FORMER Queen’s College Boys High School learner Le-Neal Jackson is one of South African men’s hockey team players that travelled to Argentina to play the 2016 Olympic champions in two tests on Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24.
The Komani-born hockey player will be taking part in the FIH Hockey Pro League, after they hosted a leg of the tournament in Potchefstroom in February, in which they lost all eight matches and conceded 52 goals against Germany, France, India and the Netherlands.
Jackson was also part of the SA hockey team that won the African Cup of Nations hockey tournaments in Accra, Ghana beating African powerhouse, Egypt, in the final.
Jackson represented the Queen’s College Junior U/13A hockey team in 2006 and 2007 and was coached by Grant Knoetze, who said the player showed great talent at an early age.
“The first time I saw Le-Neal Jackson on the hockey field, I knew he was going to be a great player and that he had the potential to represent his country,” said Knoetze.
“Le-Neal had exceptional talent and was destined to play hockey at the highest level. He was a natural, but he did not just rely on that, he put in all the hard work as well. It is thanks to his hard work and dedication that he has achieved what he has,” concluded Knoetze.
In his 2007 year at Queens’ College, Jackson was the vice-captain of the hockey side and was awarded the prize for the most outstanding hockey player for that year. He went on to represent Border Schools during that time.
