Hockey Newsletter No.1

The most exciting time at Hilton is the Winter Sports season that extends from the start of term two into the first week of August and culminates with the great local derby against Michaelhouse. Please accept my apologies for the late posting of these fixtures on the website and your email for the 2008 season. This is due to much haggling and negotiating with Hilton Rugby, Midlands and South African Hockey and finalising numbers at Junior level.

Welcome:
A great, big friendly “Hello!” to all our new Mom’s and Dad’s of our U14 Age Group players. It’s fantastic to welcome you as members of the Hilton Hockey Club. If there are a couple of warnings - please be reminded to bring something warm to wear as the banks of the Beckingham Astro can be particularly chilly at times; beware of the old faces and veterans (they wear golf shirts in feezing weather and insist that they are warmed from within – something to do with Cooler Boxes which I don’t understand?) Anyway, it’s great to have you all “back on the banks” for what promises to be a very testing set of 2008 fixtures.

Coaching:
We have an excellent set of experienced coaches available this season with a number of consultants that deal with the specific skills of the sport. Your son is in exceptionally good hands and if he makes use of his opportunities he is sure to improve. These are the coaches:

Gavin Thomson - Head of Hockey and 1st Team. Midlands U18 selector.
Francois Morgan - Second Team
Nick Holtzhauzen - Third Team
Mike Todd - U16A and Midlands U16 selector.
Mike Green - U16B
Bruce Nozaic – U16C and umpiring development
Mike Mill - U14A and Midlands U14 selector.
Andrew Lewis - U14B
Ant Chantler - Set Piece and Defensive Consultant
PG Geldenhuys - Attacking Penalty Corners
Ryan Gray - Goalkeeper Coach
Ryan Fensham - Forward Coach
Matt Coombes – Midfield Coach

The Beckingham Astroturf:
This turf is sand-filled and was laid in 1999. Fortunately, it has worn exceptionally well although it is a little “slow and bumpy as it approaches old age”. We make every effort to accommodate all our teams with some time on the turf for practice and match sessions. Unfortunately, in the pecking order of life this means that A-sides get more exposure than C-sides. A second Astro would alleviate this problem – hopefully, it will arrive in our time.

Tri-Angular Festival:
This is for the First, U16A and U14A teams and consists of a series of “20 min Chukkas” between Michaelhouse, College and Hilton to be played on Wednesday 12 March. This is primarily for preparation for the Nomads Festivals.

Nomads Easter Festivals:
Hilton College also participate in the Nomads Easter Festivals with the U14’s going to Maritzburg College and the U16A’s to Jeppe from Thursday 20 March to Sunday 23 March. Each team will play 5 fixtures that will form part of their pre-season preparation. We are hoping to finalise the U16 team by the end of next week and email the relevant information to you by Friday 07 March. The U14A details will follow shortly after. Please be patient in this regard as staff are still trying to complete the cricket season but if you have urgent concerns please contact me.

The 2008 Season plan and fixtures:

JANUARY Pre-Season training
FEBRUARY Pre-Season training

MARCH
Friday 07 Adrian Caroline – video analysis
Saturday 08 Adrian Caroline departs
Sunday 09
Monday 10 Junior Practices start
Tuesday 11 Senior Practices start
Wednesday 12 Tri-Angular U14 – Michaelhouse
U16 – Hilton
U18 – College
Thursday 13 Senior Practices
Friday 14 First Team Tour to Port Elizabeth – depart 14h00
20h00 vs Grey High at Grey Astro
Saturday 15 10h00 vs St Andrews at Grey Astro
16h00 vs Alexander Road at Grey Astro
Coaching Clinics and Matches for all other teams
Sunday 16 First Team Tour to Port Elizabeth – return 16h00
Monday 17 Junior Practices
Tuesday 18 Senior Practices
Wednesday 19 Start of Easter Holiday
Thursday 20 U14A depart for Nomads Festival at College
U16A depart for Nomads Festival at Jeppe
See end of document for fixtures at Easter Festivals
Friday 21 First team departs for KES Festival
Bus leaves Hilton at 09h00
Matches for U14A and U16A.
Saturday 22 Matches for U14A, U16A and First Team
Sunday 23 Matches for U14A, U16A and First Team
U14A and U16A return home
Monday 24 Match for First Team
First Team players return home.
Bus returns to Hilton at 19h00

APRIL
Saturday 12 First team players return for Newboys weekend.
Monday 14 Second Term begins
First Team vs Cornwall (H)
Wednesday 16 U14B andU16B vs College (A)
Saturday 19 Northwood (H)
Friday 25 Auckland Grammar (H)
Saturday 26 St Charles (A)

MAY:
Saturday 03 Michaelhouse (H)
Saturday 10 DHS (H)
Monday 12 Midlands U16 and U18 Trials (AB Jackson)
Saturday 17 Half-Term
Wednesday 21 U14A/U16A vs College (A)
Thursday 22 Firsts vs College (A)
Friday 23 Seconds vs College (A)
Thirds vs College (A)
Saturday 24 Kearsney (H)
Saturday 31 Clifton (H)

JUNE:
Saturday 07 Maritzburg College (H)
Monday 09 Midlands U14 Trials (College)
Saturday 14 St Albans (Pretoria) (A)
Tuesday 17 U14B and A Inter-Town – Kearsney College (14h30&15h45)
Tuesday 17 U16B and A Inter-Town – Queensmead Astro (14h30&15h45)
U18B and A Inter-Town – Maritzburg College (14h30&15h45)
Friday 20 Second Term Ends
Monday 30 U16IPT Cape Town – Ends Thursday 4 July

JULY:
Monday 07 U18IPT East London – Ends Thursday 11 July
Monday 14 Third Term starts
Thursday 17 Firsts vs King’s Canterbury (H) Dinner (28+4staff)
U16A vs Kings (H)
Saturday 19 Westville (H)
Saturday 26 Kearsney (A)
AUGUST:
Saturday 02 Michaelhouse (A)
Saturday 30 First Team Dinner
Fleur-de-Lys Club 18h30 for 19h00

EASTER HOLIDAY FESTIVALS

KES FESTIVAL (First Team)
Gavin Thomson/Bruce Nozaic
Saturday 22 March 08h00 vs Paarl Boys at KES Astro
22 March 12h40 vs Jeppe at St John’s Astro
Sunday 23 March 11h30 vs Wynberg at KES Astro
23 March 16h10 vs KES at St John’s Astro
Monday 24 March 11h30 vs Pretoria Boys.

NOMADS U16A FESTIVAL: (Jeppe)
Nick Holtzhauzen/Ryan Fensham
Friday 21 March 10h00 vs KES
21 March 13h30 vs St Johns
Saturday 22 March 07h00 vs Jeppe
22 March 17h00 vs Krugersdorp High
Sunday 23 March 10h00 vs Pretoria Boys

NOMADS U14 FESTIVAL: (College)
Mike Mill/Matt Coombes
Friday 21 March 08h40 vs KES at College
21 March 13h40 vs St John’s
Saturday 22 March 08h40 vs Jeppe
22 March 13h40 vs St Albans
Sunday 23 March 09h50 vs Pretoria Boys

A new hockey innovation will be the video analysis of our teams in the first part of the season. Understandably, the emphasis will be on the A-teams initially but our aim is to have everyone exposed to this state of the art, cutting edge advance in hockey training and coaching. Adrian Caroline the South African Women’s technical coach will be putting the coaching staff through a training programme on the Gamebreaker equipment and software which has been generously donated to the Hockey Club by the “Ballies”

Another initiative will be a regular website with photos and an email letter keeping the parents and old boys updated on developments and results through the season.

If there are any queries or suggestions, please contact me at gt@hiltoncollege.com or 033-3830100ext2283 or 083-4063304.

Gavin Thomson