2 November 2023
Hockey players know that goalkeepers are a special breed. They also require special training. In December an exceptional opportunity, open to both players and coaches, will be presented at a camp at Hilton College featuring the best hockey goalkeeper coach in the game, Martin Drijver.
Top coaching will also be on offer for outfielders.
Drijver, known as ‘The Goalie Guru‘, is a full-time goalkeeper coach and has trained net-minders around the world, including in South Africa, The Netherlands, Spain, India, and Malaysia, among others.
Goalies that have received tutelage from him have appeared in seven Olympic Games, including Great Britain legend Maddie Hinch and Ireland’s David Harte.
Hinch was responsible for one of the all-time great penalty shootout performances in history in the final of the 2016 Rio Olympics, which helped Great Britain capture the gold medal in an upset of a formidable Dutch team.
Drijver has a goalkeeper academy in The Netherlands, known as The Drijver Goalie Academy.
Drijver Goalie Academy – YouTube
Top support
He will be assisted by Chaka Ngubane, who also boasts a fine goalkeeping coaching CV. Ngubane, whose current work includes tutoring goalies at Hilton College, St John’s DSG, Michaelhouse, St Anne’s and Maritzburg College, has 12 years of goalkeeping specialist coaching experience to his name.
While at school, he earned national colours at the under-16 and under-17 levels. He has since coached seven goalkeepers who have made South African Schools.
The latest is Maritzburg College’s Nick Holmes, who will be jetting off to Malaysia with the national under-17 side, for the Mirnawan Cup, which takes place from 18-26 November.
Outfielders
The coaching for outfielders will be led by Hilton College’s 1st team coach, former South African international Damian Kimfley, a South African Hockey Association (SAHA) and International Hockey Federation (FIH) level 3 coach.
Kimfley is also the head coach of the KZN Inland u18A team and assistant coach of the KZN Raiders. Under his guidance, the Hilton 1st XI finished 2023 ranked second in the country. In 2022, his side was ranked number one.
Dates, ages, costs
The camp takes place from 6-8 December, and all levels of hockey players are welcome, with the event catering for boys and girls from ages 10 to 18.
Participants will be able to stay either on or off the beautiful Hilton College campus during the event. Meals are offered with either option.
Cost to Stay on Campus – R2 790
Stay Off Campus – R2 290
Crucially, the camp is open to coaches at a special rate. For those staying on campus, with accommodation and food provided, the cost is R1 990. The off-campus cost is only R1 490.
To secure your place, please click on the link –
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