International hockey players from Great Britain and Team South Africa showcased their skills in front of hundreds of spectators at the launch of Queen’s College’s new hockey academy on Sunday 30th September 2012 in Taunton.
The players were organised by South African international, Ian Haley, who is the hockey coach at Queen’s and played striker in last summer’s Olympic Games in London.
Ian will be running free monthly master classes for pupils in Years 5 – 10 who are interested in sport and want to improve their hockey skills. The master classes are not only open to pupils at Queen’s College but also enthusiastic young sportsmen and women from primary and prep schools from all over the South West.
30th September also marked the opening of a second new international standard hockey astro pitch at Queen’s, so that matches can be played simultaneously and larger hockey tournaments held at the school.
Two further matches were also played on Sunday, arranged by Queen’s College alumni in memory of Paul Burke, an old Queenian, with proceeds going to his family’s charity 2 Wish Upon a Star.
Queen’s College has an excellent reputation for hockey. The Under 13 boys are currently national champions having won the National Hockey Championships 2012, a tournament open to all state and independent schools in the UK, held in Cannock last May.
Said Headmaster Chris Alcock: “We take hockey very seriously here at Queen’s and are fortunate to have, in addition to Ian, a strong team of hockey coaches who want to improve young people’s hockey skills and techniques and lift them to the next level. Hockey is a great game which can be played right throughout life. We want to engage enthusiastic sports people, who perhaps have been inspired by the Olympics this summer, to improve their skills and their fitness and to take advantage of this incredible opportunity – to be coached by an Olympian for free.”
Anyone interested in joining the Queen’s College Hockey Academy, which will be held on Wednesday evenings on a monthly basis, should contact Ian Haley on irh@queenscollege.org.uk or Andrew Free on asf@queenscollege.org.uk.
Pictured: Chris Alcock and the International Invitation GB and South African Teams.
Dates for the Hockey Academy this term are as follows:
10 October 6-8pm
14 November 6-8pm
5 December 6-8pm