Our mission is to develop competitive, skilled, and passionate hockey players in a positive and enthusiastic environment. With top-tier coaching, we aim to instill excellence, lifelong enjoyment of the sport, and a strong sense of teamwork and sportsmanship. Our goal is to make SACS the leading choice of school for hockey in Cape Town, encouraging students to continue playing hockey beyond school as part of a well-rounded education.
SACS fields 17 teams who play weekly fixtures in the Western Province Schools Premier League, alongside our older, traditional derby fixtures. Our coaching team includes international coaches and former elite players, nurturing talent from U14 to U19A. Notable coaches include Jody Erasmus, Pierre le Roux (ex-SA Indoor Men’s coach, WP Elite Men’s Trainer), Sam Holmes (WP Grand Challenge coach, FIH Level 3), James Peverley (ex-WPCC Men’s 1st coach, SAHA Level 3), Zenani Kraai (SA Men’s player), Nathan Ansell (SA U21 captain), Damian Knott (SA U21), and Goalkeeping Coach Rob McKinley (WP Men’s GK).
Our state-of-the-art, water-based Astroturf, complete with floodlights, hosts Friday night games under the ‘Friday Night Lights,’ creating a great atmosphere and drawing hundreds of supporters to cheer from natural banks surrounding the pitch. Our tuckshop serves hot food and beverages, and games are often live-streamed for wider audiences.
Our teams train three times a week with structured, high-intensity sessions, supplemented by video analysis to review game performance. SACS also provides a hockey-specific strength and conditioning program, high-performance training, and hockey camps. All practices are monitored to be at a high intensity to replicate the demands that our players would face in fixtures.
Annually, U19, U16, and U14 teams—including ‘B’ teams—tour top festivals across South Africa, and the 1st team also competes in the Cape Town International Schools Hockey Festival each July (winners in 2019). In 2023 and 2024, the U19A team toured the Netherlands, facing top club teams.
SACS has been ranked the top hockey school in South Africa for the past two years. In 2024, we had 32 Western Province players and 7 South African representatives. Additionally, one old boy joined the SA Men’s team, with two old boys and one current student in the SA U21 squad. Many SACS old boys continue to play in top Western Province leagues and internationally, reflecting the strong foundation and passion for hockey we foster in our players.
In 2024, SACS hosted its first men’s hockey test matches, welcoming teams from South Africa, the Netherlands, India, and France, as well as women’s test matches between South Africa and Germany.
SACS hockey is proud to be among the top hockey schools globally. Our policies and coaching continually raise standards, embracing innovative techniques and tactics to push the boundaries of the sport.
