Catching up with Wanri Venter ahead of the SPAR KZN School Girls Hockey Challenge
Words by Lachlan Nicholson
South Africa is a nation of sports lovers, where athletes
who achieve success on the field are revered as heroes and legends. However,
such glory would be impossible without the hard work and dedication of referees
and umpires, who act as custodians of the games they love.
One such individual is Thomas More College sports
coordinator, Wanri Venter. Now in her tenth year of service to the school,
Venter has nurtured a love of hockey since her childhood in Stellenbosch, which
grew as she became a student at the University of Stellenbosch. “I started
umpiring during my first year at Maties (2000) because learning to do so was
compulsory, but only really attended tournaments in 2004,” she explained.
As well as being an umpire and coach, Venter is still an
active participant, “I enjoy hockey’s speed, fitness and physicality but most
of all, the tactical aspect. The older you get, the more you rely on your
experience.”
Officiating matches presents unique challenges because they
are played at an ever-increasing pace. This makes the sport exciting for
spectators, but requires umpires to be on top form at all times. “You strive to
move constantly, so that you’re in the best possible position to make the right
decision. When you umpire at a higher level, you need to trust your instincts
because if you are unsure, you will miss the moment to step in.
“Often you’re like an actor on a stage; you need to sell
your decisions using the tools at your disposal such as whistle tone, cards and
body language. You need to earn the players’ trust by being calm, open to
questions and confident.”
Since earning her international badge in 2014, Venter has
umpired 22 international matches, most of them locally between South Africa and
Belgium, Scotland, Australia and India. She has twice travelled to Kenya; first
to officiate for the Africa Cup of Nations then the World League Round One, she
also was chosen to oversee several international indoor matches during December
2015 between South Africa, Australia, USA and Namibia.
Venter believes that the lessons she’s learned from hockey
have carried over into her personal life. “I have learned to never give up; the
game is certainly not over until the final whistle. Friendships and other
people's feelings are more important than winning the game.”
Her next major event is the Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile which takes place from the 23rd
of November to the 4th of December. She will also be helping co-ordinate the upcoming
SPAR KZN School Girls Hockey Challenge that takes place at St Mary’s next
month.
For those interested in becoming umpires, Venter has these
words of wisdom, “The best place to start umpiring is with the little ones, as
they play for pure enjoyment. As you gain confidence, you can umpire older age
groups.”
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