By: Carlos Reynell, Director of Sport and Head of Religious Education (FCPS)
The U13A and U11A hockey teams enjoyed a wonderful mini tour of the Midlands last weekend. Our tour started with fixtures against our old friends in Bourne, Witham Hall. We were wonderfully hosted and enjoyed good fixtures against a school that we have played numerous times at the IAPS National Hockey Finals.
In the evening we enjoyed a lovely meal at well known Italian restaurant in Melton Mowbray (which was originally a temperance house). The girls were impeccably behaved, enjoyed a hat designing competition and charmed the staff.
On the Saturday after a relaxing morning we headed off to Oakham School. The Hockey Festival is well established and we knew that we would playing against some very big, strong hockey playing schools. Therefore it won’t surprise you that both girls teams played extraordinarily well and both came runners up.
The U11s drew 1-1 with Bilton Grange, beat Stamford School 6-0 (with Honor scoring five times) and drew with Wellingborough School 0-0. We then played Wellingborough in the final, but despite a heroic effort, went down 2-0.
The U13s started their tournament well with a 5-0 win v Swanbourne House, but then lost to current National Champions Foremarke Hall 2-0 in a very evenly contested game. In our final group game we drew 0-0 with Wellingborough School to put us in the cup competition. In the cup competition we played Oakham School and Witham Hall winning both matches 2-1 and 4-0 to make us runners up overall to Foremarke Hall.
At the presentation following the tournament, we were awarded both the U11 player of the tournament, Mia Spaull (who was playing a year young) and the U13 player of the tournament, Beth Gardens (who was playing two years young).
Both sets of girls were complimented throughout the day for the way they played hockey and for their sportswomanship and manners. The girls made many new friends and were wonderful ambassadors for the Family. It was a pleasure to take the girls away and they should be so proud of they way they played hockey this weekend.
