APHIWE XANTI AND ONELA RUNGQU
The Phoenix Sports Club men’s Premier League hockey team reached a historic milestone after winning their first-ever Border Premier League Championship title.
This achievement follows decades of hard work and has instilled a sense of immense pride in their supporters and community.
Phoenix started off as a community-based women’s hockey club before being re-established in 1996 by Margareth “Bessie” Adams.
Over three decades, it has evolved into a competitive multi-code sporting organisation built on youth development, inclusion, family, and a deep sense of belonging.
In its early years, Phoenix consisted primarily of women’s teams competing in the Border Hockey Association leagues.
While Adams focused on the women’s competition, her husband, Elroy “H’ie” Adams, began laying the foundations for what would eventually become the Phoenix men’s hockey programme which has now developed in to a champion team.
“Elroy gathered young boys from the streets and surrounding community of Vergenoeg, also known as Beverly Hills, and made sure they attended hockey development sessions every Saturday at the Buffalo Flats Astro Turf,” Phoenix club chair, Sherwin Davids said.
The youngsters soon were playing senior league hockey and began attending the annual KC March Easter Festival.
At just 12 or 13 years old, they faced playing against established adult players with significantly more experience.
Although, the club at the time was still in its infancy, having to face crushing setbacks, including heavy 19–0 and 17–1 defeats, upon reaching the top flight – these setbacks did not break the players’ spirit.
That perseverance culminated in 2026 success when the men’s premier league side finally claimed their landmark title.
Davids said this triumph is for everyone – past to present – who has been a part of the Phoenix journey, adding that while former members may not have received a medal themselves, their contributions would be forever engraved on the trophy.
The 2026 championship run was galvanised by head coach Sherwin Smith, who initially joined the club as a cricket player before stepping up to coach the hockey side.
“I play cricket for Phoenix, so the love I have for the club inspired me to be the hockey coach,” Smith said.
“When I started, there were operational issues and not many pitching up for at training. So I had to focus more on fitness and the technical part of their game.”
Smith said the team had their focus tested when a month-long league break threatened to derail their momentum.
”“But we overcame those challenges by working hard and keeping the morale high.”
The turning point came in a high-stakes fixture against a formidable side from Komani – a match Smith identified as the ultimate hurdle.
The hockey triumph also highlights broader growth within the club. Following a merger with Yadacc, Phoenix introduced a cricket division that won the Promotion League in the 2023/2024 season, before going on to secure a top-six finish in their Premier League debut.
To ensure all local youth have access to sport, Phoenix eliminated general club membership fees for its hockey players this season.
Players are only required to cover their SA Hockey Association registration and a R40 match-fee contribution, with monthly fundraising drives and regional support from the department of sport, recreation, arts and culture that covers operational costs.
“Like our motto says, we continue to rise from the ashes,” Davids said.
“The trophy belongs to the 2026 team, but the victory belongs to generations of Phoenix people.
For Smith and his squad, the focus now shifts toward maintaining those high standards as the club prepares for national exposure and defending its newly won crown.
