August 2008 gSTAR: Vida Ryan

Hockey striker Vida Ryan is getting
her first taste of the Olympics in Beijing,
representing the SPAR National women’s hockey team, just 18 months after making
her debut for South Africa.
What makes this story even more special is that it’s a family affair with
Vida’s sister, Vidette, also part of the national team.

Vida and her sister started playing
hockey after being pulled into a hockey meeting during a lunch break by one of
their friends. Vida, who had previously only participated in individual sports
like athletics and cross-country, decided it was time to give team sports a
try, and she hasn’t looked back.

Vida currently splits her time
between studies and hockey, with some down time, when there is a gap in her busy
schedule. She is currently studying a post-graduate certificate in education at
the University of
Stellenbosch where she
has also completed both her under-grad (BA Sport Science) and post-grad (Hons
B. Sport Science (Pediatrics) degrees.

Vida has trained a lot, both with
the team and individually. She is currently doing imagery and meditation
exercises to help her stay focused and mentally strong. As a striker, Vida
enjoys "hunting" the opposition, and she enjoys the goal scoring, too. No
doubt, she will need to be at her best if South
Africa are going to seriously threaten the top teams in Beijing and cause and
upset or two.

Introducing gsport’s August gSTAR,
pocket rocket, Vida Ryan!

Vida, how old are you, and where do you live?

I’m 24 years of age. I live in
Stellenbosch where I have been studying and playing hockey for the past six years,
but I’m originally from Beaufort west (a town in the Great Karoo)

Do you have a nickname, which you sporting colleagues know you by?

LOL! most people call me Vee (but Vida
is okay too:)

When did you start playing hockey?

I started playing hockey in
standard 6-7 (gr.8-9) while attending Bastiaanse Secondary School
in Beaufort West.

What position do you play, and what do you enjoy most about it?

I am a striker (forward). I enjoy
"hunting" the opposition and making them seriously think about their
next move while they have the ball. And then there is the goal scoring of
course!

What drew you to the game, and what do you enjoy most about hockey?

I started playing hockey after my
twin sister, Vidette, and I were pulled into a hockey meeting during a
lunch-break by one of our school friends in gr.8. I was terrified but it seemed
like a really interesting team sport as I had only participated in individual
sports like athletics and cross-country up until then.

What I like most about hockey is
that even though it is a team sport and you get to travel all over the world it
allows you to meet, see and experience different people, their different
cultures (i.e. Kenya!)
as well as help you grow as an
individual on a much higher level than you would have, if you didn’t
participate in a sport or other extra-mural activity that you love doing (it doesn’t
have to be a sport per se)

What other sports have you enjoyed playing?

I tried out a lot of sports like
field soccer, softball, cricket, tennis, athletics and cross-country (and also
chess!) . It was a very difficult choice to stop pursuing athletics and
cross-country for hockey, as my sister and I were good at it. In the end,
hockey won and I have not regretted choosing hockey at all today.

Which teams do you currently represent?

I am currently a proud member of
the SPAR National women’s hockey team and we are on our way to participate in
the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Who are some of the people who have supported you throughout your career?

Wow. It’s a lot of people but the
most important ones are my mom (Lena), Ms. Jackie
Wiese (Director of Sport, Univ. Stellenbosch), Ms. Jen. King (current National
coach),

Mr J.J van der Linde (hockey coach
at school), Mr. R.D Prince (Athletics coach at school). All these people have
made the most and I belief lasting contribution to my career and also personal
growth. They are truly amazing.

When did you first make your national debut, and how did you feel when you
were selected?

I made my debut in January 2007. I
was rather ecstatic when I heard about my selection for the national team!

What is it like to play in the national side, alongside your sister?

I think its truly a gift and
blessing to have a family member in the same team as having my twin sister Vidette
in the team is about the best thing ever because when I miss home she is always
close by.

She is also a really onorthodox and
brave defender so I either get to laugh at her or get to be amazed by her
courage.

What have been some of your career highlights to date?

It would be making the national
team and then being selected for the Olympic team this year after breaking my
right thumb on my birthday in May this year.

How many international goals have you scored? Which is your favourite?

I think about nine goals? My most
favourite goal is a goal i recently scored at a four nations tournament against
The Netherlands in Rotterdam
in June.

The Olympics must be dominating your thoughts- What does it mean to be
selected to represent South Africa
in Beijing?

Its really a great honor to have
been selected for the national team. And as being part of Team South Africa and
representing South Africa…it’s
indescribable. It’s something one mostly dreams about. I’m really proud to be South
African.

How are you preparing for this tournament?

I have trained a lot with and
without the team as we got individual training programs for each player. As a
team we have also had a lot of training camps as well as travelled overseas to
gain competitive and training experiences
over the past 18 months.  I am also
doing a lot of imagery and meditation exercises to help me stay focused and
mentally strong.

South Africa’s Olympic preparations have seen you crisscross the world
in recent months: What has been your favourite foreign destination, and why?

Amsterdam. I love Amsterdam because of the unbelievable diverse
culture it yields. I’d really like to live there one day.

How do you deal with challenges that come your way?

I assess the situation firstly to
determine the level of severity or importance. If I cannot deal with the
challenge on my own I usually ask for help and guidance from my best friend Carla
and friend Lenise or sister Vidette.

What do you do to relax when you do find the time?

I usually listen to music or write
poems and short stories.

Tell us more about your studies.

I am currently studying a
post-graduate certificate in education at the University of 
Stellenbosch where
I have also completed both my under-grad (BA Sport Science) and post-grad (Hons
B. Sport Science (Pediatrics) degrees.

What are your favourite spectator sports?

I love watching Wimbledon.
…LOL! Other than that, I don’t have a spectator sport.

Who are some of your favourite sports stars?

Soledad Garcia (argentine hockey
player), Brian Habana (S.A rugby player), Ana Ivanovich (tennis player), Kelly
Holmes (retired GB athelete)

Which hockey stars do you admire?

Soledad garcia(argentine hockey player)

What advice do you have for young girls interested in playing hockey?

It’s something you got to want to
do. It must not be someone else’s dream for you because it takes hard work and
guts to be a hockey player or any sport star.

gsport strives to celebrate femininity. What role does it play in your
life?

I think its really important that
as women playing sport, we should be careful to not forget our femininity, but
not to flaunt it either. Femininity
plays an important role in my life as I am a woman playing sport. Sometimes get objectified thus losing the
essence of who they are outside of that sport. I am very careful not to expose
myself to any of those situations, would advise the same for other female sport
stars

Who are your role models?

My mom and my sister.

What inspires you?

People and music. Those people that
never give up and make it against all odds. Like the Bergies I talk to
sometimes when I go for walks. They have lost a lot, but they are still alive. And
also people who are fighting the battle against cancer like a very dear friend
of mine. I look at them and remember that God never gives us curses; he gives
us challenges and courage to fight those challenges.

What is your greatest ambition?

To become the best me and to enjoy
and accept every avenue I need to take to be able to do that.