Action packed day of hockey
It was an action-packed day of hockey as the South Cambs School Sports Partnership welcomed 40 teams to their annual Year 5/6 Quicksticks Hockey competitions. The event which was held at the University Sports Ground on Wilberforce Road was split into a separate competition for ‘Big Schools’ and ‘Small Schools’ based on pupil numbers.
The Quicksticks format is played by 4-a-side teams made up of 2 boys and 2 girls. There are no goalkeepers and the game is played with bigger & lighter balls making it safe, fun and accessible to all.
The morning event involved 20 teams from 12 ‘Big Schools’ with teams split into 4 pools of 5 where they all played each other in a round robin format in quick 7min matches. There were plenty of competitive matches and close scoring games as teams gave their best effort to do well for their school. Teams finishing positions in these round 1 matches determined which division they qualified for in round 2 of the competition. With the winners of each pool qualifying for Division 1, runners up for Division 2, third placed for division 3 and so on down to division 5.
Winning their pools and qualifying for Division 1 were the teams from Bassingbourn, Waterbeach Swavesey and Histon & Impington Brook. Last years winners Trumpington Park qualified for Division 2 along with teams from The Vine, The Meadow and Pendragon.
Worthy winners on the day were the team from Histon & Impington Brook who went on to win all 3 of their matches in Division 1, maintaining a 100% record across the morning whilst scoring 22 goals and only conceding 4, congratulations to them. Swavesey played some lovely hockey throughout the morning and demonstrated excellent teamwork and respect to finish as runners up and win the ‘Spirit of the Games’ award.
The Vine finished as worthy winners of Division 2 for the second year running. Other schools taking part in the event were University of Cambridge, Jeavons Wood & Monkfield Park.
The afternoon event saw teams from 13 different schools compete for ‘Small School’ honours with the competition organised in the same format as the morning event. Winning their pools and qualifying for Division 1 were the teams from Elsworth, Harston & Newton, Coton & Meldreth. There were lots of competitive matches in the divisional stages but the clear winners on the day were Coton Primary School who won all 3 of their matches in the top division, well done to them. Runners up were Elsworth Primary school whilst the team from Great Abington won Division 2 for the second year running.
Other schools taking part in the small school’s event included Dry Drayton, Fen Drayton, Foxton, Hauxton, Petersfield, Bourn, Barrington & Thriplow.
The event was made possible thanks to the support of 20 sports leaders from Comberton Village College who did an exceptional job umpiring 140 games across 8 pitches over the course of the day. They all did an incredible job and showed excellent communication & decision-making skills as well as empathy towards the younger children. A big thankyou to them.