After having enjoyed a distinguished career on the field, former SA Hockey captain Marsha Cox is making the most of opportunities since her retirement, and among these, is particularly excited about her upcoming Liaison Officer role with the Olympic Broadcast Services in Paris
Since her retirement almost ten years ago Cox has been keeping busy with various projects including her job as a Marketing Activation Manager at surfing brand O’Neill, but, like working moms the world over, Cox juggles a full plate of motherhood, professional life and other sporting endeavours like playing hockey on a social level, which allows her to still be part of the sport.
She also started working with the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and this led to her being appointed as a Liaison Officer with the Olympic Broadcast Services at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Cox is grateful that her family join her on the road, sharing these rich life experiences with her. “I am very excited, I feel extremely blessed to be so close to the Olympic Games, because this is something that I am passionate about.”
“Having competed in three, I was an administrator in Rio with the FIH and now going to Paris as part of the broadcaster’s service contingency, it’s nice to get insight into the other side of the Games.”
“As I said, it is something I am extremely passionate about, and my daughter – who is now eight years old – understands a little more about it, and gets an opportunity to experience it.”
“She sees pictures of her dad and the London Olympics and she was six months old, and accompanied us to Rio, where my husband was an assistant coach for the Dutch men’s team … So it’s pretty much been a part of her world since birth, and she is also very excited, because we will also come for two days, and get an opportunity to experience it. Besides the opportunity to be involved myself, there are many other special things around it as well.”
As someone who enjoyed a successful career and continues to be part of sport even after she has called time on her hockey career, Cox is uniquely positioned to reflected on the #PowerOfRecognition.
“I always say this to Kass, I think I must have been 18 or 19 years old, when her cricket career had kicked off, and she was setting high standards for women in sport, but also changing and testing the sphere of things in a man’s world.”
“I remember she came to speak to the SA women’s team at the time, and she said some very valuable things, like be true to yourself, and don’t change who you are to fit into a man’s world. It will be tough but remember that you will look back and be proud of the choices that you made.”
“The power of recognition allows all women who have made many sacrifices and have struggled to stay true to themselves, in a challenging sporting environment. We need to recognise and acknowledge each other, sometimes we aren’t aware of each other and the stories we have to tell.
“While I find a lot of inspiration in the power of recognition with reading and hearing other women’s stories, I hope my story also inspires, if not one, but a few more young girls and women out there.”
gsport will celebrates it’s 18th birthday on Thursday, 1 August, and at the same time, preparations for the upcoming Momentum gsport Awards are well underway, and the likeable former hockey captain has been part of the journey since the start, including at gsport’s launch in 2006.
“I don’t think that there are words that can describe the effect that gsport has had on women’s sport.”
“The launch has gone from an intimate lunch/high tea in Johannesburg to a massive sports award in conjunction with the sports ministry,” said Cox. “I think that already shows you the impact that it has had on sports, not just women’s sports, but on all sports.
“Suddenly men in the sporting environment are going, ‘Hang on a second, something special is happening here!’ or, ‘Hang on a second, why have we never noticed this before, and given that acknowledgement and recognition to female athletes?’”
“Just because of the nature of the world and the world of sports, there will always be men involved in women’s sports, whether it be in administration, or coaching, or in whatever form. gsport has not only given a platform for women in sport to stand out, stand up and be inspired, it’s also given a platform for the men who are in the corner of the female athlete, it allows them to be recognised,” Cox continued.
Women’s hockey in the country has been a sporting code that has had its fair share of ups and downs, but has been one that has always managed to be successful. The South African Women’s hockey team has booked their spot in another Olympics, and Cox says this is a team that fills her with excitement in terms of what the team can offer.
Women’s hockey in the country has been one federation that has always managed to perform against the odds, they had had their fair share of setbacks but have managed to qualify for yet another Olympics Games. Cox says the team who initially grappled with finding some regular success is now in what she believes is an upward trajectory which is something that excited her.
“For the women, it’s probably been a bit more challenging. They had like a six-year gap of really struggling to find the tricks of the trade to close that gap, and I think now when I look at the team and how they are playing the talent that is coming through and I think that we are on to something special. We are slowly closing the gap and when you are a team that has that much excitement and potential it comes down to anything that can happen on the day and I think that is what will make these Olympic Games exciting.
“We’ve got that excitement factor that the world doesn’t know about just yet, because we have kind of been a bit more dormant, but I think that now we are on to something. We have a lot of talented players that the world hasn’t seen yet, and now the world will get to see them. I think that the fact that some of these girls are young also sets a beautiful foundation for further growth.”
The South African Women’s Hockey team is set to start their campaign against Australia on Sunday, 27 August 2024. Who better to ask just what the team should be focusing on as they look to get some impressive results this year?
“If I had an opportunity to speak to the team, I would say to them to focus on one game at a time, to be in the moment, focus on that particular game.”
“They will be spending a few days in the village beforehand, so they get to experience all the things around the game. They need to experience that, so that doesn’t become a distraction on the morning of their first game. They need to know their routine and you can trust their stuff to do it,” said Cox.
“I would tell the girls that, of course, tactics need to be remembered but in those few seconds before the game just take a deep breath and reflect on some of the sacrifices that they made and make sure you leave out of all on the field.”
Main Photo Caption: After having enjoyed a distinguished career on the field, former SA Hockey captain Marsha Cox is making the most of opportunities since her retirement, and is excited about her upcoming Liaison Officer role with the Olympic Broadcast Services in Paris. Photos: Supplied
