NYANGA – Rising hockey sensation Daniel Erasmus has made history through becoming the youngest Zimbabwean player ever to break into the national team at the age of 16.
Daniel cut his teeth as a promising hockey player when he featured for the school team at the elite St John’s College in Harare and would later find himself playing the sport at all age group stages in the national team over the past decade.
“This year, I have been participating in the Under 21 training camps and by so doing, I was scouted by the national team. It was a total honour to be part of the men’s team.
“My journey in hockey has been filled with triumphs, setbacks and invaluable lessons that have shaped me into the player and today.
“I’m grateful for the instrumental role my hard-working coaches have played in shaping me into the player I am today,” he told ZimLive in an interview.
Erasmus added that he has ambition to play hockey in the Netherlands league where the sport is more popular and rewarding.
“My goal is to play professional hockey in the pro league in the Netherlands.
“I strive to continuously improve my skills, medical conditioning and mental toughness to achieve my goal. I also aim to inspire and mentor young players to help grow the sport,” he said.
“In the sport of hockey, I am so fortunate to have represented my country throughout three age groups. I have been lucky enough to make the Zimbabwe U17 A team twice, and last year, I was lucky enough to have been the captain.
“This year rolled around, and I was determined as ever. I trained hard and conditioned hard. I was able to make the Zimbabwe U18 A team after a great tournament where my team narrowly lost in the finals,” he said.
Erasmus highlighted his challenges of balancing schoolwork and his sporting career as well as overcoming an injury that saw him break his hand.
He urged fellow young players to never give up on their passion for the game, to work hard and consistently dedicate themselves to continuous improvement.
