NAMIBIA’s national women’s hockey coach Erwin Handura has named a young side to take on South Africa in a test series in Johannesburg at the end of this month.
Most of the 20 squad members are still under 23 years of age, while several players, like Danja Meyer, Tara Myburgh, Cele Wessels, Joane van Rooyen and Kiana Cormack are still at school.
The only experienced players in the team, in fact, are captain Maggy Mengo, goal keeper Petro Stoffberg, Jerrica Bartlett, Sunelle Ludwig, Gillian Hermanus and Jocelle Deysel.
Stoffberg and the experienced defender Deysel return to the squad after missing the recent Zambia test series, while Phea Gerber is also back in the squad.
After their recent 3-0 test series win against Zambia, Namibia will now face a much tougher proposition against South Africa in another three-test series in Johannesburg from 24 to 26 May.
In South Africa is ranked 15th in the world in field hockey, while Namibia is ranked 42nd and Handura said the series will provide invaluable experience for his young side.
“The series against South Africa will provide us with a good yardstick to measure our progress, and will help us determine which areas to improve upon,” he said.
“Since the Zambia series we have been training four times a week while we are also playing practise matches against men’s teams. But six of our players are studying in South Africa so they will only join up with the team in Johannesburg,” he added.
The series against South Africa will provide a final warm up opportunity before the crucial Olympic Games qualifying tournament in Valencia, Spain in June.
Both Namibia and South Africa will be in action in Valencia so the series will be important for both countries as they finalise preparations for Valencia.
Namibia will play in Group A along with Belarus, Canada and Spain, while South Africa will play in Group B along with Italy, Wales and Thailand.
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the semifinals, with the two finalists qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The Namibian squad is as follows:
Magreth Mengo (captain), Petro Stoffberg, Jerrica Bartlett, Sunelle Ludwig, Gillian Hermanus, Kiana Cormack, Dure Boshoff, Tara Myburgh, Danja Meyer, Cele Wessels, Berencia Diamond, Jahntwa Kruger, Emilia Kashopola, Jivanka Kruger, Joane van Rooyen, Phea Gerber and Jocelle Deysel.
The non-travelling reserves are Amber Dercksen, Vicky Stiemert and Ina Louis.
Besides Handura, the rest of the coaching staff consists of assistant coach Randy Slabbert, team manager Rachel Freeman, fitness manager Manuel Carballo and video analyst Maryke Short.
