With the start of the second half of the season beginning in the first weekend of February, you would think that hockey players across the country would have been resting up over the Christmas break. However, you would be mistaken, as during the two month mid season break from outdoor hockey, the indoor season is in full swing, culminating in the big prize of a place at the national indoor finals, one of England Hockey’s biggest national events in the hockey calendar.
This is the first year that the tournament will be taking place at the TrentFM Arena in Nottingham, over a full weekend on 30-31 January. The fun-packed weekend kicks off with the junior tournament with 2010 being the first year that event has been split into separate competitions for clubs and schools.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Related stories
Hockey: England continue to shine indoor tournament
Hockey: Strong start for England at EuroHockey Indoor Nations Challenge
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Nottingham based club Beeston, has many reasons to celebrate after it’s youngsters progressed to both Junior girls club finals in the U16 and U18 age groups. With the tournament taking place in Nottingham for the first time they are sure to enjoy strong home support.
Beeston’s first opponents are Trojans from Hampshire in the U16 Girls Clubs final on Sunday morning. Rounding off the junior clubs action on Sunday is the U18 Girls Clubs final between Beeston and last year’s winners Belper, who hail from Derbyshire. Belper’s history in the competition is strong having also won the 2008 and 2007 U16 girls’ titles.
The U16 Girls Schools final pitches Millais from West Sussex against Wakefield Girls High, while the U18 Girls Schools final will be contested by 2008 winners Kingston Grammar School, from Kingston upon Thames and Repton from Derbyshire.
In the Senior Ladies tournament, after topping the women’s Indoor EHL premier division table, Slough will be determined to wrestle back the National title they surrendered to Bowdon Hightown in 2009. The Cheshire side will be back to defend their crown having scraped through to this year’s finals weekend on goal difference, after finishing in fourth.
Joining thirteen times winners Slough and nine times champions Bowdon Hightown, are Canterbury, who finished second to Slough in the league on goal difference, and Leicester, whose outdoor revival this season is being matched indoors.
With a new home and an expanded two day format the National Indoor Hockey Championships 2010 is set to be a spectacular event, not only for fans of the clubs and schools involved but also those less familiar with hockey.
Special ticketing deals aimed at families and groups have been designed to tempt fans of other Nottingham-based sports teams into coming along to see the lightning quick, high scoring indoor version of the premier Olympic team sport. Tickets are still on sale from the Trent FM Arena Nottingham ticket hotline on 08444 124 624 and online via www.englandhockey.co.uk/indoorfinalsdeals.
National Indoor Hockey Championships Schedule:
Saturday 30 January 2025
15:00 Boys U16 Schools Final: Royal Grammar School High Wycombe v Whitgift School
15:50 Girls U16 Schools Final: Millais School v Wakefield Girls High School
16:40 Boys U18 Schools Final: Ipswich School v The Perse School
17:30 Girls U18 Schools Final: Kingston Grammar School v Repton School
18:50 Women’s Semi Final 1: Canterbury v Leicester
20:00 Women’s Semi Final 2: Slough v Bowdon Hightown
Sunday 31 January 2025
10:00 Boys U16 Clubs Final: Bromley & Beckenham v Havant
10:50 Girls U16 Clubs Final: Trojans v Beeston
11:40 Boys U18 Clubs Final: Beeston v Old Loughtonians
12:30 Girls U18 Clubs Final: Beeston v Belper
13:50 Men’s Semi Final 1: Loughborough Students v Surbiton
15:00 Men’s Semi Final 2: East Grinstead v Reading
16:10 Women’s Final
17:30 Men’s Final
Clarissa Goodwin, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
