Competing on the world stage as an SA Grand Masters Hockey Player,
in the 75+ age group, must be the pinnacle of achievement
for a player like Roger Mayes, who has dedicated years to the sport
Roger says “Ever since I picked up my first hockey stick, I realized it’s not just about the game.
It’s also all about camaraderie, sportsmanship and the thrill of representing my country”.
Roger has been selected to represent South Africa
at the 2024 South African Grand Masters Hockey World Cup
to be held in Cape Town and Auckland later this year.
WMH is thrilled with the number of registered teams for the WMH World Cup, 2024.
113 teams have registered for Cape Town, including 29 International Masters Cup teams,
Masters Hockey is the name given to organized hockey for players over the age of 35. It has grown to such an extent that the bi-annual world cup is now divided into two. The event scheduled for October in Cape Town is for mens age groups over 35/40/65/70/75 and womens over 35/40. Other age groups have their tournament in November in New Zealand. The Cape Town event will see 70 mens and 32 womens teams from 22 countries taking part. As each team typically consists of a squad of 18 players with a manager and coach, that amounts to around 2000 participants. Many of the players are accompanied by partners, so it is a pretty significant event for Cape Town to host. South Africa will be represented in all age groups in both the mens and womens events, whilst England Germany and Australia are also very well represented.
Roger started playing hockey as a schoolboy at a High School in the UK in 1958. He has been playing at club level ever since. Roger first took part in South Africa’s first official team at a Masters World Cup, when he was in the 60+ age group, at the event in Cape Town in 2010. He also played in the 70+ age group at the last World Cup in 2022 in Tokyo, where the team won silver. This will be the first time South Africa are entering a 75+ team. “I wonder if we might struggle against the likes of England, who are able to play together regularly at tournaments around Europe, but we have a great team and the camaraderie is top notch”.
Bluu Car Rental, one of You’ve Earned It’s strategic partners,
is sponsoring and offering all the participants special rates at the World Cup Masters Hockey tournament being held in Cape Town in October. Bluu Car Rental and Master Hockey South Africa were introduced to one another over the YEI platform by Roger whom enquired about car rental via the YEI/Bluu Car Rental Platform. From that day, a wonderful partnership has happened between Masters Hockey South Africa and Bluu Car Rental.
Images courtesy of Roger Mayes
This is the 70+ team, including myself, in our changing room at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium.
Header image courtesy of Sandton chronicle
Hockey grand masters prepare for 2024 World Cup | Sandton Chronicle (citizen.co.za)
