SA Teams Getting a Mighty Hiding

JungleBoy

JungleBoy

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First it was Banyana's dismal showing against Sweden and Canada (They lost both games 4 -1 and 3 -0)
Then the ladies Hockey team got trashed by Argentina ( 7-1). The men's hockey team also got thrashed by Australia (6 -0).
My problem is these are team sports and probably use up the majority of the budget and yet don't seem to have any hope of achieving any silverware. Maybe we need to re-focus our attention on individual events. It will cost less and they will have more resources for intensive preparation. What do you guys think?
 
JungleBoy said:
First it was Banyana's dismal showing against Sweden and Canada (They lost both games 4 -1 and 3 -0)
Then the ladies Hockey team got trashed by Argentina ( 7-1). The men's hockey team also got thrashed by Australia (6 -0).
My problem is these are team sports and probably use up the majority of the budget and yet don't seem to have any hope of achieving any silverware. Maybe we need to re-focus our attention on individual events. It will cost less and they will have more resources for intensive preparation. What do you guys think?
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When you are picked for your country you should give your utmost best to do and be the best. Not long ago i remember we where doing well in Hockey both mens and womens teams and also netball. Things have changed:(
 
JungleBoy said:
First it was Banyana's dismal showing against Sweden and Canada (They lost both games 4 -1 and 3 -0)
Then the ladies Hockey team got trashed by Argentina ( 7-1). The men's hockey team also got thrashed by Australia (6 -0).
My problem is these are team sports and probably use up the majority of the budget and yet don't seem to have any hope of achieving any silverware. Maybe we need to re-focus our attention on individual events. It will cost less and they will have more resources for intensive preparation. What do you guys think?
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AfricanTech said:
I agree - we should only send athletes who have a realistic chance of getting a medal
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I think that's idiotic.
 
The problem with hockey is that while it's popular at school level, we don't really have a national league capable of producing the sort of skill that we see in other countries.
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
The problem with hockey is that while it's popular at school level, we don't really have a national league capable of producing the sort of skill that we see in other countries.
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Also, atleast for the men's hockey, its not a professional sport in SA, ie they have 9-5 jobs and need to fit in training etc. They dont get paid to play and are essentially volunteering their time and in some cases their own money.
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
The problem with hockey is that while it's popular at school level, we don't really have a national league capable of producing the sort of skill that we see in other countries.
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SteveO said:
Also, atleast for the men's hockey, its not a professional sport in SA, ie they have 9-5 jobs and need to fit in training etc. They dont get paid to play and are essentially volunteering their time and in some cases their own money.
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yeah i also saw this on tv...the guys dont have sponsors and cannot take up the sport as a profession

and our guys are good, not good enough tho i guess

we cannot say hey you not allowed cause you not good
 
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Its a pity our athletes are so under supported by the ANC controlled government.
 
ghoti said:
Its a pity our athletes are so under supported by the ANC controlled government.
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This is one case where I'd say that they're not entirely to blame. Some sports just aren't that popular in SA, and our competitiveness suffers as a result. Popularity leads to income which leads to better performances. It's one thing for us to be glued to our screens during the olympics, but an entirely different matter for us to follow it for the next 4 years.
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
This is one case where I'd say that they're not entirely to blame. Some sports just aren't that popular in SA, and our competitiveness suffers as a result. Popularity leads to income which leads to better performances. It's one thing for us to be glued to our screens during the olympics, but an entirely different matter for us to follow it for the next 4 years.
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im not sure about hockey in dbn and jhb, but in cpt is is just as big as rugby at school level

tennis and stuff yeah might be an issue ...but athletics and swimming we fine with that
 
Mike Hoxbig said:
This is one case where I'd say that they're not entirely to blame. Some sports just aren't that popular in SA, and our competitiveness suffers as a result. Popularity leads to income which leads to better performances. It's one thing for us to be glued to our screens during the olympics, but an entirely different matter for us to follow it for the next 4 years.
Click to expand...

A lot of those sports are not popular viewing sports, but in other countries, they get more development money to support them.
 
AfricanTech said:
I agree - we should only send athletes who have a realistic chance of getting a medal
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That would have been my thought process in the past but when you look at Cameron Van De Burg, you will see that he was 5th in his heat in the last Olympics and didn't get past the first round. I am sure the experience helped him to get gold this time around. That said, I have been exceptionally disappointed in some of the performances.
 
ghoti said:
A lot of those sports are not popular viewing sports, but in other countries, they get more development money to support them.
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Didn't they get refused a chance to go to the last olympics for being lily white? Or was it the one before Beijing?
 
R13... said:
Didn't they get refused a chance to go to the last olympics for being lily white? Or was it the one before Beijing?
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Wasnt that the womans hockey or netball or something? Remember reading about that. I dont think the team was lilly white, but it didnt meet quotas.
 
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