Keith Fairweather, the Australia Schools Hockey team chaperone on their recent SA tour and boys and girls three-match series against SA U18 boys and girls, says:

AN OPEN LETTER OF SINCERE THANKS AND CONGRATULATIONS

Hard work, commitment, dedication, self-sacrifice and passion etc. are attributes of many teachers, coaches, managers and school leaders… They all deserve a big pat on the back and recognition for their service and their servant-leadership, which often goes unnoticed and acclaimed.

I’d like to take this opportunity of commending and congratulating KZN Schools’ Hockey’s Wayne Marsden, Brandon Swart, Charmaine Koekemoer, Karen Sharratt, Sharmin Naidoo, Kurt Nero, Joy Pieterson, Paul Gonlag and Jason Lawrence for their leadership, management and big-picture vision in hosting the premier national schools’ hockey tournaments over the June/July holidays.

Their collective hard work, commitment, dedication, self-sacrifice and passion over the past months, and the past weeks has resulted in a real CELEBRATION AND FESTIVAL OF GIRLS’ AND BOYS’ HOCKEY in Pietermaritzburg.

The iWYZE National Schoolboys’ and Schoolgirls’ U18 A and U18 B Hockey Nationals; the iWYZE National Schoolboys’ and Schoolgirls’ U13 A and U13 B Hockey Nationals; the iWYZE National Schoolboys’ and Schoolgirls’ U16 A and U16 B Hockey Nationals, plus the fantastic SA U18 Schoolboys’ and Schoolgirls’ three-match international series against the Australian U17 Schoolboys’ and Schoolgirls’ hockey teams were all hosted in Pietermaritzburg, with the local organising committee (LOC) and the South African Schools’ Hockey administration (SASHOC) team based at Maritzburg College, AB Jackson hockey stadium, the University of KwaZulu-Natal hockey stadium, and Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High.

Wayne Marsden, Brandon Swart, and Charmaine Koekemoer, who each carried several portfolios, and their terrific TEAM of school teachers, coaches, managers, and school leaders deserve great applause, acclamation and appreciation. Well done. Thank you very much from all of us who love hockey and school sport. #proud #camaraderie #sportsmanship #teamwork #leadership #iwyze