Cape Town - South African Women’s Hockey coach Sheldon Rostron has stepped down from his position.
Rostron was appointed head coach of the team in 2015 on a contract until the end of the 2018 Hockey World Cup and he has opted against re-applying for the post.
As a result, SA Hockey is on the lookout for a new coach.
As head coach Rostron notched up 57 caps, winning 22 and drawing 10. The fifth-placed finish at the FIH World League Semi-Final in Johannesburg that qualified South Africa for the 2018 World Cup was the outstanding performance in his time, where South Africa were desperately unlucky not to beat Germany in the quarter-finals.
The South African coach also completed the remarkable double in 2017 when he coached the men and women to the African Cup of Nations titles, a double feat rarely achieved by a coach.
Rostron will now focus on his new role within the Sports Department at North West University, while a newly appointed coach will guide South Africa to the Hockey Series Finals in a quest to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.
SA Hockey CEO Marissa Langeni thanked Rostron for his service.
"The South African Hockey Association would like to thank Sheldon for his remarkable contribution to the national women’s hockey team. He has been a committed coach, engineering and implementing a dedicated program with limited resources. Sheldon’s tenacity ensured that the team always came first. We would like to wish Sheldon well for his future endeavours," she said.