“I have always been driven by a desire to inspire the next generation,” says Tyron Barnard, media manager for the South African Hockey Team, a person who has played a key role in bringing national acclaim to the team’s inspirational achievements.
For this reason, gsport is highlighting Barnard in the #BestMan feature as the world celebrates International Men’s Day on Wednesday, 19 November 2025.
Barnard says he feels it’s his duty to give the women of hockey the recognition they deserve as he helps build their profiles in the sport by sharing their stories of hope and success.
“Coming from a background as a school sports coach with a deep interest in education, I quickly learnt how powerful personal stories can be in shaping young minds and aspirations.”
“In women’s hockey, I believe my biggest impact has been elevating the profile of the players and the team.”
South African Hockey Media Manager, Tyron Barnard
“By telling their stories with the depth, respect, and visibility they deserve, I’ve helped create more opportunities for the athletes, grown their reach, and contributed to a stronger, more recognisable identity for women’s hockey in South Africa.”
Women’s sport has been growing at an exponential rate, and a significant part of this growth has been the role media managers of various teams have played in ensuring access to information on fixtures, results, as well as the players of the sport.
Barnard says this role is ‘not just important but absolutely vital’ to ensure the sustained growth of women’s hockey, as well as women’s sport in general. “Women’s sport is in a remarkable phase of growth globally,” says Barnard.
“The surge in visibility across cricket, rugby, and football has pushed women athletes closer to the back page headlines than ever before. For hockey to keep pace and continue growing, we must showcase the stories that inspire.”
“When young girls can see the journeys, achievements, and personalities of our women players, it sparks belief, ambition, and pride. Sharing these is a responsibility to help shape the future of the sport.”
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As someone who has played a behind-the-scenes role in Barnard and has made the observation that newsrooms have greatly improved in their coverage of women’s sport, but there is one aspect that can be worked on.
“There’s no doubt that we’ve seen major progress in recent years, and that deserves to be acknowledged. Coverage is improving, opinions are broadening, and women’s sport is finally starting to get the recognition it has earned for decades.”
“Where newsrooms can still improve is in moving away from comparison-based narratives. Women’s sport shouldn’t be constantly measured against men’s sport; it should be celebrated for its own achievements, stories, and impact.”
“The more we focus on the quality, the personalities, and the moments that define women’s sport, the more we contribute to genuine growth and sustainable visibility.”
He says while a fair amount is being done to elevate women’s sport, it is not happening in all sectors consistently. “There are definitely pockets where the bar is being raised, where women’s sport is celebrated with the energy, visibility, and respect it deserves,” he explains, “But there are also spaces where that level of recognition still hasn’t caught up.”
“It’s a bit of a ‘how long is a piece of string’ situation. Progress is happening, but it’s uneven. The key now is consistency: ensuring that the momentum doesn’t depend on a big moment or a trending story, but becomes the standard across all platforms and across all sports.”
The South African Women’s hockey team is a prime example of how well women’s sport is doing in South Africa. Barnard shared how this impacts the storytelling and coverage overall.
“People naturally gravitate towards feel-good stories; sport has shown us that time and time again. The Springboks are a perfect example: when performances dipped, interest faded; when they rose again, the entire nation rallied behind them, filling every stadium.”
“The South African Women’s Hockey Team has created that same kind of optimism and belief. Their performances, resilience, and growth give us powerful stories to tell.”
“I believe these are stories that audiences want to engage with. Their success lifts the standard of coverage, attracts more attention, and helps cement women’s sport as an essential part of the national sporting landscape.”
Getting to witness the growth of women’s hockey firsthand is something Barnard feels privileged about, and he says the team has been an inspiration.
“Because hockey is such a deeply team-driven sport, I’m always hesitant to single out any current players as they all bring something unique and valuable to the group.”
“But if I look back over the past 15 years at the players whose values, professionalism, and character have inspired me, a few names immediately come to mind: Marsha Cox, Celia Seerane, Dirkie Chamberlain, Pietie Coetzee, Marcelle Keet, Robyn Johnson, Cindy Hack, and many others.”
“Each of them, in their own way, has helped shape not just the team, but also the standards and culture that continue to inspire the next generation.”
While Barnard is playing a crucial role in advancing women’s sport, he has other pursuits. He is a qualified chartered accountant and continues to work in this space but has said being a dad is his greatest pleasure.
“The most important role I have is being a dad to two young, proudly South African boys. Most days, you’ll find me on the side of a sports field, driving them to training, cheering them on, or simply supporting them as they discover their own journeys. They both love sport, and as a family we try to attend as much live sport, men’s and women’s, as we possibly can.”
“Professionally, I’m the Head of Learning & Development for KPMG Island Group, which keeps me meaningfully challenged. I’m also involved in a few other entrepreneurial and sporting ventures, all of which keep my days full, varied, and incredibly rewarding.”
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South Africa will observe the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign from 25 November to 10 December. Barnard shared what his federation’s position is on the Gender-Based Violence crisis in the country.
“As a Federation, our stance is unequivocal: Gender-based violence has no place in our sport, in our communities, or in our country. We are committed to creating an environment where every woman and girl, whether athlete, staff member, official, volunteer, or supporter, feels safe, respected, and protected.”
“Our safeguarding framework is built on prevention, education, and accountability. We focus on empowering individuals to speak up, ensuring that concerns are heard and acted upon, and upholding processes that are fair, independent, and in line with national and international standards.”
“Sport should be a space of possibility, pride, and belonging. As we observe the 16 Days of Activism, we reaffirm our responsibility to use our platform to champion safety, equality, and dignity for all women and children connected to South African Hockey.”
Main Photo Caption: South African Hockey Media Manager Tyron Barnard believes the key to the future of women’s sport is ensuring its recognition becomes the standard, not just dependent on a big moment. We celebrate his vital work this International Men’s Day. All Photos: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: Barnard says that his role is ‘absolutely vital’ to ensure the sustained growth and visibility of women’s hockey, and women’s sport in general.
Photo 3 Caption: “I’ve helped create more opportunities for the athletes, grown their reach, and contributed to a stronger identity for women’s hockey in South Africa.”
Photo 4 Caption: For Barnard, sharing the personal stories of hope and success is about giving the women of hockey the visibility and respect they have earned.
Photo 5 Caption: Barnard is recognised for his long-lasting role in ensuring the inspiring stories of our women athletes get the depth and visibility they deserve.
