A new year with new challenges, but the results seem to stay the same when the Tuks men's hockey team take to the Astroturf. They win when it matters.
The past weekend in Durban, they were crowned USSA champions for the second consecutive time.
The Tuks boys' campaign started with a slight hiccup when they drew the first game against Varsity College. The score was 2-all. But from then, there was no stopping the "Striped Team." In their next four games, Tuks scored 20 goals and only conceded 4.
In the semifinals, Tuks thrashed Wits 6-0, and in the final against Maties, the score was 4-1.
Sian Maart ascribed the team's success to them, creating many more chances and being clinical when it mattered most.
"Also, we tried to be disciplined and not receive many cards. To be honest, we were the more experienced team. We scored goals, defended well, and tactically knew what we were doing, which won us games.
It is no secret anymore what the Tuks captain's, Guy Morgan, hobby is. It is scoring goals. The more, the better. He scored seven goals in five games during the USSA Tournament. At last year's Varsity Cup final, Morgan scored a hat-trick to help Tuks win.
Scoring goals is not Morgan's only attribute. He plays as a centre-back. Those who had seen him play describe him as "general" on defence.
"Centre back is exciting. You got to always be on the ball and continually thinking. You can't afford to make mistakes if you are the near-last line of defence. Behind you is only the goalkeeper," is the motto Morgan abides by.
Drag flicking is his other speciality, or one could say passion. According to Morgan, it takes hours of practice to master the art of drag flicking.
The Tuks captain is also rated as a drag-flick specialist. To him, the perfect execution of technique is of cardinal importance. That is why ever so often, he would go practice hitting up to 150 balls in a session.
Tuks's women's hockey team finished third at the USSA Tournament.
Tuks's netball team lost 49-42 against Maties in the USSA final played in Stellenbosch.
According to Tuks's captain, Kamogelo Maseko, she and her teammates got unstuck in the third quarter. That was what cost them the game.
A definite highlight from a Tuks perspective was the heroics of the men's indoor volleyball team. They finished third in the USSA Tournament played in Polokwane. It was the first time the men's team medalled at the tournament.
Another good result for Tuks was Helena Coetzee contesting the women's A-final during the USSA Tournament in Johannesburg. Unfortunately, she lost.
Tuks's karatekas won three gold medals during the USSA Tournament in East London.
Tiané de Bod won gold in the kumite under-61kg category (red to black belts). She also won bronze in the kata. Kira Reddy won gold in the kumite in the under-68kg category (red to black belts).
Nyeleti Sithole was victorious in the under-75kg kumite category for men (green to purple belts). He has got an interesting story to tell. While at primary school, Sithole was an avid karateka. But then he had to give up the sport. Only ten years later, when he started to study at Tuks, he took up karate again. According to him, he had to relearn everything.
Tuks finished sixth overall in the team competition.
Tuks's rugby team, unfortunately, lost on Saturday against Maties in Durban. The score was 25-10. The best they can hope for now is to finish fifth in the USSA Tournament.