FEATURE: SA hockey vice-captain graduates cum laude
The vice-captain of the South African Hockey men’s team is celebrating his academic achievement.
CAPE TOWN, March 30 (ANA) – The vice-captain of the South African Hockey men’s team is celebrating graduating cum laude.
Keenan Horne, 28, has graduated with his Master’s of Law Degree at Stellenbosch University and cannot be more proud of himself.
The university said Horne was proof that “hard and honest work pays off”.
“His academic achievement is a real feat, given the demands of juggling postgraduate law studies and a professional sporting career. However, his dedication, many sacrifices and late evenings, have seen him achieve his academic goal,” the university said.
Horne has been the vice-captain for the country’s national hockey team since 2018 and said his academic achievement has not sunk in yet.
He called his graduation “one of the best experiences of my life”.
Horne said he had to give credit to his family for their support.
He said coming from a disadvantaged background, education is power and a tool to create a better life.
“To be educated was the cornerstone of my parents’ success. I worked hard to achieve success. My father and mother are proud of me balancing sport and academics,” Horne said.
He said throughout his time at university he constantly heard his father’s voice playing in his head, saying “academic work is rigorous work”.
Horne also played hockey for the university and received several awards, including the Maties hockey player of the year in 2015, Maties hockey top goal scorer in 2015, the Maties Sport sportsman of the year in 2017, and the Rector’s Award for Excellent Sports Achievement in 2018.
Currently, Horne plays for a club in Athlone, where he is being coached by former SA men’s captain and Olympian Bruce Jacobs.
Off the field, Horne is completing his articles at law firm Mostert and Bosman Attorneys in Bellville.
While he hopes to play abroad for a few seasons, he said that will only be on the cards once he has completed his articles.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher
