Quick Stats
Name: Shannon Boucher
Age: 23
Height: 1,79 m
Weight: 78 Kg
Current city: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Where do you train: Maties (Stellenbosch University)
Occupation: Student (MSc Sportscience); Head of hockey/coach at Rhenish Girls High School; Biokineticist
How did you get started playing hockey?
I started in u11, at Bay Primary School, initially thinking it was a girls sport. I enjoyed the fact that you needed so much skill and control in order to play the game and I became hooked instantly.
What do you love about it and what keeps you motivated?
I love hockey due to the fact that it is so unique. Not many people can pick up a stick and just start playing and getting things right and develop control. I also think, as with any sport, that only hard work and practice will help you achieve your goal. You cannot go into a shop and buy a skill or a place in a team, it takes hard work, passion and commitment. This therefore puts you into an elite category as a sportsman, making it something that only a few people can say they have achieved.
What are some of your achievements and one which you are most proud of?
I did fairly well at school (Wynberg Boys’ High School), achieving Honours for hockey and being Top goal scorer in the school. I represented the Western Province team through the age groups and captained the u18 team. In 2007, I was selected for an u17 South African team, however due to the fact that there was a lack of funds we never had a training camp. I then struggled for a couple of years with injury until finally breaking into the South African u21 team winning the Junior African Cup of Nations (2012).
“I think the achievement that I am most proud of took place last year, with Maties winning the Grand Challenge league and me ending up as the top goal scorer for the league. It was a tremendous team effort and the vibe in the team was something special.”
What are your future plans?
To be completely honest I am solely focused on my hockey career at the moment. I’m looking to break into the National Men’s side after World Cup this year and then hopefully staying there till the next Olympics, Rio 2016. That being said, I have been a student for the past 6 years, I think my parents are wanting to see some reward for the amount of money that was spent on my studies. So I do have a secret business venture which I will be starting soon.
How does it feel to possibly be representing your country at the Olympics in 2016?
I’m not there yet. Just trying to take it one step at a time, but in my mind it is awesome.
Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your diet?
There are many quick fix diets out there. I however, believe that your diet needs to be individually tailored to suit you.
- I make sure that I have simple breakfast, oats and coffee, within 30 minutes of waking up.
- An apple and coffee around 10, then 2 slices of low GI toast with peanut butter for lunch.
- Around 2 I will have a Herbalife meal replacement shake, some more fruit at 4 and then a Banana and coffee just before training.
- For supper I will have a protein (Meat; chicken; fish), vegetables/salad and some carbs (sweet potato).
- After a tough training session, or in the preseason, I would take a whey protein shake after training to help with my recovery.
- This meal plan is not set in stone, if I feel hungry or that my body needs more energy I will eat some more.
- I usually drink around 2-3 litres of water a day and I try to fit in a cup or two of green tea.
Give us a brief description of your training regime and on average how long do you workout for?
Be prepared for an essay. One of the reasons I came to Maties was due to their renowned training regime. It is as close to professional standards as you can get in South Africa.
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Mondays and Wednesdays:
- 6am, Team Gym (Sport specific whole body training; supersets)
- 8am, Yoga
- 9am, Recovery Swim (500m – 800m) and sauna
- 5:30 – 7:00 pm, On field training (Not on Wednesdays)
- 7:00 – 7:30 pm, Fitness (not on Wednesdays, Substituted with a short corner session)
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Tuesday and Thursdays:
- 12:00 – 1:00 pm, High Performance on field training (Very Intense session)
- 5:30 – 7:00 pm, On field training
- 7:00 – 7:30 pm, Fitness
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Fridays:
- 8 am, Yoga
- 9 am, Recovery Swim (500m – 800m) and sauna
- Then a league game on the weekend for Maties.
I normally cover around 60 Km a week in field and fitness training. I may fit in an ice bath during the week, just to help me out with recovery. Before every yoga session I will use a foam roller to help alleviate any excessive stiffness.
Do you incorporate any weight training into your workouts?
Team gym, on Mondays and Wednesdays, focusing on full body sports specific exercises. I like to fit in 3 extra gym sessions, depending on how sore my body is. One day I will focus on any rehabilitation that needs to be done for any niggle or injury that I have at that point in time, and the other two sessions will focus mainly on my back, hamstrings, chest and core, working in supersets.
What are your three favourite exercises?
Being a qualified biokineticist (exercise specialist), I have many favourites. I do however, really enjoy:
- Nordic Hamstring Drops
- Burpees
- Deadlifts
What are your top training tips?
- Try and watch your form on both your left and right side, so as to keep the difference between the two as small as possible; this will help avoid injury.
- Look at incorporating functional exercises into your training, that mimic the sport you play.
- Do the exercises that you do not like as they will more than likely be of the greatest benefit for you.
- As a sportsmen, you need to incorporate some form of rehabilitation into your training, this will help you avoid common injuries further down the line.
- Listen to your body as much as possible, it will tell you when you can really push it and when it needs a rest.
- Recovery is just as important as training.
What other sports do you enjoy playing?
Being a really competitive and outdoors person, I enjoy all sports. I got really involved in triathlon and cycling last year and I had to be reminded to go back and look at my goals, as I want/need to be the best in everything. This put a lot of strain on my hockey and shifted my focus, so until I achieve my goal of going to the Rio Olympics I won’t be partaking in any other sports competitively. You will see me racing IronMan once my hockey career is over.
Favorite Sporting Icons:
I enjoy sportsmen who have been faced with lots of adversity in their lives and who have carried on practicing and against the odds have succeeded and achieved their goals. I think Pierre de Voux (South African Men’s Hockey Player) is a great example of this. He has worked non-stop to get in the National team and after a good couple of years (around 10) he has achieved that goal and has never given up, despite a few disappointments and injury set-backs.
I think it shows that hard work and dedication (as well as talent) will help you reach your goal in the end, no matter what it is. Pierre is currently living the DREAM that so many of us want to!! I think that another high profile player that we all will know is Lionel Messi, who struggled with many challenges before he achieved his greatness.
Favorite Quote:
“Climb Everest Every Day…”
Advice for up and coming athletes?
If your dreams don’t scare you, then they are not big enough. Chase after what you want in life; with the right guidance and persistence anything can be achieved.
“Just remember that every elite athlete was in the same position that you were in, and in the end all the sacrifice and hard work will definitely be worth it.”
Whats your view on the Varsity Cup?
I believe that the Varsity Cup is an awesome initiative, as it promotes the sport of hockey in South Africa. I see Varsity Cup as a great stepping stone for junior players trying to make a name for themselves in order to get into the national men’s team.
Where can people get hold of you?
- Email: shabou08[at]gmail.com
- Twitter: @shannonBoucher
