Over the weekend of 29-30 March, our Westlake Girls High School hockey teams headed to Rotorua for the annual Secondary School Invitational Hockey Tournament. It was a brilliant start to the hockey season, showcasing impressive talent and outstanding team spirit.
With six strong teams competing, both our 1st XI and 2nd XI teams had a full schedule of five matches each over the two days. The tournament was a showcase of hockey talent and an opportunity for team bonding and building friendships.
Both our teams had incredible success throughout the weekend. The 2nd XI rose to the occasion with some outstanding results and were especially excited to take on the 1st XI in what proved to be a fantastic match. The game was tightly contested, with a 0–0 scoreline at halftime. But the 1st XI dug deep and showed their class in the second half, finishing the game 2–0 thanks to some relentless pressure and slick stick work. The 1st XI claimed first place overall, while the 2nd XI secured a well-deserved second, achieving an impressive sweep of the top positions.
A heartfelt thank you to all the parents who supported us—their assistance with transport, sideline encouragement, and help with various tasks throughout the weekend was truly invaluable. A special mention also goes to our incredible coaching and support staff and, most importantly, to Robyn, our fantastic team manager, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to organise everything so beautifully and make this experience possible.
It was a fantastic start to the season, setting the tone for what promises to be a strong and successful year of hockey ahead for Westlake.
Thank you to:
- Geoff McNaughton (1st XI Coach)
- Ashley Brown (1st XI Assistant Coach)
- Robyn McNaughton (1st XI Manager)
- Shaun Mills (2nd XI Coach)
- Des Madeira (2nd XI Assistant Coach)
- Kate Segetin (Teacher in Charge – TIC)
- Sue McNaughton (Umpire).