Human Interest |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Cape Town, RSA |
Sport Specific Information |
Club / Team |
Western Province: South Africa |
Further Personal Information |
Higher education |
University of KwaZulu-Natal: Durban, RSA |
General Interest |
Hobbies |
Surfing, running, swimming. (Twitter profile, 31 Mar 2014) |
Injuries |
He tore his hamstring 90 seconds into his debut for South Africa in 2007. He missed a month of action. (iol.co.za, 25 Apr 2012; Gryphon South Africa, 22 Feb 2011) |
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs |
He ties his shoelaces before the warm up and then after the huddle before the game starts. (iol.co.za, 25 Apr 2012) |
Memorable sporting achievement |
Walking onto the field and singing the national anthem with his team at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. (mrpricesport.com, 19 Feb 2014) |
Famous relatives |
His father Alan played hockey for Rhodesia and coached the South African men's team. His mother represented South Africa 'A', and his brother Taine has also played the sport at international level. (mrpricesport.com, 19 Feb 2014; iol.co.za, 25 Apr 2012; Athlete, 07 Oct 2010) |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
His parents played hockey and encouraged him to take up the sport too. |
General Interest |
Hero / Idol |
Dutch hockey player Teun de Nooijer. (Athlete, 07 Oct 2010) |
Awards and honours |
He was KwaZulu Natal's 2013 Player of the Year. (dnfever.mobi, 30 Oct 2013)
He was named Sportsman of the Year by KwaZulu Natal Hockey in 2009. (Athlete, 07 Oct 2010). |
Sport Specific Information |
Name of coach |
Fabian Gregory [national] |
Preferred position / style / stance / technique |
Midfield |
International Debut |
Year |
2007 |
Competing for |
South Africa |
Opponent |
Scotland |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete, Sales |
Languages |
Afrikaans, English |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Pates (Athlete, 07 Oct 2010) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"What you put in is what you get out." (Athlete, 07 Oct 2010) |
Other information |
LEADER He is captain of the national team, having first been given the honour when Austin Smith was injured at the 2011 African Olympic qualifier in Zimbabwe. "It was a great honour and an incredible feeling." (dispatch.co.za, 20 Mar 2014; iol.co.za, 25 Apr 2012) |
Most influential person in career |
His family and friends. (mrpricesport.com, 19 Feb 2014) |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
He began playing hockey at such a young age that he can not remember when he first picked up a stick. |
International Debut |
Location |
Pretoria |