Pre-season Hockey Tournament – September 2024
The last weekend of the summer break saw a sixteen-strong team of Year 11, 12 and 13 Hockey players making their way to Nottingham to take part in the Nottingham High School U19 Pre-season Tournament.
Seven matches were to follow in the next two days, but first there was the matter of being successful (or unsuccessful) during the Escape Rooms activity! The good news is that two teams were successful, while the third one needed to recover from preventing a 100% success rate – but then maybe it would be too easy, and we love a challenge! A dinner-time quiz also proved tricky for some teams, but the Year 11 quartet of Bonnie, Eve, Georgia and Nancy, won this one outright.
Saturday’s three matches saw the group start a little slowly in the first, after a picturesque morning stroll to the amazing venue and Nottingham Hockey Centre, with their five full size Astro turfs. However, after consolidating defensive principles and standards, the team was set up nicely for the second half of the match and rest of the weekend, being difficult to score against.
Game two was time to experiment with a new, more attacking formation, and the target to be better in possession. The excitement when both these proved to be successful was palpable for players and staff.
Game three was time for victory! Head Girl Georgie scoring the first goal of the season!
A tired group, having toiled hard in the heat and sunshine, returned to the hotel to refresh before refuelling with a social team dinner out in Nottingham centre.
Sunday’s four matches were competitive and end-to-end. Woodbridge continued to make big strides forwards, dominating larger passages, learning so much so fast, and getting better and more confident as individuals and a team. Frustrating goals went against us, but these things happen and no spirits were dampened as it was clear to the touring group, and those watching, that growth was happening fast. Tired legs and sore muscles can never stop big and determined hearts from achieving what they set out to do! A thoroughly deserved and joyful win came in our final play-off match to end off the perfect weekend.
Several targets were set and achieved over the weekend: increased communication, accountability, skill, strength, confidence, decision making, defensive dominance, goal scoring chances, learning formations and more.
Success on every level and staff and students looking forward to the Hockey season ahead. Well done to each player who played so well, put so much in and was superb ambassadors for our School.
Congratulations also to new first team Co-Captains, Year 13’s Charlotte and Millie, on getting the best out of every player as well as helping leadership grow through the whole group.
