Kuils River hockey star Sarah-Ellen Groenewald has shown that determination counts for as much as talent.

The matric learner from Rhenish Girls’ High School in Stellenbosch earned selection to the South African u-18A hockey team for the second consecutive year, despite a serious ankle injury in the lead-up to the u-18 Inter-Provincial Hockey Tournament in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal.

She partially tore a ligament just nine days before the tournament. Refusing to miss her final national school tournament, she completed round-the-clock rehabilitation to take her place on the turf.

Talent

Groenewald has represented Boland in hockey at u-16 (2023), u-17 (2024) and u-18 (2025 and 2026) level, and also played tennis for Boland up to u-16 level. In 2024, she represented South Africa at u-17 level in Malaysia, competing against the likes of Japan and Australia. Later that year she played a pivotal role in the SA u-17 team’s series win over Zimbabwe, walking away with a player of the match accolade.

She kicked off her matric year being named player of the tournament at the St Mary’s Schoolgirl Hockey Tournament. At just 18 years old, she has since made her senior debut for the Western Province Peninsula indoor team and secured a place in the WP u-21 ladies’ hockey team.

She has set her sights on the South African u-21 national setup, with the goal of wearing the senior Green and Gold on the world stage.

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