They are Waikato junior hockey champions – but unless their school can find $1.5 million to fund a new turf, staying on top will be an uphill battle.
Cambridge High School Boys’ and Girls’ U15 Gold players gathered on the turf at Gallagher Hockey Centre in Hamilton for their cup presentations after winning their Waikato Secondary Schools’ championship finals.
Cambridge High School Boys’ and Girls’ U15 Gold players gathered on the turf at Gallagher Hockey Centre in Hamilton for their cup presentations after winning their Waikato Secondary Schools’ championship finals.
Cambridge High School’s top junior boys’ and girls’ hockey teams were both crowned Waikato Secondary School’s U15 champions at Gallagher Hockey Centre in Hamilton last Tuesday evening.
It was the fourth win in as many years for the school’s U15 boys’ team, which beat St Peter’s Cambridge 2-1, and the second on the trot for its U15 girls’ team, which defeated Waikato Diocesan School for Girls by the same margin.
But Cambridge High School’s teacher in charge of hockey, Glenys Bichan, says the school’s talented young players are being hampered by not having a turf at their own school to practice on.
“People are asking why we are producing junior champions who are not going on to become senior champions – and the answer is a lack of turf time,” she said.
“U15 teams in other schools would get a similar amount of turf time to what our guys do. But when you get into U18 level, you need a lot more time to get those tweaks to get to the top. And we just can’t do it.”
Bichan is part of a group campaigning to raise money to build a new turf at Cambridge High.
“The land’s been allocated, we have Board of Trustees approval, and there’s been a whole lot of work around development and design,” she said. “So that’s good to go. We just need to get the funding.
“We need about $1.5 million – and if we got that funding tomorrow, the turf could be built within six months, in time for next year’s hockey season.
“So we’re looking for as much community support as we can get, and for companies that can jump in and help out.”
Captain’s acceptance in the rain.
Captain’s acceptance in the rain.
She said Cambridge High was grateful for the three hours of turf time it was given by other schools, but that had to be shared between 10 teams.
“And you know, once we get our turf, then I think it’ll be safe to predict that our 1st XI boys, who have just gone to the Rankin Cup, the premier New Zealand secondary schools’ hockey tournament, will crack the top 10 in New Zealand.
“We have the talent. We just don’t have the time and space on a hockey turf.”
Both U15 sides were coached and managed by Cambridge couple Mark Wood and Karen Hills, who won a Give It Back Trust award last year for their years of service to primary, intermediate and secondary school hockey.
“Mark and Karen just coach the players so well and believe in them as humans, as people,” Bichan said.
“And so they create this incredible team culture. I remember Tabai Matson, who was part of the Chiefs coaching team, said to me once, culture wins every time.”
Glenys Bichan, right, presents the trophy.
Meanwhile, Cambridge High’s U15 B grade team had its most successful season this year, coming second in their division, and the boys’ 2nd XI also notched up its best ever result, finishing fifth in the Waikato Secondary Schools’ B Grade.
The 2nd XI, coached by Stephen and Nadine Butcher, is making history this week as the first Cambridge High 2nd XI to attend winter tournament week.
“We’re thrilled with how they’ve gone, and really excited to see how they perform,” Bichan said.
“The next step for us is to try and get some turf that our kids can consistently be on so that they can carry on this high level of achievement.”
Mark Wood, Karen Hills and Glenys Bichan celebrate on the sideline.
