Holy Cross friends reunite on the world stage

GEORGE NEWS - Three former Holy Cross Primary learners, who first became teammates and close friends at the age of five, are stepping onto the international stage.

Zeke Hougaard, Leruo Dithlikanyane and Ozair PillaI have been selected for the South African U21 Men's Hockey Team that will compete at the Junior World Cup in Madurai/Chennai, India, where 24 countries will be represented.

This is not the first time Hougaard and Dithlikanyane have earned national selection at a young age. In 2023, while still matriculants at 17, both made the SA U21 squad and competed in the Afcon Games in Egypt. Their former primary school teammate, PillaI, has now joined them in wearing national colours.

PillaI is studying BCom Economic Sciences at Stellen-bosh University and both Dithlikanyane and Hougaard are studying business degrees online (Dithlikanyane at Varsity College and Hougaard at Eduvisa London) as they need to travel extensively for their hockey.

Dithlikanyane and Hougaard captained their respective high school teams in their matric year of 2023.

All three played SWD/Eden hockey since age 12 in 2017, then made the U14 Western Cape and KZN teams in 2019, when the Western Cape won gold. This tournament was when everything changed for them, and they subsequently relocated as boarders in Stellenbosch, Cape Town and Durban.

Leruo Dithlikanyane

Where they are now
Hougaard and Dithlikanyane are currently based in Hamburg, Germany, where they play for the Grossflottbeker GTHC in the Bundesliga.

Hougaard continued his hockey journey in Ireland after matric, before moving to Germany in August last year, where he now plays Bundesliga hockey while studying.

Dithlikanyane played for the SA Men's Indoor team that claimed a bronze medal in 2024 in Croatia. He joined Grossflottbeker GTHC in August 2025.

Meanwhile, Pillai plays provincial and U21 SA Men's hockey. He was named Maties Hockey's most valued junior player in 2025.

Zeke Hougaard

From Holy Cross to the world
The foundation of their hockey careers was laid at Holy Cross Preprimary and Primary, where they trained together for seven years under coach Sheldon Puttick.

Another important influence was Erica Combrink of PSI Indoor Sables in Mossel Bay, whose guidance helped shape Hougaard and Pillai's indoor hockey development.

Their high school journeys took them in different directions. Hougaard attended Paul Roos Gymnasium where he was coached by Ashlin Freddy, Pillai attended Sacs in Cape Town, coached by Pierre le Roux, and Dithlikanyane attended Durban High School where his coach was Michael Baker.

These young men have had the privilege to have had amazing coaches and support, and their achievements did not come without extremely hard work and dedication.

Leruo, Zeke and Ozair when they were pupils at Holy Cross Primary.