Hendrikse fired up for Summer Games

Team Eastern Cape is currently in full sporting action at the National Summer Games taking place in Johannesburg this week from Monday to Thursday. The Eastern Cape team consists of the best junior talent from all the regions of the province and they are up against the other eight provincial teams for national glory.

In all 632 boys and girls, including people with disabilities, in the U13 and U17 age groups, are competing in the sporting codes of wheelchair basketball, swimming, football, goalball, Sevens rugby, gymnastics, table tennis, basketball, cricket and volleyball for the EC team.

“We ended fourth last year and I believe we stand a very good chance of improving this time round,” said DSRAC’s Brian Hendrikse, who is leading the Eastern Cape delegation.

“We have a strong contingent in table tennis, football and rugby Sevens, so I think we could see a winner in one of those categories.”

The action is taking place at the University of Johannesburg and Wits University campuses.

Following Monday’s first day of play the teams then went to the opening ceremony at the Standard Bank Arena.

“My job for today (Monday) was to make sure that our Team Eastern Cape was safe,” explained Hendrikse. “So we arrived safely, the management team was in place, we have officials at every field we are playing sport at with a car which will support that specific code, so that was my task for the day and I am happy that the logistics are in place for Team Eastern Cape to perform.”

Three more days of play is on the cards, with most of the finals to be battled out on Thursday, followed by Team Eastern Cape heading home on Friday.

We ended fourth last year and I believe we stand to do better this time