Hockey   Close

Durham School Hockey

Education for girls at Durham School began in September 1986, with the school taking the first intake of 16 girls into the Sixth Form. From the outset, hockey has always been the major winter sport offering girls the opportunity to excel, access the highest level of school competition and coaching and start a lifelong love of the sport.

Hockey development at Durham School flourished even in the early days of girls at School, when our Hockey Club played on the New College Durham pitch at the Nevilles Cross site, adjacent to our school ‘top field’. We were one of the only schools to play on a hard surface making the game faster and more skilful resulting in the development of excellent players who went on to reach the echelons of University, Club and representative hockey.

In the early years, Durham School were extremely successful at County level regularly winning the County Championships and progressing to North Regional Finals of the National Schools Competition. Between 1993 and 1998, we reached the top 16 in England three times which considering the number of girls we had in the Sixth Form was extraordinary.

In the late 1990’s, the Nevilles Cross pitch was sold for new housing and our school Hockey Club trained back on the grass on the Playground at Durham School and used the close by excellent artificial turf facilities at Durham University. We have always worked closely with Durham University and this link has provided our players with the opportunities to progress to elite levels of play and onto courses at the top hockey playing Universities. Many of our players have also gone on to play or captain their University sides. In the early 2000’s, Durham University was one of ten England Hockey Regional Academy Centres in England in which several of our players accessed the National Training Programme for elite identified players, enabling them to train locally whilst still studying and playing for Durham School.

With many of our rivals progressing to artificial turf pitches, it was vital our teams played and trained on the surface to enable us to maintain and develop a higher level of competitive play. We continued to play and train at Durham University during a huge fund raising campaign for our new pitch. This was opened in 2003 by Rob Andrew and coincided with Durham School going co-educational throughout the school. A new era in Durham School hockey had begun.

In recent years, the Under 18, Under 16 and Under 14 Squads have continued to dominate the County Championships and progress annually through to the North of England Semi-finals of the England Hockey National Schools Competition. We have also reached the North of England finals in 2011, 2009 and 2008.

Durham School work closely with Durham County Youth Hockey Association and support the work of the North East Junior Regional Performance Centre as part of the England Hockey Single System for hockey development. We nominate many of our players to attend the local Durham Junior Development Centre and from this most are selected for the Durham County Junior Academy Centre and represent Durham County in Regional Competition. A number of players have also represented the Region having been selected for the Junior Regional Performance Centre based at Durham University accessing the highest level of England Hockey coaching available. In 2010, 2011 and 2012, we have had two players selected to represent the North of England (Pennine Pumas) at England Hockey Board Futures Cup and HIPAC events which are at the pinnacle of Junior Hockey.

We also play host to the Junior Development Centre and the Junior Academy Centre here at Durham School and have an excellent relationship with the England Hockey Board.

In 2012, we developed a partnership with Durham City Hockey Club to further hockey development for our girls and enable them to play and experience Club hockey. We are the first school to enter the Durham County Womens Club League and compete on a weekly basis against Club teams from County Durham and North Yorkshire. This provides our first team with an excellent standard of competition consistently week in and week out, and also enables our players to have a smooth transfer into University and Club hockey once they have left Durham School.

Progression and Development: In School

A huge amount of time and effort goes into ensuring that the progression from our Prep School, Bow is effective as we work closely together to ensure all our players received the same ‘diet’ of hockey and that excellent coaching is offered from the age of 7 to 18.

Once pupils reach Year 7, our coaching staff work closely together to ensure our development structure is progressive throughout the age ranges. The same coaching model is used for the development of all our teams based around a strong skill base, excellent tactical and strategic awareness, fitness and appropriate competition. Our Year 7 and 8 hockey curriculum focuses mainly on the development of strong basic skills with the introduction of game play and tactics through 7 aside hockey. Once into Year 9, the 11 aside game is introduced in full and greater emphasis is placed on technical and tactical implementation of skills in a game play. Our Senior teams train three times a week and are engaged in programme of advanced skills development, tactical team play development and fitness to prepare the players for the rigour of school and club senior hockey. Team work is an important part of the game and as pupils’ progress through school, they are given greater independence and are expected to undertake greater responsibilities, for example umpiring, helping to coach younger pupils and supporting the development of hockey within school.

Alongside our detailed hockey programme, we certainly expect all our players to perform excellently in their academic studies. If players do not make use of their time effectively and are not performing in the academic arena to the best of their ability, they will be withdrawn from the hockey programme until improvements are witnessed regarding academic study. We work closely with all our players to enable them to achieve all round success and support them to balance the demands of training, playing, academic study and ‘life’.

We have a strong fixture list for all age groups which includes school friendly matches, England Hockey Board National Schools Competition at U11, I12, U13, U14, U16 and U18, County Cup tournaments, Tyne and Wear Knockout Cup and host visiting Touring Teams.

Durham School Hockey Club Senior Training Schedule

	TRAINING	COMPETITION
MONDAY	3.05pm – 4.30pm: Pitch Session: Skill Development Session & Fitness
TUESDAY	4.30pm – 5.30pm: Gym: Strength and Conditioning session 7.00pm – 9.00pm Club Session with Durham City HC
WEDNESDAY	3.05pm – 4.30pm: Pitch Session: Game play and tactical development.	Fixtures School friendly, Tournament or County / Tyne and Wear Cup Matches
THURSDAY	Senior Games: Team Work Development and fitness
FRIDAY	Lunch time: Team meeting
SATURDAY		Fixtures School Match or County League Match
SUNDAY	Rest Day or	JAC or JRPC squads

The Durham School Partnership with Durham City Hockey Club

In September 2012 the First Team joined the County Hockey League for clubs, which is a pioneering development into adult hockey. No other school in the North of England has taken this large step into club hockey. It allows our players the opportunity to play a much higher and faster level of hockey, which in turn helps them to improve and progress up the representative pyramid. Our partnership with Durham City Hockey Club allows us to play as Durham School in the Durham County Womens Club league. This close link with the club gives our pupils the opportunity to train and play for Durham City alongside the school. All our senior players are encouraged to attend Durham City Hockey Club training on a Tuesday evening at Durham City Hockey Club, based at Durham University and our younger players, Durham City’s Junior Section on a Sunday morning.

England Hockey Board Junior Development Programme (Single system)

We actively encourage all our players to attend the England Hockey Board Single System Programme which is the progressive and only system of National Hockey Development that encompasses the pathway from School Hockey to International Hockey.

We nominate all our squad players to attend the local Durham Junior Development Centre (JDC) based at the University of Durham or at Durham School to benefit from additional structured training. In 2012-13, 20 of our players were selected to represent Durham County in the U13 – U18 Junior Academy Centre Squads accessing weekly coaching and County Competition between January and April. In 2013, 5 girls were selected to attend the Durham (NE) Junior Regional Performance Centre at U15 and U17 level which offers expert England Hockey Board coaching and the experience of Regional level competition against the Manchester (North West) and Leeds (Yorkshire and Humberside.) teams. One of our girls progressed to represent the Pennine Pumas (North of England) at the England Hockey Futures Cup and England Trials. Our coaching staff, liaise closely with the England Hockey Board Regional coaches to ensure each individual who has been identified as having potential is receiving the most appropriate programme of hockey to suit their individual needs.

Durham School Hockey World Wide

Our Hockey Club have supported their preparation at home with numerous tours abroad and in the UK. In recent years, we have visited South America, Portugal and Scotland. These tours are open to all our players within the designated age group and allow them to experience different playing methods and skills in a different environment and often climate. The time on tour we have for developing performance through the perfection of more advanced skills and tactics is invaluable and the rewards are reaped through the forthcoming season.

Celebrating Achievement

Here at Durham School we feel it is really important to celebrate the achievements of all our players not only the most talented. Annually we host a Girls Sports Dinner in which all our players, their parents and our supporters are invited to celebrate our sporting performance and the achievements for effort, attitude and performance are rewarded.

In their senior years, girls may be awarded half or full school sports colours for hockey and at Year 9 or 10, Junior Sports Colours.

Fixtures 2012 - 2013

First Squad

School Matches

Barnard Castle School W 1-0

Kings School, Tynemouth W 2-0

Giggleswick School L 1-4

Barnard Castle School W 3-1

Yarm School L 2-3

Austin Friars School W 1-0

Queen Elizabeth School, Penrith W 2-0

St Bees School, Cumbria W 3-0

Stonyhurst School L 0-1

Qualified for North Semi Final of the EHB National Schools Championships

School Matches in the Durham County Womens’ Club League

Richmond HC L 0-8

Whitby HC W 13-0

Norton HC W 3-0

Huntsman Toxide HC W 6-2

South Shields HC W 12-0

Norton HC W 3-1

Bishop Auckland HC W 5-0

Stokesley HC L 0-2

Games Club W 4-3

South Shields HC W 12-0

Stokesley HC L 1-3

Richmond HC W 1-7

Huntsman Toxide W3-0

South Shields HC W 19-0

Bishop Auckland HC W 2-0

Games Club W 6-0

Durham City HC W 7-1

Whitby HC D 4-4

Durham City HC W 3-0

Stokesley HC L 0-1

Representative Honours since 2010

In recent years, the numbers representing the Area, County and Region has flourished. Between 2010 and 2013 the number of players who have been selected to represent County Durham has increased from 15 to 20 across the age squads with 7 progressing into the Regional (JRPC) Squads.

2010:

Sophia Ward U18 Pennine Pumas (North of England) at the EHB Futures Cup U18 Durham (North East) JPRC

Lyndsay Connor U17 Pennine Pumas(North of England) atEHB HIPAC(High Performance Academy Centre)

2011:

Lyndsay Connor U18 Pennine Pumas (North of England) at the EHB Futures Cup

Rowan Rochester U15 Pennine Pumas (North of England) at EHB HIPAC (High Performance Academy Centre)

Louise Elliot U17 Durham (North East) JRPC

Monique Dingley U17 Durham (North East) JRPC

2012:

Rowan Rochester U16 Pennine Pumas (North of England) at the EHB Futures Cup

Louise Elliot U18 Durham (North East) JRPC

Monique Dingley U18 Durham (North East) JRPC

Rachael Khan U16 Durham (North East) JRPC

Sara Murray U16 Durham (North East) JRPC

Joanna Heron U15 Durham (North East) JRPC

Gabriella Matthews U15 Durham (North East) JRPC

2013:

Rachael Khan U17 Durham (North East) JRPC

Sara Murray U17 Durham (North East) JRPC

Rowan Rochester U17 Durham (North East) JRPC

Joanna Heron U15 Durham (North East) JRPC

(at the time of writing selections for Pennine Pumas and England have not taken place)

Durham School Hockey Club Ethos

We expect and encourage all our hockey players to strive to reach the highest possible standard they can. We will offer a quality and progressive coaching development programme (training and competition) for all our players and ensure each individual has clear goals and can monitor their development regularly. Our aim is for all our players to enjoy their hockey and develop a lifelong love of the sport, while improving their knowledge, game play and fitness. Leadership, team work and fair play are all concepts which are central to our hockey club and an individual’s own development.

Rugby Union   Close

Durham School is the fourth oldest school football club of any kind in the world and has produced many international rugby union players as well as being credited with having introduced the game to Scotland. Durham School Football Club was founded in 1850 and from 1890 to 1930 was one of the rugby nurseries in England.

This was first recognised by the Barbarians who honoured the school by playing a full side against the Old Dunelmians (former pupils) in 1897 - Barbarians won 18-5. Just before the first World War, the school supplied four England players as well as a number of England trialists. Between 1920 and 1930 the school produced seven full internationals with several other players having trials for England, Scotland and the British Lions. The headmaster during this great period was Richard Thomas Dutton Budworth who was himself a former England international and Barbarian.

In 1877 a group of Old Dunelmians formed Gosforth RFC who still play in the school colours (green and white hoops). In 1995, Newcastle Rugby (now Newcastle Falcons) was formed from Gosforth RFC. Several Old Dunelmians have gone on to play for Newcastle Falcons with most recently, Micky Young & Geoff Parling (currently Leicester Tigers) tasting international success.

In 2001 and 2006 the 1st XV reached the National U18 Daily Mail Cup. Final played at Twickenham - a remarkable feat for a small school. The U15A team reached the Daily Mail U15 semi-final in 2003.

There are frequent tours for both senior and junior sides. In the summer 2010 38 pupils & 5 staff toured Australia for 4 weeks.