Knysna’s budding hockey star

KNYSNA NEWS – We might have our next hockey star on Knysna's shores already. Young Anja Barnard was the only player from the Eden U14 Girls Team to be included in the Western Cape U14 Girls Hockey Team, which went on to win the SA School Sport Winter Championship.

In the four-day tournament, from 12 to 15 July, the WC U14 girls played against North West, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo to qualify for the semi-finals against Eastern Cape. After a triumph there, they made the final where they faced Free State and won 2-1.

While hockey is a team sport, Anja's contribution to the side was invaluable.

As the goalkeeper, she only conceded two goals throughout the duration of the tournament. The WC team also went unbeaten from start to finish.

Anja Barnard, in orange, in action for Western Cape.

More about Anja

Anja Barnard (13) is a born and raised Knysnarian. She has been attending Oakhill School from Grade 000 right through to Grade 8 this year. It didn't take long for her interest in hockey to spark up, as she started playing the sport she loves in Grade 2.

"Hitting a ball with a stick looked like fun," Anja quips over why she chose to take up hockey. The bug bit, and two years later, in Grade 4, she started playing goalkeeper.

While she's been playing hockey from a very young age, this year was the first time she was able to attend both Eden and Western Cape trials - and she ensured that the opportunity did not go to waste. After being selected for Eden, Anja was called up to the U14 Western Cape team and the rest, as they say, is history.

"I enjoyed the challenge of playing hockey at such a high level," Anja says, reminiscing on the tournament.

"The other girls on the team are excellent hockey players, and it was amazing to be part of the WC U14 girls team. I was happy to form new friendships with my teammates and I hope to see them on the field again."

She is immensely grateful toward the coaches who've helped hone her skill.

"I have to thank my goalie coach, Mandilakhe Phantsi - without his coaching, support and advice I would never have made the team.

"I also have to thank coach Justin Damons who worked really hard on motivating me and improving my fitness levels, and the other coaches at Oakhill for their continued support," she says.

"Coach Darryl Christians (WC coach) and Imke Neveling (WC team manager) were absolutely awesome during the SA School Sport Winter Championship."

Prior to her success with the WC U14 team, Anja had represented the Knysna Elephants at the PSI Coastal Nationals 2021 and the PSI Coastal InterCity 2022.

"Knysna Elephants didn't have enough players to put together a girls team, and when I was asked to represent the boys team because they needed a goalkeeper, I was ready to take up the challenge. I earned Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the PSI Coastal Nationals (B Section)."

She has some lofty aspirations for the future. "I plan to take my hockey as far as I possibly can. My dream is to play professionally and represent my country internationally. I intend to work really hard to achieve these goals. You might just see me playing at the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup or the 2028 Olympics."

The U14 Western cape girls team that won the SA Winter Championship.