Former SA Men’s hockey International blows the ‘Horne’ on his career

Horne confirmed his retirement through his social media platforms on Wednesday. 

He made his debut for South Africa against Austria on 9 January 2015, and the striker scored his first international goal in just his third Test. The Kraaifontein-born player represented the nation with distinction, earning 132 caps, captaining South Africa on 42 occasions and scoring 38 goals. Horne also featured at two FIH Hockey World Cups, two Olympics Games and two Commonwealth Games. 

Speaking exclusively to SABC Sport, Horne, who made his debut against Austria in January 2015, recalled how his first national call-up came about.

“A lot of people don’t know the story, but to make that national team I actually played in the Western Province B team. The five strikers for the Western Province A were the five national strikers, So I had to play in the Western Province Pens team. We ended up winning the Interprovincial tournament by beating the Western Province A team,” said Horne

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“En route to winning it, I got called up to the national setup without even playing for the Western Province A side. I felt like it was amazing, the route that God took me. It was sort of an unconventional route, but my family drove up from Cape Town to be with me in Durban, and I made my debut with a lot of friends so that was pretty special.”

Horne credited former national coach Gareth Ewing, under whom he played at the national level, saying he learned a lot from him. He said Ewing recognised each player’s individual skill set and empowered them to bring out their best, which Horne believes was the key reason the team enjoyed its most successful period.

The 34-year-old says now that he has stepped away from the game, he will put his full attention on his Grow the Youth foundation, as he breaks down where the idea started…

“It started after the Tokyo Olympics. That’s when I first registered the organisation because I thought, ‘This cannot be it.’ I’ve been blessed to compete and to earn this tag which you get after becoming an Olympian, but that shouldn’t be the end of it. One pastor said someone else’s blessings is wrapped in what you do on a daily basis.”

 “Coming from a community where there is a lot of gangsterism and poverty, with kids on the streets, that just sat with me for a long time and that’s why I decided to register the organisation and to make a difference."