SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge
Grand Finals
St Mary’s DSG, Kloof: 20 and 21 July
The names have been drawn out the hat for the Grand Finals of the ninth SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that takes place at St Mary’s DSG in Kloof on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July.
Fixtures for the upcoming finals have revealed the two pools that will be taking to the astro turf. Ten regionals have taken place around KZN with one team being crowned champion in each region, culminating in the ten teams all descending on the Grand Finals this July. The Grand Finals will be the 99th overall tournament since it began in 2011.
Pool A will feature hosts and defending champs, St Mary’s DSG (Highway Regional), Epworth School (PMB Central Regional), Kokstad High School (Southern KZN Regional), Ferrum High School (Northern KZN Regional) and Wartburg Kirchdorf School (Umvoti, uThukela and Umzinyathi Regional).
Pool B will have Durban Girls’ College (DBN Central Regional), St Anne’s College (PMB North Regional), Crawford La Lucia (DBN North Regional), Amanzimtoti High School (DBN South Regional) and Felixton College (North Coastal Regional).
On Saturday, the pool games will all be 22 minutes long followed by the cross-pool games on Sunday, which lasts 30 minutes with a quick change over happening after 15 minutes. Tipping off the tournament, four times winners and defending champs St Mary’s DSG squares up against travelling team, Wartburg Kirchdorf who will be playing in their sixth Grand Final.
On Sunday, the first cross pool game gets underway at 8.30am, with the first semi final taking place at 9.40am and the second semi final at 10.15am. The positional places follow the two semis, with the medal games starting at 1.05pm for the bronze and the gold silver game at 1.40pm.
At each of the regionals, an umpire was acknowledged as the Umpire of the Day and several of these hard working whistle blowers have been invited to the Grand Finals. The regional umpires for the weekend are Melissa Clitz (Durban Central – St Henry’s), Jhontae Meintjies (Durban South – Werda School), Noah Maartens (Southern KZN – St Patrick’s College), Stacey Wheeler (Umvoti, uThukela and Umzinyathi – Greytown High School), Alister Tyrrell (Highway – Curro Hillcrest) and Mari-Lee Visser (Northern Coastal – Felixton College). Four umpires have been ‘drafted in’ to assist with the full programme over the two days, they are Candes Strydom (Durban – Werda School), Tallyn Tregear (Durban – Hillcrest High), Lucrecia Struwig (Northern KZN – Ferrum High), and Luke Riddle (Durban – Thomas More College).
Leading up to the trophy presentation, Varsity College will be awarding one lucky pupil a full hockey scholarship. Scouts from Varsity College have attended all the regional qualifiers around KZN, looking for a dazzling matric sportswoman to join their fold. This announcement takes place at the prize giving, with the lucky pupil being congratulated and presented with their scholarship award.
The weekend’s action will be wrapped up with the declaration of the winners and handover of the trophy at the prize giving.
For more info like the tournament’s Facebook page or follow on Instagram.
Ninth Grand Finals Approaches
