Sports Round Up of the Week

U8 Hockey – The Blue Coat Hockey Festival

The U8 girls had the opportunity to play in The Blue Coat Hockey Festival and were excited right from the off.

After a lively bus journey to Birmingham the girls were focused for their first game of the Festival. They played seven matches in total against a number of different schools gaining valuable match play experience in each one.

The focus was on teamwork and sportsmanship with each girl having the opportunity to take on the duties of Captain at some point. There were plenty of goals, lots of tackles and lots of fun had by all.

A huge well done to all the girls involved, Poppy B, Iona P, Matilda H, Fifi S, Olivia L, Elizabeth D.

U9 Hockey – Tournament at The Elms

The King’s Hawford U9 hockey team travelled to The Elms School to take part in an exciting invitational tournament featuring several local schools.

Spirits were high from the first whistle, and the children were eager to put their training into action on a bright and chilly morning.

King’s Hawford started strongly in their opening match against Hereford, showing great teamwork and determination. Some confident tackling from Martha and Alice plus quick clearances from Tanith and Aoife in defence kept the game tight, before Alice found the back of the net with a well-taken shot.

In the second match against The Elms, King’s Hawford’s passing and positioning really began to shine. The midfield of Bella, Alice, Georgina and Martha worked tirelessly to link play, and clever movement up front from Indie and Rosie created plenty of scoring opportunities. Martha and Alice finished off a lovely team move to give King’s Hawford the lead, and the team held firm to claim an impressive win.

In the third match against The Downs, King’s Hawford’s team were still upbeat and were enthusiastically cheered on by family and friends. The midfield of Emily, Bella, Martha and Alice continued to work well together with early strong passes down the wing, creating several scoring opportunities. Aoife and Tanith, with Rosie on the wing, worked hard in defence and showed off some reactions to fast attacking play.

The final fixture of the day proved to be a close and competitive encounter against a strong Monmouth side.

Despite tiring legs, King’s Hawford continued to battle for every ball and demonstrated excellent sportsmanship throughout. The defence stayed organised under pressure with Martha making some lovely clearances. Rosie took a big tumble in the D but showing superb King’s Hawford resilience, took a moment, and continued to play.

Within minutes of being back on the pitch Alice played a lovely ball across the D where Rosie sent it straight into the back of the goal with power and precision. Another win for King’s Hawford.

The team never stopped encouraging one another until the final whistle. At the end of the tournament, Kings Hawford could be proud of their fantastic attitude, teamwork, and progress throughout the day.

Every player contributed to a brilliant team effort and represented the school superbly.

U9 Team: Alice, Martha, Rosie, Tanith, Indie, Aoife, Emily, Georgina, Bella

Players of the Tournament: Martha, Alice and Aoife – for consistent effort, excellent positioning, and determination in every game.

Mrs Beech and Mrs Butt commented, “The team should be very proud of their performances. They worked hard for one another, played with enthusiasm, and showed real Kings Hawford spirit!”

A big thank you to The Elms School for hosting such a well-organised and enjoyable tournament, and well done to all our U9 players on a brilliant day of hockey.

A special mention to our Match Day Photographer Henry Lowe and excellent parental support throughout!

U8 & U9 Hockey Triangular at RGS The Grange

Despite wet and chilly conditions, the U8 and U9 girls showed fantastic determination and resilience in their triangular fixture against RGS The Grange and King’s St. Alban’s. King’s Hawford fielded five teams: three U8 teams and two U9 teams, each playing four competitive matches.

Led by Miss Lake and Miss Cook, the U9s displayed great teamwork. Poppy B played up an age group and earned herself Player of the Match – a superb achievement! Maddie P impressed with strong tackles, supported by Indie F whose growing confidence saw her clear the ball well.

Bonita-May S and Lily G worked tirelessly in midfield! Under Mrs Halpin’s guidance, the U8s also shone. Clancy N and Mia B made their mark by demonstrating their refined hockey skills, as did Elise D too!

All the girls should be proud of their achievements and progress this season. They now look ahead to the final few fixtures and House Matches to round off what has been a superb term of girls hockey!

U11 Hockey – Malvern tournament

The King’s Hawford U11 Hockey girls travelled away to the Malvern College Tournament in the driving rain and wind. Fortunately, the weather conditions did not dampen their spirits, and the team took to the pitch with energy and positivity.

They met a very physical team from The Elms in the first match of the pool and despite being on top for the majority of the game, The Elms snuck one in during the final minutes of the game to finish with a draw.

The team stepped straight back out to face Hereford Cathedral School and played some beautiful passing hockey. Jasmine gave a well-timed long pass into the area that Maysie-Jayne swept into the goal and Jasmine followed up with a precision straight strike from a short corner for the second.

Florrie followed up in the next game against Winterfold, waltzing up the entire pitch to score a goal with a clinical finish. Annie had a bit of work to do in this game but made some excellent saves and clears throughout the tournament. The team were disappointed having narrowly lost the game and finished a little flat to go into the third place play off.

The girls picked themselves up and showed impressive resilience in the final game of the tournament. Despite results not quite going their way on this occasion the team should be very proud of their efforts having left everything on the pitch.

A special mention to Vivienne and Ellie who gained valuable experience as Year 5’s playing up a year. I am proud of the U11 girls who welcomed them and involved them as part of the squad.

U9 Hockey – The Blue Coat Festival

The U9 Hockey team travelled away to The Blue Coat Hockey Festival and managed to dodge the rain for a thoroughly exciting afternoon.

The girls played against five different schools and had their first taste of playing with a Goalkeeper in goal. Aoife rose to the challenge in goal making an impressive debut with some strong saves and powerful clearances.

The team were naturally attacking scoring a whopping nine goals in total throughout the afternoon with Rosie, Bella and Alice all getting on the score sheet.

Tanith, Emily and Martha made some lovely passes out of defense and through the midfield to create numerous opportunities for their team.

Alice was named player of the match by the opposition for her contribution throughout the afternoon and overall, it was a fantastic team performance and a great experience for the girls to be part of the festival environment.

U9 Rugby Festival at Kings Hawford

On Tuesday afternoon, King’s Hawford proudly hosted a vibrant Year 4 rugby festival that brought together 11 enthusiastic teams from local schools. The atmosphere was set for a friendly and enjoyable afternoon of rugby, with the emphasis firmly on player development, teamwork, and having fun.

As play got underway, it was fantastic to see every team embracing the spirit of the festival- showing clear progress in their skills, growing confidence, and a real love for the game. Even when the heavens opened and the weather took a sharp turn for the worse, the children demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, continuing to play with smiles on their faces despite the increasingly unpleasant conditions.

The King’s Hawford teams in particular rose to the challenge superbly. Their teamwork, communication, and excellent offloading skills were a real highlight of the afternoon. Both Mr Hodgkins and Mr Stigant were delighted with the way the pupils supported one another, adapted to the wet conditions, and played with great spirit throughout.

A big well done to all the Year 4 players who took part – it was a wonderful celebration of rugby, camaraderie, and perseverance.