Laiken Brisset, midfielder for the Crawford La Lucia First X1 Hockey team, the current Durban North Regional champs, is eager to get out onto the field with her teammates for the Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that takes place at St Mary’s DSG, in Durban on July 20 and 21.
The 15-year old, Grade 10 rising star, Laiken Brisset who was awarded the Indoor and outdoor Junior Hockey Player of the year 2018 at her school, is also in the SA U16 High Performance Squad and plays for the KZN Coastals U16A.
She started playing hockey in Grade 3 at Chelsea Preparatory, but she did not make it into a team and ended up joining Northwood Crusaders hockey club. “I eventually got one game at school in the B side at the end of the term and then in Grade 4 I made the A side for school hockey after lots of hard work and training.”
Her efforts have clearly paid off, and she is grateful for the guidance she has been given along the way. “I have being fortunate enough to be coached by some of the best coaches around, and each have inspired me in different ways and brought so much value to my game in their own special way,” she says. “I think the best bit of inspirational advice I have received is to never ever give up during a match no matter what the score. I think it inspires me the most because it’s a principle you can apply in life as well.”
Laiken, loves the game, so much so she jokes that she wants to “just play for the rest of my life!”. So what’s the attraction? “I enjoy the physical aspect of the game and my ability to express myself freely and creatively. Hockey requires a lot of outwit and out play tactics.”
In her spare time, Laiken also plays hockey at the Riverside Hockey Club, and also loves to bake. “I am a master chef when it comes to making chocolate brownies!” she laughs.
With her mother as her role model as she inspires her every day, Laiken says that she lives by the words “Don’t worry what others are doing. Do you. Don’t compete to be better than anyone else, your only competition should be yourself.”
Crawford La Lucia joins nine other teams from KZN at the Grand Finals including St Anne’s College, Epworth School, Wartburg Kirchdorf School, Durban Girls’ College, Amanzimtoti High School, Kokstad College, Ferrum High School, St Mary’s DSG, and Felixton College.
For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.
Interview With Laiken Brisset From Crawford La Lucia
