SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge
3 Schools’ Trust: Sunday 7 April
Midway through the ninth year of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, teams from the southern suburbs of Durban meet for the Durban South Regional at 3 Schools’ Trust Astro on Sunday 7 April.
Host for the fifth regional tournament, Amanzimtoti High School will welcome teams from Grosvenor Girls’ High School, Kingsway High School, Kuswag Hoërskool, New Forest High School, Queensburgh Girls’ High School, Queensburgh High School and Werda School.
Meeting on neutral territory, the eight teams will be divided up into two pools. In Pool A are Werda, Toti, and the two Queensburgh teams and in Pool B Kuswag, Kingsway, Grosvenor and New Forest.
At the blast of the first 20 minute whistle, Toti will lead the way as they take to the pitch to meet Werda. Following on, the second game of the day is an Amanzimtoti derby with the two neighbouring schools, Kingsway taking on Kuswag. The programme for the regional has 12 pool games, followed by five cross-pool games, kicking off with the first two semi-finals.
Four schools will have had appearances at all the nine Durban South Regionals: Toti, Kingsway, New Forest and Grosvenor. Both Kuswag and Werda have participated in all but one of the regionals. Queensburgh Girls’ High have had a regular presence over the last four years and Queensburgh High makes a welcome return having missed the last two years.
Two teams have represented this region at the Grand Finals – Kuswag was the first team to make it through to the Grand Finals in the inaugural tournament in 2011, where they finished ninth overall. A determined team from Amanzimtoti have been holding onto the title for the last four years. Their tally includes three tenth spots in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and an eighth in last year’s tournament.
Ten teams from around KZN will head to St Mary’s DSG in Kloof for the Grand Finals on 20 and 21 July. The winner of this region will join teams that have already earned their spot in July, they are St Anne’s (PMB North), Epworth School (PMB Central), Crawford La Lucia (DBN North) and Durban Girls College (DBN Central).
For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow their Instagram account.