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Hockey Reports 2022
Tuesday, 7 February 2023
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Each age group captains have written a report on their interpretation of the season. Floreat Dunelmia. 1st XI Girls Hockey “The season had its ups and downs for various reasons. We had several loses and a sprinkling of victories. The Ampleforth game was a 5-1 loss on paper, the team pulled together well but only having a squad of 13 on the day was no match to the 30-player squad we were up against who changed the whole team every quarter. This game had a high intensity and despite losing, it was one of the most memorable games for me this season. From this we, as a team, developed resilience and determination. A particular highlight was our very first match of the season against the OD team. Although they had many strong players, they were just no match for us, and we won convincingly. That was our first official match, and it started the season off with a high. The Dame Allans game was another highlight of the season. In this game we gelled together as a team and this was shown in the score. Winning 14-nil against them was amazing and was the greatest win of the season. Everyone put in so much effort and we all worked together as one! Covid also played its part, we had many games cancelled and having a limited squad at the start of the season it did not give us the depth to pull on when players were off isolating. Unfortunately, due to an ankle injury mid-season I was not able to lead the team on the pitch for some of the games. This did not stop me from continuing to be part of the team. I would like to thank Olivia G for stepping into captaining on the pitch whilst I shouted words of encouragement from the sideline!!” - Lottie Holmes 1st XI Girls Hockey Captain After this report from Lottie, it is important to say thanks to her contribution to the girls’ sport but especially as the 1st XI girls’ hockey captain. From day one, she had positively influenced the team both on and off the pitch. She positively changed the culture which included the commitment to early morning training sessions and all-round attitudes. She has most definitely left her mark, not only on the pitch but starting new traditions for girls’ sport at Durham. Thank you, Lottie. U15 Girls Hockey “The U15 have had a very challenging season with a good but developing team. To be honest we could have won a lot more matches than we did if we had more chance to develop and bond as a team. Our first match was after about two training sessions. It was against a very well-structured side so sadly we lost after a long tiring match. However, our team also played in the U16 county cup where we played some very good hockey against some very strong teams. To qualify, we beat Barnard Castle after an exciting match against a skillful side. Although we didn’t get into the final, each girl did the school proud and fought till the end. A highlight match from the season that I remember was our win against Durham High 1-0, on a very cold evening after school. t the end of the season there were sadly many cancellations of matches just as we were improving and beginning to flourish as a team. With a bit more training and practice we will be looking at becoming a very strong side. Milly R would be my player of the season because she always played amazingly in centre mid, I don’t think I ever saw her stop running. Isabelle M was our top goal scorer this season and I hope she continues to score goals for us in the following seasons. Another player I’d like to mention is our goalie Edie. It’s safe to say if it wasn’t for her, we would have let in many, many more goals. Finally, I’d like to give a huge thank you from all the team to our coaches for constantly supporting us and encouraging us to be the best players we can. Thank you to Mrs Rochester and Miss Plummer for coaching us this year. Floreat Dunelmia.” - Elizabeth Brown U15 Girls Hockey Captain U14 Girls Hockey “I would just like to start by saying how amazing each of the girls have done this season, with so much progress made. We started the year playing on half pitches, but quickly progressed to a full-sized pitch which was a new experience for most of the girls. However, the effort put in across the team really goes to show how far we’ve all come, and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it. Starting with the goalie, we have had many people swap in and out for this role such as Kaitlin M, Grace C, and Polly B. All have done a tremendous job under the pressure, saving goals from all angles, left, right, and centre. Next, we have our strong defence made-up of Jessica Wood, Emeila S, Zara S, and Lottie J, who have always made sure to make themselves known on the pitch – many opposition players have thought twice about taking them on! They stand and stay strong and getting a goal past them is quite a task. Many others have often suffered the consequences of our defence when challenged! Moving further up the pitch, we have our regular mid-fielders Georgia M and Chloe J, regularly helped by Hannah T and Darcy H. The speed they maintain on the pitch is incredible, they’re quick on their toes and always thinking about their next move. Good luck trying to catch-up with them! Finally, we have our forwards, Imogen C and Josephine S, who always take the opportunity to try and shoot whenever possible and seal the win… and luckily for us we won more than we lost… or at least that’s what I’m telling myself! The highlight of this season has to be the National Schools Hockey Finals in Nottingham. It was an unforgettable experience and one I, along with the team, will always cherish. Even the build-up prior to the Finals was a journey, getting stronger and stronger as we played each game throughout the competition. The North East finals saw all of us at our best, battling back and forth with such determination, with a goal scored by Chloe J in the final few minutes of the game sealing the win. The victory showed the team just what we were capable of and was a magical moment for us all. Thank you again to Hannah T and Darcy H for stepping-up to the U14s and helping us to reach this victory, I hope you enjoyed the experience. Finally, I would just like to say a huge thank you from the girls to Miss Hastings and all of our coaches, for all that they do for us, for always pushing us to do our best and putting all of the time and effort into the team. It’s really appreciated! Floreat Dunelmia.” - Sophie Saxton U14 Girls Hockey Captain U12 & U13 Girls Hockey “The under 12s and 13s have had a successful hockey season. We have won many matches but have also learnt from our mistakes. Starting with the U12 teams, this is the first season they have played together and for some their first season of hockey. They started off with some difficult matches but developed their skills and teamwork. The A team had a great win against Newcastle High School (6-4), the B team also had a close game against Barnard Castle, winning 1-0. Unfortunately, many of their later matches were cancelled but I’m sure they will start next season in a strong position. The U13 teams also had a challenging season this year. The U13 As started with a strong win against Dame Allan’s school (3-1). The U13 Bs had quite a few tough matches this year including ones against Durham High and Barnard Castle. Both teams have greatly improved, and I’m excited to see how we progress next season. A couple of my highlights for this season was when the U13 As came second in a Durham School tournament, and we were presented with medals. Also, when we got through to the second round of the County Cup tournament. I’m not sure that any other team could have gone through quite as many goalies as the U13 As did. We managed to have a grand total of 5; Katie O, Daisy A, Rosie M, Amy G, and Holly N. Hopefully Holly N stays in goal for the upcoming season as U14s. I would like to thank, on behalf of Year 7 and 8, our coaches, and everyone who has supported us this season including our spectators who encouraged us from the sidelines. Can’t wait for the next hockey season. Finally, a massive thank you to Mrs Dougall, Miss Birch, and Mr Fishwick for coaching us this year. Floreat Dunelmia.” - Darcy Holmes, U13 Girls Hockey Captain Boys XI The boy’s hockey 1st team was in a building year with a few core members of the team attending consistently including; Alex B, Ethan K, Tyler L, and Lottie H. Training numbers were affected every week due to rugby 7s fixtures and cricket training, however all boys worked hard when they turned up and played in the fixtures. The back end of the season we had more and more attending including Umar I and Louis W, who found his spot in the goal. The team played a total of three games, with a number of cancellations. Their first fixture was away to Yarm and unfortunately, they came away with a 6-1 loss with one of the Yarm players controlling their game. Our goal was a converted penalty flick scored by Lottie H late in the second half. Considering the high score line, the boys put in a solid fight, defending more than ten short corners. The next two games were played against Barnard Castle and Ampleforth College. From the previous loss, they put in what they learnt and reaped the benefits winning both games comfortably. Playing against Barnard Castle they won 4-1 with elements of great attacking hockey, creating more opportunities in the final third. Their work rate was a lot higher which stopped Barnard Castle’s few attacking opportunities. They continued their winning ways, beating Ampleforth 5-1 with Tadiwanashe M gaining player of the match. As the season progressed, they took on feedback and improved their tactical awareness and understanding of the game. They look forward to next season with more consistent players who shall be training the girls from September, in preparation for their season commencing in January. |