Founder – Julian Hykes

Julian Hykes is a highly accomplished South African international hockey player, coach, and mentor with nearly two decades of experience competing and leading at the highest levels of the sport. As the founder of H09 Hockey Academy, Julian brings elite playing experience, international exposure, and a deep passion for developing the next generation of hockey players.

Julian made his debut for the South Africa men's national field hockey team in 2007 against the Scotland men's national field hockey team. Over the course of his international career, he represented South Africa 128 times and scored 46 international goals, establishing himself as a consistent attacking threat and leader within the national setup.

During his national career, Julian was part of South Africa’s victorious squads at the Men's Hockey Africa Cup of Nations, winning the continental title in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. He also represented South Africa at three Men's FIH Hockey World Cup tournaments in 2010, 2014, and 2018, competing against the world’s best teams.

His international appearances also include the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2014, as well as the 2012 Summer Olympics in London—one of the pinnacle moments in any athlete’s career.

Julian’s professional journey also took him overseas where he competed in Europe, playing for Royal Gantoise Hockey Club in Belgium in 2010 and Gladbacher HTC in Germany in 2013. These experiences exposed him to world-class professional environments and broadened his tactical understanding of the game.

After his international career, Julian has continued to compete and succeed on the global stage in Masters hockey. He was a silver medalist player-coach at the Masters Hockey World Cup (Over-35 division) and achieved gold at the Masters Hockey World Cup in the Over-40 division. He will be defending this title at the Masters Hockey World Cup.

At club level, Julian has also enjoyed significant success as both a player and coach. In 2022, as player-coach for Beaulieu Hockey Academy, he led the club to victory in the Elite Club Championships, including winning both the Premier League and the prestigious Easter Tournament in the same season. His coaching success has continued with back-to-back Men’s IPT Indoor Championship titles in 2025 and 2026, further demonstrating his ability to translate elite playing experience into successful coaching leadership.

Julian has also been a standout performer in the Southern Gauteng Hockey Association Premier League, where he has been top goal scorer and a winning player-coach for MCC.In addition to his coaching and club achievements, Julian contributes to South African hockey as a U18 SA Schools Hockey selector (2024–2026), helping to identify and nurture emerging talent at the national level.

Through H09 Hockey Academy, Julian’s mission is to pass on his knowledge, experience, and passion for the game to the next generation. The academy focuses on developing technically skilled, tactically intelligent, and mentally resilient players, while instilling the values of discipline, teamwork, and excellence.

Julian’s journey—from international competition to coaching, mentoring, and talent development—forms the foundation of the H09 philosophy: developing players capable of competing at the highest level while growing as individuals both on and off the field.