St Cedd’s School Girls’ Hockey Team Represent Essex Nationally and Regionally

St Cedd’s School’s Year 6 Girls Hockey A Team have had a phenomenal streak of success this term locally, regionally and nationally. On Friday 8 October, the team of nine girls excelled in the U11 IAPS Hockey Qualifiers, winning the tournament without conceding a single goal. They played against local schools in the tournament, which was held at Haileybury near Hertford, and the girls not only won their group and three knockout matches, but they survived a sudden death penalty shuffle-off before winning the final against Chesham School. As winners, they then attended the National Finals at Millfield School in Somerset on Friday 26 November where they competed against the top 24 schools in the UK, and, impressively, progressed to the quarter finals of the plate competition.

This term, the same team were also crowned Essex Champions after winning the Essex U11 In2Hockey Championships 2021. On Tuesday 12 October, the team of nine attended the tournament at Old Loughtonians Hockey Club where they played against other local schools, winning or drawing all of their matches.

The girls’ outstanding play scooped them a spot at the East U11 In2Hockey Regional Finals, as representatives for Essex. On Friday 12 November at Gresham’s School in Norfolk, the St Cedd’s School girls played the winning schools from Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Norfolk and Hertfordshire, and again progressed to the quarter finals, finishing a credible third out of 14 schools.

Mrs Jo Guy, PE Teacher at Chelmsford’s St Cedd’s School, says, “I am incredibly proud of the team who have worked extremely hard building upon their strengths. They have demonstrated great resilience and determination, supporting each other as a team during every match. They truly deserved these exciting opportunities and have many fond memories of their journey. I am a very fortunate coach to be part of a wonderful group of girls!”