Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Youngsters make their mark
Hockey
Young hockey players have been doing the county proud by recording a string of success in the Southern Regional competition.
The tournament, which forms part of the England Hockey Player Pathway (a talent route to the national team), involves eight counties with Kent playing alongside Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Oxon, Berkshire, Buckshire and Middlesex.
Kent triumphed in four of the age groups and were runnersup in one other. The under-14 girls finished undefeated, recording seven wins and a draw and the under-17 boys (five wins, two draws) were also unbeaten.
The county’s other champions were the under-13 boys (won seven, lost one) and the under-16 boys (won six, drew one, lost one).
The under-15 girls were the unluckiest team, finishing with six wins and two draws only to be beaten into second spot.
Fourth places went to the under-14 boys and under-15 boys, both of whom won five and lost three, and the under-17 girls, who won two, drew three lost two. The under-13 girls (won two, drew two, lost four) were sixth with the under-16 grls seventh after winning twice, drawing twice and losing four. A total of 117 county players have been nominated and accepted into Junior Regional Performance Centre, which is where England Hockey first take a look at the talent. The following Kent players all made it to the England Hockey national age group training camps. At this point the players represent England at their respective age groups. Under-16 Girls: Renee Ojikutu (Bromley High/sevenoaks HC). Under-16 Boys: Max Deniff (Sutton Valence School/ Sevenoaks HC), Charlie Griffiths (Kings Canterbury/canterbury HC). Under-18 Girls: Lizzie Neal (Kent College/canterbury HC). Under-18 Boys: Sam Barrett (Kent College/canterbury HC), James Oates (King’s Canterbury/canterbury Hc),edward Treece (Whitgift/ Canterbury HC).