This season has been exceptional for Border hockey with the promotion of teams to the interprovincial tournament (IPT) A-section for 2024 but staying there will be a challenge, as problems with failing infrastructure and dwindling financial support continue.
This year, Border U13A girls’ and senior women’s sides claimed first places in their IPTs with promotion back into the A-section for the first time in almost eight years. This season, Border produced SA schools’ hockey players and Bianca Wood and Antonet Louw were picked for the national team. Border Hockey president Nick Flavio said the success of the teams had electrified hockey in the region, but it increased pressure on the executive to find solutions to failing infrastructure at Buffalo Flats Astroturf and Buco Astroturf.
This needed to be resolved to prepare the teams to compete against better resourced sides at the 2024 IPT, which had been moved three months earlier than usual to April next year.
Buco Astroturf is eight years beyond its replacement date and this year, the facility was hit hard with vandalism, break-ins and storm damage.
This has meant that Border’s revenue generation capacity has fallen significantly.
Leasing disputes with BCMM regarding the Buco Astro has also made it difficult for Border to obtain insurance and their 18-month lease is up for review with the municipality later this year.
Border was given R30,000 from the department of sports, recreation and arts and culture in August to enable the men’s and women’s sides to travel to the IPT in Durban but this did not come close to the R180,000 cost.
To prepare for next year, Border Hockey will be finalising selections for the 2024 IPT sides by October and will run a full summer league along with a super league next year.
Border U13A administrator Ayandiswa Sowazi said securing promotion confirmed that Border had the capacity to excel. The U13As defeated Eastern Gauteng 2-1 and Border’s Estelle Marx was awarded top goal scorer in the B-section.
“We need more facilities in the disadvantaged areas. Resurfacing the Buffalo Flats astro would make a huge difference,” Sowazi said.
 A-section for 2024 but staying there will be a challenge, as problems with failing infrastructure and dwindling financial support continue.){kind=link}