Alistar Fredericks the late Olympian hockey player will be honoured posthumously by his club W Pescod Hockey and former teammates with an Easter hockey tournament in Kimberley from 15-17 April. Picture: Supplied.
WILLIAM Pescod Hockey Club will celebrate its 40th anniversary by hosting the annual KC March Easter Tournament at the Northern Cape astro turf in Cassandra and the CBC School artificial turf from April 15-17.
Glen Christians chairman of William Pescod Hockey Club said in a statement: “As part of the celebration of their anniversary the South African Hockey Association has granted (us) the opportunity to host the annual National KC March Easter Tournament. The event is named after sport administrator and hockey ambassador Kenneth March. The tournament has been hosted annually since its inception in 1997.”
Men’s and Women’s teams from across the country will be participating in the three-day tournament. The 12 travelling teams are mainly from East London, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg. The tournament is considered as a showcase of top quality and entertaining hockey as many national and former national players represent their clubs.
Former national players who will be participating this year are Julian Hykes, Reeza Rosenburg (Old Kimberlite) and Melrick Maddocks (current squad member) who are all plying their trade at the Beaulieu Hockey Club in Kimberley.
The tournament has a rich history of developing, nurturing and grooming young hockey players. It is a prestigious event that has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 1997.
Christian’s statement continued: “The tournament has also ensured the unity in society to grow with an emphasis on the principle of Ubuntu. As part of the 40th anniversary of William Pescod Hockey Club the tournament will posthumously honour the late Allistar Fredericks, a former player of the club.
“Fredericks was once selected as the first non-white player to represent South Africa at the 1994 Hockey World Cup in Sydney, Australia and at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the US.
“He played for William Pescod Hockey Club from 1982-1994 before he relocated to Johannesburg in order to further improve his hockey and participate in a more competitive league than that of the Northern Cape.”
The MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Desery Fienies saw an even larger impact of the tournament. “The tournament is a catalyst of opportunities for the players participating, and coupled to this, it is also a platform where social cohesion and nation building can be promoted and enhanced.
“It also provides the players with the opportunity to showcase their talent and potential to build the brand of hockey as it is still a sport that needs to grow and expand itself, particularly in the Northern Cape.”
Fienies further said “As the provincial government we would like the visiting players and team management to grasp this wonderful opportunity and explore and experience the beauty and the rich history of our province and the city of Kimberley. (We hope) that they will be exposed to the true hospitality and friendliness of the people of the Northern Cape.”
William Pescod Hockey has invited the public to their hockey games and to support the local and visiting men’s and women’s hockey teams now that the Government has amended the Covid-19 regulations regarding spectators at sport tournaments.
Christians concluded: “This is surely music to the club’s ears, as we can now start to normalise sport in the post COVID-19 era.
“However all players, managers, coaches and spectators are reminded that Covid is still hovering around us and we must not let our guard down in our continuous battle in overcoming it,” he added.