A two week tour to Argentina could not have been a better venue for a pre season training camp for a squad of 16 players, a coach and a manager. Besides the 7 matches the team building that took place off the field by exploring a developing country full of treasures was amazing. From experiencing the passion of a soccer match at the famous Boca Juniors stadium to dancing the night away in Buenos Aires the tour can only be seen as a huge success. We rode horses and feasted at a Gaucho Ranch, took boat rides up the Tigre Delta and Parana River, visited the famous Recoleta Cemetery and market, experienced the uniqueness of the La Boca region famous for the Tango dance, dined at many restaurants where the cuisine simply could not have been better, spent too much at the shops famous for leather products, and even saw Brian Adams in concert. All in all we ended up having guided tours and getting to know the cities and regions of Buenos Aires, Rosario and Parana. The hockey was intense with competition fierce in every game. All our matches were against Club U19 sides and we experienced a different brand of hockey where players use flair and individual skills to counteract the more structured style of play adopted in South Africa. We won a mini festival in Parana and learnt an enormous amount from not only the style of play but the amicable yet competitive Argentinean approach to sport in general. After each match we were invited to sit down to an informal meal and chat where discussions took place in broken English and Spanish about our two nations and the game. Great friendships were forged in these sessions and afterwards whilst being entertained at various functions in the different cities. It truly was an experience that has given us all fond memories for the rest of our lives.
GP Marx
