Jeppe High School for Boys are delighted to announce the appointment of Gareth Heyns as our 1st XI hockey team head coach for the 2026 season.
He replaces Mr Siya Sityana who will be leaving the school at the end of the year.
Mr Heyns is a well-known, respected, and highly qualified coach who comes with a wealth of experience both as a player and as a coach.
He matriculated at Jeppe in 2009 (Impala) having achieved full colours as captain of the 1st XI hockey team. He represented the 1st XI in over a hundred games and won the Boden, Alan Monk and Aitken competitions. He also represented Southern Gauteng at every age group level.
After school he travelled extensively while continuing to play and coach hockey in many places around the world. He had successful stints at Whitgift (United Kingdom), The University of Johannesburg, Blau Weiss (Germany), Midlands (New Zealand) and Jeppe Quondam. He also represented Southern Gauteng U21, Southern Gauteng Men, South Africa U21 and the South African Men’s Team. He participated in the Junior African Cup and the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
His appointment heralds his second taking up of the coaching reins at Jeppe. He previously coached the 1st team in 2016 and 2017, on both occasions guiding them to victories in the Aitken Cup. In so doing he joined an exclusive club of men who have won the Aitken Cup as both player and coach.
Mr Heyns says he is delighted to be returning home and, together with a well-established and experienced first team staff, all of whom are fulltime educators employed at the school, he aims to continue to build on the Jeppe Hockey Legacy.
Mr Craig Templeton returns as assistant coach of the 1st team, a role he held in 2024. As one of the brightest young coaches in the country he will also continue in his role as the U14A head coach.
Mr Lydon De Boer-Smit continues in his role as the 1st team manager together with Mr Ruben Van Zyl as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. Both of these gentlemen were part of the 1st team’s fantastic 2025 season; and both were involved with the successful Southern Gauteng U16A team that won the Inter-Provincial Tournament this year.
With his rich playing and coaching pedigree, and his deep understanding of and love for Jeppe hockey, we have full confidence that Mr Heyns and the 1st team coaching staff will continue to build on the outstanding Jeppe Hockey legacy and tradition of success.
Bring on the 2026 season.
This means more!
