After 2,5 months of not being able to play underwater hockey, I was so excited to go to Interclubs on the 5th of December. Playing this tournament once again reminded me that I LOVE underwater hockey. I loved playing Interclubs with one of the most random mixed groups I've ever played with. I love that I can literally just dive in to play a tournament in another country. I loved the challenge of playing in the men's league, and also the opportunity to play some games with only girls against the U23 trialists. I love the Durban group and I love how they adopted me as part of their team. I loved seeing old friends and meeting new people, and I love how the underwater hockey is like one big family that takes care of each other - offering me to join any activity and even places to stay during the night.
The tournament feeling already started at Johannesburg airport. I immediately found some hockey players (easily recognizable by their typical bags) and joined them for a drink. The flight to Port Elizabeth was good, and I was picked up by a kind hockey player and dropped off at the group with whom I would stay that night. I stayed with the Durban boys and girls during the tournament, together with three Turks and a Portuguese. To summarise that: it was a lot of fun! Even before my arrival it became clear that this specific tournament is as much about having fun as it is about playing good hockey, and there were many jolls and braais - and of course the final function. I felt so much part of the group that I can now hardly believe that I had never met both my teammates and the other Durban people before. A big, big thanks to all of you!
I played with a team called Cape Town invitational (but it was actually more Durban ladies invitational). The Durban ladies team, who I arranged to play with, couldn't get a full team together and decided to merge with the Cape Town men. Eventually we played with a team of one Cape town man, four Durban ladies, five men from all over SA, and me. To make it even more random, we were only complete after 1.5 day of tournament, with new people arriving every other game. Considering that we weren't complete and literally met each other minutes before the game started, I think it's pretty cool that we won our first game. And although we had some tough games and didn't win many, we grew as a team during the whole tournament, and I am pretty proud of what we accomplished.
I got to play fullback the whole tournament, which I really enjoyed. Because there is no hockey in Hoedspruit, I didn't play for 2.5 months (although I did do other sports). I was a bit scared that I'd be a bit rusty and out of shape, but I was glad to notice that I still had some fitness and tricks in me. I'm very excited to start training for the Dutch elite ladies again soon! Playing that many games in a tournament is exhausting though (and not sleeping full nights doesn't help), so upon day three your entire body hurts and we were all tired. But you just keep going, play those games with all you have, and when the party starts you forget about all those bruises and sour legs!
Since I couldn’t come back to Hoedspruit in one day, I stayed in Pretoria with another hockey player on Sunday night. After lots of delicious food and a movie it was time for a really long sleep. Thanks again for letting me stay at your place Jordynne, and your mom for bringing me to the airport afterwards! I took a shuttle back to Hoedspruit, and when I was kindly picked up there by my housemates the trip had really ended.
I am so glad I took the effort to go all the way to PE to play Interclubs. I've played this tournament before in 2014, but this time was something else. Maybe underwater hockey people are a little crazy sometimes, but it's my favourite kind of crazy, and I wouldn't want a life without them. The after tournament blues (that sad feeling that it's over) has really kicked in... Not to say that I am not happy to be back in the bush working for Elephants Alive – I really am! I just wish I could be everywhere at the same time, and that amazing moments would never end. A big thanks to everyone :)
The end of this tournament marks the beginning of the end of my stay in South Africa... I'm leaving SA on Monday, and I have such mixed feelings about leaving. I'm looking forward to see my Dutch family, friends, and hockey family again soon, and to celebrate Christmas there. But I'm also so sad that this amazing experience is about to end. South Africa and it's people will always have a special place in my heart. And I’m sure I’ll be back one day!
