CHESHIRE SCHOOLGIRLS’ AND YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION 2007
Cheshire Schoolgirls’ Hockey Association has had another successful season with far more volunteers – albeit the same few that are stretched across the age groups. The association continues to depend on a very few, dedicated enthusiasts who coach and manage our county teams. As a schools organisation we are duty bound to provide serving Cheshire teachers to run our tournaments and county squads. We are always in need of more volunteers and this year have had great help from Tricia Sterling, Penny Brown and Phil Brown from Deeside Ramblers and Stu Field from Chester Hockey Club.
Across the county friendly matches and tournaments are organised locally in each area and as well as these the Association runs the County Indoor and Outdoor Tournaments. The County representative teams play in the Northern Counties League and Finals Tournaments, hosting two of these fixtures at Upton County Offices Recreation Centre, Chester.
Regular training sessions led by committed teaching staff have been carried out from U13 – U18 level since the start of the season across the county.
The development of U13 Hockey in Cheshire started in January this year with help from Melinda James and her coaches. We hope to see standards of hockey skills develop quicker and to a higher standard which will bring us in line with what other counties are already doing. This process is still in the process of development and we have plans in place to start earlier on in the season so the players receive more coaching.
Next season we hope to run all county squads and the usual tournaments.
We have changed the association name to Cheshire Schoolgirl’s and Youth Association so both schools and clubs can nominate trialists.
REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS – Individual successes
Sarah Underhill (Queens) U18 North Wales, U16 Wales and is trialling for Wales U18 - Jess Ollerhead - also represented Wales at U16 level
Sian French (Bishops) U16 Wales
Ruth Willis (Grange) represented North England U17’s in the Territorial Champions in October
Sophie Molley (Sandbach) has played U18 Wales this year; Cheshire U21 and North U21 squad
Sarah Richards, part of the North U17 squad, Wales U18, has trialled for U19 GB, represented North England in the Territorial Champions in October, Cheshire U21 squad
Olivia Ritchie, part of the North Development Squad
Laura Spaven, part of the North Development Squad
Katie Wood, part of the North Development Squad
Alice Plews (Kings), Siobhan Barnard (Kings), Sarah Jones (Lymm) U15 North Development Squad
Annabelle Church (Kings) Charlotte Brown (Christleton) U14 North Development Squad
From the U18 squad – 9 are progressing up to U21 level
From the U13 squad – 9 nominations for the North centre
NORTH COUNTY LEAGUE RESULTS
U13 – Inter County Tournament – A Team 4th, B Team 4th
U14 – Inter County Tournament – A Team 4th, B Team 4th
U15 – 3rd out of 9
U16 – 2nd out of 7
U17 – 8th out of 9
U18 – 5th out of 8
NATIONAL SCHOOLS COMPETITION
U19 – Wilmslow High School represented Cheshire and lost to Stockport in the 2nd round.
U16 – King’s School Chester represented Cheshire and came 6th in the North West round.
U14 – Birkenhead represented Cheshire and came 6th in the North West round.
In the U16 plate competition Queen’s School are through to the final.
OUTDOOR COUNTY FINALS
Winners Runners-up
U19 Wilmslow Sir John Deane’s
U16 King’s Macclesfield Queen’s Chester
U14 King’s School, Chester Birkenhead High School
INDOOR COUNTY FINALS
Winners Runners-up
U19 Wilmslow Sir John Deane’s
U16 Queen’s School Upton High School
U14 King’s School, Chester Christleton
County trials will take place in September and we look forward to another successful season.
Claire Sumner
Hon. Secretary