The Tuks men’s hockey team will try and complete a unique double when they compete at the USSA Tournament in Bloemfontein next month.
Earlier this year the team won the Varsity Tournament, so the challenge is to win USSA’s also. Last year the Tuks women’s team managed to do the double. It is quite a unique feat in student sport.
Guy Elliott (men’s hockey coach) makes it clear that the playing field will be level during the USSA Tournament.
“Tuks is certainly not the favourites because we won the Varsity Tournament. It is going to be a whole different competition. I expect there will be big changes in quite a few of the teams as the players who for academic reason were not allowed to play the Varsity Tournament will be in action in Bloemfontein. It means the various team tactics will in all probability be different.”
The Tuks team seems to still be on song as they are currently the log leaders in the Winter League, having lost only one of their six games. In spite of it, Elliott is not yet satisfied.
“I honestly feel that the team has not yet played to the best of its ability. We got the skills and attributes in every position but the players are still young, so they got so much more to learn.”
When he talks about hockey, it quickly becomes abundantly clear that Elliott is genuinely passionate about the sport and the role he as a coach can play to bring about change.
“One of the first things I always reiterate to young players is that hockey should never be the be and end-all of their lives. If it is the player is pressurising himself by thinking unnecessarily that he defines himself as a person if he plays well. Doing the right things in life has got nothing to do with how good you are on the Astroturf.”
Elliott admits to having grown as a coach over the years.
“When I started out I was a bit nervous and tended to favour a conservative game plan. I was also quite hard on my players trying to control everything. Then one day the captain spoke up and said that the players don’t like my way of doing. I realised that they were right that I needed to change the way I coach.
“I still feel very strongly about discipline and proper planning, but I changed the way I think about the game. My game plan is now more adventurous and at times can even be risky.
"During the past Varsity Tournament campaign, I also focused on remaining calmer on the bench during the games.
“One of the most important changes I made was to let the players take ownership of what happens on the field. I realise now that the players should solve problems on the field and not look to the bench for solutions because if they do, the team is going to lose. After every game, we will discuss why they felt they had to make tactical changes. I will have my opinion and the players theirs. I have since seen a marked change in the way the team plays.”
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