Port Elizabeth local Cody van Wyk followed his hockey dreams to the city where dreams come true in and have since come into fruition in 2018.
Marked as a South African hockey great at the tender age of 17, Van Wyk has since competed at the Youth Olympic Games in 2014, played in U18 Test Series vs Australia in 2014, went to the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in China, was a member of the South Africa U21 squad in 2015, and played in the Premier Hockey League (PHL) in 2016 and 2017 for the Drakensberg Dragons.
The former Rhodes University student is currently playing for Wits in Varsity Hockey, where the boys from Braamfontein are third on the overall table as they head to the second leg of tournament.
Van Wyk, who is currently studying a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Environmental Sciences became endeared to his beloved sport in the unlikeliest of ways.
“I first started playing hockey at the age of 6, when my mother brought back a spare hockey stick for me to use from the school that she was teaching at, and I have played the sport ever since.”
The former Grey High student believes that playing hockey in Port Elizabeth gave him the skills to progress in the sport.
“The level in Port Elizabeth was quite competitive, as I played school hockey, as well as, club hockey at Lakeside Cavaliers hockey club.
“Our derby fixtures against Paul Roos Gymnasium and our fixtures against our brother school, Grey College in Bloemfontein, would be our biggest hockey rivals. Selbourne, St Andrew’s College and Queens are very competitive games as well.”
The Youth Olympian originally attended Rhodes University where he played for the men’s first team but because the Grahamstown university was not in Varsity Hockey, after receiving a scholarship to Wits University, it was a no brainer for him to chase his ambitions North.
Van Wyk is adamant that Varsity Hockey is imperative to his development as a player.
“Varsity Hockey has given me a solid foundation for big tournaments such as the annual Men’s inter-provincial tournaments and the PHL. The dedicated gym and conditioning programs allowed me to improve my field-based performances and I look forward to the next phase and stages of this season.
“With the introduction of dedicated sporting programs at various universities, the level of university hockey has definitely increased and is now starting to serve as a feeder system for players to reach higher levels within the sport.”
The second leg of Varsity Hockey is this weekend at the TuksSports Astro, with the semi-finals taking place on Monday. All games on Sunday and Monday will be televised on SuperSport 210.
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