What an incredible season for our U11A girls’ hockey team! After a term packed with weekly fixtures and three major tournament wins – Sutton Valence Invitational Tournament, County In2Hockey and the IAPS Regional Competitions – the team’s hard work culminated in being crowned ‘IAPS National Champions’ last Friday.
The IAPS journey began with 168 schools competing for a place in the National Finals. Junior King’s hosted a regional round in October, welcoming 20 teams to Birley’s. Our girls battled through to qualify for the Finals at Haileybury School, defeating Ardingly 1-0 and Hilden Grange 3-2 in the knockout stages.
The night before the Finals, we travelled to Hertford to give the team the best chance to prepare. We enjoyed a team meal, an early night and even celebrated one player’s 11th birthday! A hearty breakfast the next morning gave us the perfect start; we set off for Haileybury full of energy and determination.
The National Finals were a rollercoaster of emotions. After three wins (against Barnardiston Hall, Hurstpierpoint and Millfield) and one loss in the group stage (against Heath Mount), we progressed to the Cup knockout rounds. A tense Quarter-Final against Cheltenham College went to golden goal, which we clinched in under a minute. Next came a thrilling Semi-Final against Exeter School, who were unbeaten and yet to concede a goal. We triumphed 2-1 to reach the Final.
The final showdown with Surbiton High was an absolute nail-biter. After an early lead and a late equaliser, the match went to golden goal, then three penalty shuffles. After a further three sudden death shuffles, Junior King’s scored the winning goal to secure the National Title! The players were fearless, the goalkeepers heroic and the supporters were on the edge of their seats. When the final whistle blew, the pitch erupted with hugs, cheers, and a little emotion! It was a moment of pure euphoria that will stay with us all for a very long time.
As coach of this mighty team, I am incredibly proud of everything they have achieved. Each and every player has worked tirelessly, shown huge resilience and has consistently supported one another. Their bond and strength were never more evident than at the National Finals; they fully deserve the title of ‘National Champions’! And we look forward to celebrating their amazing success in the weeks to come.
This marks our first U11 National Title since 2012: a truly historic moment for Junior King’s. My heartfelt thanks go to the players, parents and colleagues who have been part of this journey. It has been real team effort.
Amanda Scott-Kilvert
Deputy Head (Operations) and Head of Girls’ Games
