#TuksHockey: Pure passion is why, Jean-Leigh du Toit, will represent South Africa at her second FIH Women’s World Cup tournament this year

Posted on May 25, 2022

The one thing that becomes abundantly clear when talking with Jean-Leigh du Toit is that hockey is genuinely her first love. She recently graduated having obtained a BIS Information Science qualification at UP-Tuks.

It is guaranteed that the conversation will be peppered with phrases like the overhead pass . . . drag-flick . . . teamwork . . . composure. The Tuks player can't help to do so. 

"'What I like about hockey is that it boils down to continuous hard-hitting action. I won't lie . . . hockey is demanding. You got to be physically and mentally on top of your game. You also got to be able to master the technical side of things."

Du Toit's passion is undoubtedly paying dividends. In July, she will represent the South Africa senior women's national field hockey team at the 2022 Women's FIH Hockey World Cup. It will be the second time this year; that she is playing in an FIH Women’s World Cup tournament.

In April, she starred for South Africa during the 2021 Women's FIH Hockey Junior World Cup in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Du Toit scored two goals. She is pretty proud of her achievement. According to her being a defender does not mean she can't score goals. 

"I consider myself to be an attacking defender. My best traits are my overhead passes and out letting skills. To me, playing hockey is a forever quest for perfection. That is why I am continuously setting myself new goals. I won't quit until I have achieved what I set out to do."  

If there is one thing the Tuks player is serious about, it is to master the art of being a drag-flicker. 

"Our coach at Tuks, Inky Zondi, emphasises that games are being won or lost by drag-flicks. That is why weekly, those who feel up to it got to flick at least 100 balls. 

"What is exciting about being part of the senior national women's team is that we got someone taking videos of your drag-flick technique. It is then analysed by a coach in the Netherlands who is continuously finding ways in which you can finetune your skills."

Du Toit considers the TuksHockey alumni, Matthew Guise-Brown, as a she looks up to. 

"He has fantastic composure on the ball and can execute massive overheads. He is also drag-flick artist par excellence. If I can be half as good as he is, I will be happy," the 20-year old said. 

The other Tuks players selected for South Africa at the upcoming 2022 Women's FIH Hockey World Cup are Marizen Marais (alumna), Phumelela Mbande (alumna), Edith Molikoe, Hanrie Louw and Onthatile Zulu. The tournament is being hosted by the Netherlands and Spain. 

South Africa is in Pool D with Australia, Belgium and Japan. Their World Cup campaign starts off against Belgium at the Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa, Terrassa in Spain on 3 July. 

- Author Wilhelm De Swardt

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