The  Investec South Africa midfielder Shelley Russell is a mainstay of the team.

Please take a look at this feature on the Investec SA midfielder that appeared in the 18 February 2012 edition of the Saturday Star in Gauteng:

We want to acknowledge those print media and the online media that support SA hockey.

No hassle, Russell muscle set to boost SA hopes

SHELLEY RUSSELL

JONATHAN COOK
New Delhi

SHELLEY Russell will be one of the Investec South Africa women’s hockey team’s key players in their last-chance 2012
London  Olympics qualifying campaign that gets under way against Poland here today (6.30am SA time).
Having already played 130- plus Test matches for SA, the very fast 24-year-old Russell started her international ca- reer  as an out-and-out  striker

but has developed  into  an at- tacking left-side midfielder whose ability to tackle is a hallmark.
“We are excited about the Olympic  Qualifier  and  it will show on the field. Captain Mar- sha Marescia leads by example and is very calm on the field, which   is   a  big   help,”   says the blonde with a bubbly personality.
Her life is much  more than just  hockey.  “I love  shopping, can do it for hours, love watch- ing  Grey’s  Anatomy,   Gossip

Girls,  love  fashion  but I am quite balanced. I enjoy dressing up for parties, but otherwise I wear a lot of sports clothing. I love a good night out with the girls.”
Superstitions? “I used to do everything in fives, bounce the tennis  ball  five  times  before serving, but now it’s more the odd habit like making sure I’m wearing matching undersocks.” The  whole  family  have  an inclination  toward  sport.  Big brother Brent, 33, is the former Springbok  rugby  player  cur-

rently with Clermont-Ferrand in France while another brother Andrew, 26, is a sports scientist in the United Arab Emirates who  works with the International Cricket Council among other high level sports associations.
Shelley has a sports science degree from Maties.
“Sometimes we have group Skypes to keep in touch,” she laughs. The laugh is ever-pres- ent, though.
Dad Rob played halfback for
Eastern  Province  and  mom

Sharon was a provincial hockey,  badminton and tennis player. They take every oppor- tunity to watch Shelley play. “They get more TV  time than me!”
After  the benefits  of  being nurtured at top hockey  school St Mary’s Waverley and Maties in Stellenbosch, Russell started her overseas club hockey career at Gantoise in Ghent, Belgium before moving to Pinoke in Amsterdam.
The advantage of playing in the Netherlands in the world’s

strongest club league has helped immeasurably in devel- oping Russell’s game as an in- ternational hockey player.
“Every match there’s a lot of pressure, each one is like a Test match, there’s a lot of support.” However,   lower-back   ail- ments  have  plagued  Russell and it’s a constant battle to be match-ready.  For now, though, the focus is gold in Delhi, which will qualify SA for the London
2012 Olympics, and you can be sure that Russell will be putting her body on the line,