Hilma Nalupe
Originally from Keetmanshoop Pamoritha, Keister is a born student athlete. She grew up playing soccer, rugby, tennis and netball but stuck to hockey as she fell in love with the sport and never looked back. Keister started playing the sport back in 2015 when the captain of her school’s hockey team asked her to join, due to a need for a hockey goalkeeper while serving as the goalkeeper for the ladies’ soccer team and has since been committed to the sport for 10 years now.
She made the //Kharas regional team for three consecutive years from 2015 to 2017, during which she captained the team from 2016 to 2017. “I tried playing as a forward, then a midfielder, then a defender and eventually I found my spot, as a goalkeeper, and I’ve been in that position for as long as I have played the sport.” Keister is passionate about teamwork and continuously improving her performance on and off the field.
“I’ve always wanted to be part of the national team, but unfortunately, I never made the squad. But I drew inspiration from Magreth Mengo, being a player of colour and going on to captain the national team, which was something that kept me highly inspired and motivated.”
What Keister loves about the game is the high skill level of it. She states that she is infatuated with the amazing tricks that one is able to do with a stick and a ball. Be it an accurate overhead to drag flicks, 3D skills, eliminating players or scoring crazy goals and making crazy saves.
“The rules of the game are also very simple and easy to understand and apply. Furthermore, the intensity and energy that the game brings is very intriguing with its rolling substitution,” said Keister.
Recently, the NUST Ladies Hockey team got the opportunity to participate in the USSA Hockey Tournament, a tournament held for the universities in South Africa, with NUST being guests, which has been a great experience and a privilege to be part of, she said.
Keister notes that the biggest challenge she has faced thus far would be the lack of involvement and activity of hockey in Namibia, as only certain parts of the country actually engage in the sport. She further adds that this derails performance due to the limited to no opportunities availed to help one improve on skills and experience.
Keister’s dream is to one day make it to the national team, but she would also love to be involved in the development of hockey as a sport, be it through playing, coaching, umpiring or coming up with initiatives to improve the sport in Namibia.
hilmanalupe@gmail.com