The NWU Education graduate is one of 16 squad members chosen to represent the South African Women’s hockey team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Maddocks tells OFM News that she is still in disbelief as she was not expecting it at all. She says that their preparations ahead of departure to the Olympic Games include three centralised camps of which one is a holding camp that will take place early in July. Maddocks adds that she is proud to be representing her country and making her debut at the world’s most renowned sporting event.

Maddocks says, “I didn’t set myself a personal goal in saying that I’d like to play the Olympic Games, it was more for me about receiving my first international cap. So from there on, I was quite driven. My motivation came from my family, especially my brother. He kept me quite motivated, especially during lockdown, to keep working hard towards my goals. So my family plays a huge role in why I chose hockey and also why I would love to go and represent South Africa at the Olympic Games."

“I am quite excited for the journey ahead but also quite nervous not knowing what to expect. The emotions are all over the place, however, I am quite keen for the new adventures that lie ahead,” assures Maddocks.

Maddocks started playing the sport as a tender seven-year-old and her passion and love for hockey continued to grow throughout her school career. She went on to pursue her undergraduate degree in Education, at the North-West University in Potchefstroom, where she represented the university's first ladies hockey team from 2017.  Two years of diligence and hard work were then rewarded with her announcement as the captain of the NWU hockey team.

She adds that a huge part of her motivation to play the game and her growing love for hockey comes from her parents who were both provincial hockey players. She says that her brother, Melrick Maddocks, remains a big contributor to her perseverance and that he kept her motivated when she needed a pick-me-up. Maddocks says her family has been her biggest support system thus far and that she has them to thank for the wonderful opportunity to represent her country at the upcoming Olympic Games.

“I’d really love to go to Tokyo. But other than that I think I’m just quite excited for another experience overseas and being able to meet different people once again,” concludes Maddocks.

OFM News/Lee Simmons