GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Young York High hockey player Liphelo Mpambani (17) has an inspiring story of passion and determination. Born and raised in Plettenberg Bay, Liphelo is the youngest of three brothers.
Raised by a single mother, Liphelo found his love for hockey after his father's unfortunate passing in 2012.
"My journey with hockey began in Grade 3 at Plettenberg Bay Primary School. From then my love for the game grew massively," he says.
His dedication and hard work led to him playing for the u.13A Eden team in Pietermaritzburg in his final year of primary school.
After moving to George to attend York High, Liphelo continued to excel in hockey. He represented Eden Hockey's u.16A team in Stellenbosch in 2022 and the u.18A team in Bloemfontein in 2023.
His school hockey career has been nothing short of remarkable; he made his debut for the 1st team in Grade 10 and became a fully fledged member in Grade 11. Now, in Grade 12, Liphelo has the honour of captaining the York High 1st team, under the expert guidance of coach Jason Slater and mentorship of Sean Slater.
Adding to his impressive achievements, Liphelo has recently been given a chance to play hockey in the Netherlands from 20 September, an opportunity that marks a significant milestone in his budding career.
To make use of this opportunity, Liphelo needs to raise R55 000 to cover accommodation, travel and catering expenses. This experience would allow him to realise his dream of playing on European ground, a dream he has long aspired to achieve.
Liphelo's story is one of a young man from a small town striving to make his family proud and turn his dreams into reality.
Any financial support for his upcoming tour would be greatly appreciated and would truly be a blessing for this determined and talented young athlete.
Liphelo Mpambani is York High's 1st team hockey captain. Photo: Kristy Kolberg
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