Apr 6, 2023

South African Hockey Takes Major Step Toward High-Performance Structure with Appointment of Kurt Cerfontyne as Technical Director

South African Hockey is committed to developing a high-performance structure that will enable its national teams to achieve their full potential on the international stage. To achieve this goal, the organization has embarked on a process to develop a professional support structure for its national coaches and players. As part of this effort, South African Hockey is establishing a High-Performance Support team that will include a player welfare portfolio. These initiatives are expected to have a significant impact on the performance of South African hockey at both the national and international levels.

To kick off this initiative, South African Hockey has appointed Kurt Cerfontyne as the Technical Director for both the men’s and women’s programs, for the senior and U21 11-a-side teams. Cerfontyne has a wealth of experience in hockey coaching, having worked as Western Province Hockey Unions HP coaching coordinator since 2014 and been the women’s senior team’s technical director since April 2022. He has also previously served as the head coach for the SA U21s as well as assistant coach to Giles Bonnet and Sheldon Rostron.

In his role as technical director, he will be responsible for the following aspects amongst others:

  • Advising the Head Coach on Technical and Tactical Aspects
  • Supporting the Head Coach in managing and delivering the SA Hockey Program
  • Assisting in developing and building a team culture of excellence
  • Developing sound relationships with team staff and players
  • Mentorship, support, development, and education of identified coaches
  • Developing and implementing a coach evaluation system
  • Supporting the Strategic Objectives of SA Hockey

South African Hockey’s focus on creating a high-performance structure and professional support structure for its coaches and players demonstrates its commitment to excellence in the sport. These initiatives are expected to elevate the level of play in South African hockey and put the national teams on a path to success on the international stage.

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