Marsha Marescia: South African Hockey Player and Captain of the South African Women’s Hockey Team

Meet Johannesburg-born Marsha Marescia, she comes from a family with a culture of sport, Marsha remembers picking up her first hockey stick at the age of six. She made her debut for South African hockey team in October 2001 when she was just 18.

“My mother, Marian Marescia, used to play and I basically grew up around hockey fields. I had a deep love for the game from an early age,” she said.

Marescia says her life role model are her mother and former South African player Gillian Montague.   Prior to being a  captain of the national squad she played for her school’s team, Northlands Girls High in Durban North, before going on to provincial and national teams.

Marescia’s hockey career is very impressive! she has 179 international caps and represented South Africa at two Olympic Games, two World Cups and the Commonwealth Games.   She has a BA in social sciences and is the brand services manager for Coca-Cola speciality beverages. Marescia is married to Alexander Cox, a Dutch premier league coach.  Marescia believes that South African sportswomen have “so much to offer, and are marketable”. But she worries that not enough is done to promote “female heroes” as role models for the younger generation. Marescia has made her mark in the corporate world.

What an inspiration!

Credit: Marsha Marescia