The art of drag flicking by South Africa’s Justin Reid-Ross
The Pundits is a sports website based in South Africa covering a wide range of sports from that country. In this case, they analyse the art of drag-flicking with Justin Reid-Ross who competed in the 2012 Olympic Games and is a specialist of this skill. Be sure to check The Pundits for more stories likes this one!
When discussing the art of drag-flicking in South Africa, it is very seldom that the name Justin Reid-Ross does not come up. The Pretoria Boys High lad just about perfected the art and it has helped push him to the heights where very few South African players go. Justin is an Olympian and currently plays his Hockey in Holland among the very best in the world.
How many hours of training does the team do every week to prepare facing the best teams in the world?
Realistically we’re probably trying to get in anywhere between 10 -18 hours a week, that includes gym, agility and core work, plus turf time. I have a full-time office job so I tend to get my sessions in in the evening after work.
Realistically, where is the team aiming to finish in the World Cup?
No SA men’s side has finished higher than 10th at a WC or Olympics, so a top 10 finish would be a great achievement.
What personal goals have you set for yourself ahead of the World Cup? What would you like to achieve in The Hague?
I’d like to bring some experience to the team. I’ve been living and playing in the Netherlands for 4 years now, so I know a lot about the country and the hockey culture here. On the field, I’d obviously love to score some goals and help the rest of the defenders to build a strong base for the team to play off.
It’s been well documented of late that there are some financial issues in South African Hockey – how bad is the situation at the moment?
This is always a tough topic. Unfortunately things aren’t great financially but we have some great people on board doing what they can to change that.
As far as performance on the field goes, how much of an impact does the financial situation have?
As a players group, we do what we can to keep those issues at the back of our minds. Sulking and dwelling on a problem like that doesn’t change it and certainly won’t have a positive effect on the hockey we play so we just focus on influencing the things we can.
What do you think are the main things that need to happen to improve the financial situation?
A major corporate sponsor is ultimately what we need. Someone willing to provide us with exposure to tournaments, centralised training programs and specialised coaching.
Playing club Hockey in Amsterdam must be a far cry from the club scene here in South Africa – what are the main differences between the setup there compared to South Africa?
First and foremost, hockey can become a career here. Contracts for players are standard and coaching opportunities are abundant. The trainings are at an incredibly high level and the guys you’re playing with have been training on turf from a very young age. That’s only just beginning to happen in SA and a lot of people are still learning the game on grass and then transitioning to turf hockey later. There is also a culture around hockey that has come from the club structure. Kids join hockey clubs from the age of five or six and on weekends there are games all day Saturday and Sunday, until late in the evening. It’s a great family experience.
If you could change 5 things in South African Hockey, what would you change?
I suppose that the obvious one is that a major cash sponsor is a necessity. Without a big sponsor or two, nothing serious can be put in place in the long term. If we managed to get that, I’d love to see a centralised national training set up for the national squad. That would at least provide an opportunity for players to train together consistently and build better playing and interpersonal relationships.
Another great possibility that could come from the association having money, would be the ability to contract players. That way we could ensure that all players were always available and not going overseas to try and earn a living and improve the level of their game.
Some foreign coaches coming into assist our local coaches, teaching new techniques and sharing schools of thought would greatly benefit players of all age groups in SA. Lastly, playing a whole heap more international games in a calendar year is something that would be great for helping players gain experience and improve on the international stage.
We’ve seen a couple of new faces in the South African team lately, how do the senior lads ‘welcome’ them into the team?
I think “The Lads” is quite an easy group to come into. Everyone gets on really well and we don’t tend to have any cliques in the team. We also tend to mix up the rooming lists so some of the more senior players room with the new/younger players. Its a good way to interact with guys you don’t necessarily know that well.
Any funny stories of things that happen while on tour with the lads?
Far too many to mention! Every day there are new stories/jokes/pranks happening and that’s what makes being on tour so much fun.
What’s the most memorable goal you have score?
There have been a couple that have stuck with me over the years. I scored a field goal on my debut in 2006 which I celebrated like a madman, an equaliser I scored against Japan after the final whistle during our Olympic Qualifying tournament and my first Olympic goal against Spain at the London Games.
In your opinion, who is currently the best male and female players in world Hockey?
That’s a really tough question. I think on the ladies’ front Luciana Aymar still stands out. In terms of the guys, I think its a toss up between Robbert Kemperman and Mark Knowles, with Knowlsey edging it right now. He has been the most consistent player since I can remember and in my opinion reads the game better than anybody else. His passion and dedication to the game is unmatched. The ultimate hockey player.
What is the first bit of advice you would give an aspiring hockey player that wants to play for his/her country?
Put in the hours. That’s what my dad told me when I said I wanted to play for SA. He told me that everyone wants it but not everyone is willing to work for it. If you are ready to be out there training when nobody else is, you’ll get somewhere.
In your opinion Who’s the best drag flicker in the world?
Another tough one, especially being a drag flicker! There are so many unique techniques and approaches to flicking now that a lot of guys are a major threat. I think ultimately, Mink van der Weerden ticks all the boxes. He flicks it hard, can apply incredible deception when its needed and his consistency is great. He doesn’t often miss the target.
Written for The Pundits by @thatWallace
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