitational teams (men and women) participating in the 2009 South African Inter Provincial tournaments (IPT), both teams will not take part in the 2009 SADC Tournament in Harare. The men took part in the recently concluded 2009 IPT held in Pietermaritzburg, while the women are currently in Pretoria taking part in the women's IPT.
The IPT offers stiff competition, and high level fitness is required to play five to six teams in a week on artificial grass. Namibian masters will also not take part in the SADC tournament in Harare.
Zimbabwe and Namibia dominated the 2008 SADC tournament which took place in Bostwana. Having home ground advantage this year, Zimbabwe will be a tough nut to crack. Zimbabwe has been a very good hockey nation over the years, and this can be validated by their women's team winning a gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Games. No other African country has ever won an Olympic hockey medal let alone a gold medal.
Namibian hopes are on the shoulders of the U14 boys and girls teams while the U16 girls could do us proud too. The other Namibian teams though, will find the going tough.