The Wykeham Collegiate U13A Hockey team headed to Bloemfontein for the Nika Coertzen Hockey Festival (16–19 July) and gave it their all.

The girls finished level at the top of their pool with Lady of Fatima, narrowly missing out in an intense 8-second shootout. They bounced back to top their cross-pool, battled through a hard-fought quarter-final, won another thrilling 8-second shootout against Hennopspark, and finished the tournament with a match against a formidable Eunice team.

Across nine matches, the team won three, drew three and lost three, and finished 6 out of 32 teams, but the results tell only part of the story. They played with heart, courage and determination, fighting for every ball and showing remarkable resilience throughout the festival.

U13A Hockey Team

While the results were certainly worth celebrating, what stood out even more was the way they carried themselves throughout the festival. Time and again, the team was complimented on their exceptional manners, sportsmanship and conduct, reflecting the values of The Wykeham Collegiate both on and off the field. A top-six finish is something to be proud of, but the character, resilience and team spirit these girls displayed made the achievement even more special. Well done, girls, TWC is very proud of you all!