Sports Round Up of the Week

Hockey

U8 vs The Elms 

Mrs Halpin’s Team

The match against The Elms proved a fantastic opportunity for the team to put into practice the skills they have learnt in training, as well as identifying areas to focus on.

The team worked extremely well together, showing great determination when defending and a much better understanding of how to spread out and use the space on the pitch.

The team will continue to work on being stronger and more determined on the ball, as at times we were a little too gentle, which made it easier for The Elms to regain possession.

Player of the Match was Maggie, who had a fantastic game! She worked incredibly hard, getting stuck into tackles, helping to defend our goal and moving into space when needed. A brilliant all-round performance!

A special mention to Megan, who communicated very well with her teammates and made some excellent passes when taking our free passes.

Overall, Mrs Halpin’s team worked incredibly hard, and it’s great to see them progressing.

Miss Lake’s Team

Miss Lake’s team had a great game and worked hard throughout. They showed some fantastic defensive skills and were beginning to use the space on the pitch very well. They were particularly strong when defending their goal, making some important tackles and clearing the ball away from danger. Future training sessions will focus on being stronger on the ball when tackling and passing, as sometimes we are a little too friendly!

Player of the Match was Isla, who had a great game. When receiving the ball, she was excellent at finding space and dribbling through the pitch before finding a teammate to pass to.

Well done to all the girls for a fantastic afternoon of hockey!

U10 & U11 vs. Bromsgrove

Miss Lake’s mixed U10 and U11 team put in a fantastic performance against Bromsgrove C’s in a closely contested match. The girls played well throughout, creating plenty of opportunities for pauses in play to allow for coaching and development.

Mia-Bella and Ellie M made superb tackles to regain possession and drive the ball forward. Bonita-May excelled in midfield, using every opportunity to move swiftly up the pitch with the ball. Bonnie and Lily both put in strong defensive performances, clearing the ball on multiple occasions. Lily also took quick hit-outs, giving Bromsgrove as little time as possible to organise and set up.

Bromsgrove awarded Players of the Match to Jessica and Ellie M, recognising their excellent contributions. A brilliant team effort from all the girls!

U9 Festival at Winterfold

On Tuesday, the King’s Hawford U9 hockey players attended their very first Hockey Festival, joining 11 other teams for an action-packed day of hockey. With 12 teams in total, the festival provided a fantastic opportunity for the girls to gain valuable match experience, develop their skills and, most importantly, enjoy plenty of time on the pitch.

All three King’s Hawford teams produced some impressive hockey throughout the day. The girls worked hard to link passes together in attack, creating a number of exciting goal-scoring opportunities, while also showing great bravery in defence by making tackles and winning possession back from their opponents.

KH Team 1 enjoyed a successful festival, with goals coming from Olivia L, Iona P and Trixie. Their efforts were recognised by the opposition, with Trixie and Iona both receiving Player of the Match nominations.

KH Team 2 also impressed, finding the back of the net through Nancy E, Florence J and Maha. Excellent performances across the pitch saw Gracie and Mia awarded the team’s Player of the Match nominations.

KH Team 3 continued the strong performances of the day, with goals from Olivia P and Poppy B. Olivia P and Elizabeth D were deservedly recognised with Player of the Match nominations for their standout displays.

Mrs Butt and Miss Haldane were particularly impressed by the fantastic teamwork shown by all the girls throughout the festival. The players supported one another brilliantly, worked hard for their teammates and represented King’s Hawford with great enthusiasm. Most importantly, it was wonderful to see the girls having so much fun and enjoying every minute of their first hockey festival experience.

Well done to everyone involved on a superb afternoon of hockey!

U11 Tournament at Bromsgrove

King’s Hawford U11 girls got their first major tournament of the season underway on Saturday morning, competing in a challenging tournament at Bromsgrove. With several U10 players stepping up to gain invaluable experience at U11 level, the team embraced the opportunity and impressed throughout the day.

The girls worked tirelessly across all four matches, demonstrating excellent determination, resilience and teamwork. Mrs Butt was particularly pleased with the work rate shown by every player and the way the squad played together so effectively, especially considering many of the girls do not regularly play alongside one another.

Set plays proved to be a real strength, with both short corners and hit-outs looking well-drilled and creating a number of promising attacking opportunities. King’s Hawford produced numerous shots on target through well-timed attacks, with Amelie, Ellie H, Alice, Rosie and Martha all playing important roles in driving the team forward and putting pressure on opposing defences.

At the back, Simi and Ffion formed a strong defensive partnership, making well-timed tackles and crucial clearances to keep opponents at bay. Behind them, goalkeeper Tilly was outstanding throughout the tournament, making a series of brave saves and decisive clearances when her team needed them most.

In attack, Vivienne was in sensational form, scoring several spectacular goals, including some unstoppable strikes into the top corner. Her excellent performances throughout the morning earned her the Player of the Tournament award from the organisers.

It was also a very special opportunity for the U11 squad to attend the tournament alongside the U13 team from King’s Worcester, who were competing in their own age category. The younger girls enjoyed watching the older age group in action and were inspired by the standard of hockey on display. Following the tournament, the U11s were delighted to help the U13s celebrate their medal-winning performance during the final awards presentation. Experiences such as these are invaluable, allowing younger players to look ahead and see what can be achieved through hard work, commitment and teamwork.

Overall, it was a fantastic team effort and an encouraging start to the season. The girls showed tremendous promise, with strong teamwork, disciplined play and plenty of attacking flair, providing an excellent foundation for the matches and tournaments to come. With so many positive performances across the squad, the future looks bright for King’s Hawford hockey this season.

U11 Tournament at RGS The Grange

On Wednesday, the King’s Hawford U11 Girls’ Hockey Team travelled to the RGS The Grange Tournament, where nine schools competed in a day filled with an impressive standard of hockey and excellent sportsmanship.

The girls produced some fantastic performances throughout the group stages, taking on strong opposition from Bromsgrove, Hereford Cathedral School and Bluecoat School. From the very first match, King’s Hawford demonstrated confidence, teamwork and determination, moving the ball with purpose and showing great awareness across the pitch.

Defensively, Simi, Elise and Amelie were rock solid, working tirelessly to protect the goal and support the ever-reliable Tilly between the posts. Their communication and composure under pressure ensured the team remained well organised throughout the tournament.

In midfield, Vivienne, Aurelia, Ellie H and Ffion combined brilliantly to create some excellent attacking opportunities. Their ability to link play, find space and connect passes allowed King’s Hawford to play an exciting and attacking style of hockey that caused problems for every team they faced.

Further forward, Amelie and Sylvie worked incredibly hard in attack, making intelligent runs and creating a number of chances on goal. Their relentless effort and positive attitude helped keep the pressure on opposition defences throughout the day.

Most importantly, the tournament was a wonderful example of teamwork, enjoyment and development. Every player contributed to the team’s success, supporting one another on and off the pitch while continuing to build confidence and momentum ahead of next week’s eagerly anticipated Cardiff Sports Tour.

The day was made even more special as the team celebrated Aurelia’s birthday. The girls embraced every opportunity to mark the occasion together, creating plenty of smiles and memorable moments throughout the tournament. It was certainly a birthday to remember!

Well done to all the girls on a fantastic display of hockey and team spirit. We look forward to seeing their continued progress in Cardiff next week.

Rugby

U9 Rugby Festival at King’s St Alban’s

The King’s Hawford U9 boys enjoyed a fantastic afternoon of rugby at King’s St Albans on Tuesday, producing highly impressive performances against Winterfold, RGS The Grange, Blue Coat and our hosts, King’s St Alban’s.

The boys were a credit to the school throughout the festival, showing superb levels of effort, enthusiasm and commitment from the first whistle to the last. Mr Hodgkins’ team listened carefully and responded brilliantly to feedback, becoming increasingly organised and effective as the afternoon progressed.

In defence, the boys demonstrated excellent organisation and determination, regularly making the seven tackles required to regain possession. In attack, there was some brilliant athleticism and teamwork, with the boys supporting one another superbly and creating numerous scoring opportunities.

There were some particularly outstanding individual performances. Joshua set the tone with consistently strong tackles, while George and Monty showed great feet in attack to score several excellent tries. Oliver was a constant threat with the ball but was equally impressive in the way he played selflessly to create opportunities for his teammates to score.

A special mention must go to Fin, who was truly superb in both attack and defence. He showed tremendous enthusiasm, skill and courage throughout the afternoon and was deservedly named our Player of the Day – a particularly special achievement given that this was his first experience of representing the school in sport.

Overall, it was a hugely enjoyable and encouraging afternoon, and the boys should be extremely proud of the way they represented King’s Hawford. Their teamwork, resilience and willingness to learn were a pleasure to see.

Mr Stigant’s team

Mr Stigant’s U9 team made a storming start to the season at Slingpool Walk on Tuesday.  This group of boys showed great potential last year playing tag rugby but have stepped up a level taking to contact like rhinos to a safari jeep.

Their defence was ferocious, with some hard and technically strong tackling, whilst employing a press defence that panicked opposition attacks.  Elliott E, Archie G and Charlie B lead the defensive line impressively. In attack, the Hawford side showed some elusive running, finding space well, making well timed and accurate passes where necessary, with Jack W and Jonty D finding gaps out wide. As a result, they gave the opposition little room for manoeuvre across the five matches they played.

The team’s performance attracted a number of highly positive reviews from opposition coaches and King’s senior school staff about the brand of rugby they were playing.  They have a very exciting season ahead.

U10 vs Moor Park

The King’s Hawford U10 boys enjoyed a hugely positive home rugby match against Moor Park on Wednesday, continuing to demonstrate the hard work and skill development they have been putting in since the start of term.

The boys showed super progress in their structure, organisation and use of space, moving the ball with increasing confidence and purpose. They also ran extremely well with the ball, displaying superb athleticism and determination to score several excellent tries.

Defensively, the boys worked incredibly hard and showed great commitment in the tackle. They also rucked with real enthusiasm at the breakdown, demonstrating an excellent willingness to work for one another and compete for possession.

A special mention goes to Frank, who was named Player of the Match after an outstanding performance. He did not miss a tackle all game and really set the tone with his excellent work at the breakdown, consistently rucking over the ball with strength and determination.

All the boys represented the team brilliantly and should be hugely proud of the progress they are making, both as individuals and as a team. It was another encouraging performance and a great reflection of the hard work being put in at training.