Kimberlite Fawaaz Kahder has been selected in the 18-member South Africa A Under-21 hockey squad which will play in the Senior Men’s Inter-Provincial Hockey Tournament in Pretoria, as well as in the Sultan of Joha Cup which will be staged in Malaysia in October.
Kimberlite Fawaaz Kahder has been selected in the 18-member South Africa A Under-21 hockey squad which will play in the Senior Men’s Inter-Provincial Hockey Tournament (IPT) in Pretoria, as well as in the Sultan of Joha Cup which will be staged in Malaysia in October.
According to the youngster’s representative, his father Rahiem Kahder, this call-up is phase one of three on route to the Junior Hockey World Cup that will also be held in Malaysia in December next year. On this journey, selected players will have to attend a number of high performance camps and play in a three-match series.
“Fawaaz is from Kimberley, and has been chosen for the SA Under-21 hockey team set to play in the IPT Men’s tournament in Pretoria from 28 August to 3 September. Then in October the team leaves for Malaysia to play in the Sultan of Joha cup from October 22-29,” Fawaaz’s father told the DFA.
“They will also play in the Junior Hockey World Cup next year. He’s also been selected for the SA men’s indoor 28-man squad which will play in the men’s indoor (tournament) here at home as well as the Indoor Hockey World Cup next year.”
Fawaaz who is currently in camp with the squad in Gauteng spoke to the DFA about his love for the game of hockey. “My love for sport started with cricket from a very young age but by the time the hockey season started I was in Grade 4 in 2013.
“This was the first time I got my hands on a hockey stick. My friends called me to come and help out and play as a goalkeeper. Right there and then I was fascinated by the way they turned their sticks in their hands to control the ball,” he said.
“By the time I was in Grade 6 my coach noticed that I would add better value to the team as an infield player. Little did I know this would be the key that would open so many doors for me.
“After that I made the Northern Cape Under-13 A team that would (later that year) play in Durban. The following year in 2017, in my final year at Herlear Primary School, I made the Northern Cape Under-14 A team.
“From there I was scouted by the late South African hockey legend Allistar Fredericks. He gave me and a number of boys and girls the opportunity to join the Allistar Fredericks Hockey Trust Fund which he ran through Beaulieu College, a small private school in the North of Johannesburg.
“A month or two after he (Fredericks) got in contact with us he invited us to come for testing at the school. The tests consisted of a maths, English, Afrikaans and hockey skills test.
“Thankfully I passed them all and was accepted at Beaulieu College. My journey in Johannesburg started in 2017. I had a tough first year not making any provincial team and not going on an IPT. In January 2018 I was part of a group that travelled Europe playing indoor hockey and what an experience that was! Being exposed to world class facilities and watching teams play that I had only read about.
“This tournament aided my self-confidence and self-belief. Later that year I made the Southern Gauteng Under-16 A team. We went on to win our IPT and I got selected for the South African Under-16 High Performance Team.
“Moving on I made the Under-16 A Gauteng Gryphons indoor team. We placed second at the Pro Series Indoor tournament which was held annually in Cape Town. From this tournament I made the Under-16 All Star side. The year 2019 set out to be a promising year as I made the Southern Gauteng Under-18 A team, Southern Gauteng mens indoor B team and the Gauteng Gryphons Under-18 A team.
“My team ended up winning the PSI Under-18 tournament that year. In my Grade 11 year I made the Southern Gauteng men’s indoor A team but unfortunately broke my wrist just before the tournament. My recovery was supposed to take six months, meaning I would miss the entire hockey season. But it was cut short by Covid-19.
“This meant I had no rush with my recovery process and that when we were eventually allowed to play I was back in full swing. In my matric year in 2021 I was elected as head boy of Beaulieu College which was an amazing achievement and a massive learning curve.
“I made the Southern Gauteng mens indoor A side as well as the Southern Gauteng Under-21 A team. Unfortunately both tournaments were cancelled due to Covid-19 once again.
“This year, after completing matric, I chose to stay in Johannesburg and study for my boilermaking degree whilst staying with my coach. This allowed me to balance my studies, sport and coaching.
“This year I trialled for the Southern Gauteng Under-21 squad and made the A team. We went on our IPT in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and we came out victorious, winning gold. A month later the SA squad of 38 hockey players was announced and my name was on the list.
“We were later informed that this squad would have a SA camp to help the players fight for a place in an 18-man squad that will take part in the senior men’s IPT this August in Pretoria. That same team will also travel to Malaysia in October to play in the Sultan of Joha Cup.
“Next year the full squad of 38 players will regroup for more SA camps and series to prepare for the Junior Hockey World Cup to be held in Malaysia in December 2023.”
Kahder, far from forgetting his roots, also paid tribute to the people that had started him on his hockey journey.
“I’d like to say thank you to the club that kick started my career, Homevale Hockey Club. They laid the foundation for me to be where I am today. A wholesome group of individuals and together a formidable force,” he said.
He added: “A club that pushes and encourages the youth, helping them in any way possible. Donovan Fredericks, Rory Isaacs and Neil Alexander, just to name a few, were my seniors at Homevale.”
