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TRIPS AND TOURS: OUNDLE OVERSEAS | 37
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The hockey-playing girls at Oundle School have spent part of the summer break on the other side of the world. Tim Hipperson reports
This summer saw Oundle’s girls’ hockey club make the most of the long break, departing for a three-week tour of a lifetime across the Pacifi c Ocean. The destinations were Asia and Australasia, with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and New Zealand featuring on the schedule. In the heat and humidity of Malaysia, the sun of Sydney and the rain of New Zealand, the 34 girls played 20 matches against local schools and clubs. They soon found that playing on tour is very different to the regular menu of
school matches. Indeed, this exposure to different conditions has to be one of the major benefi ts of such tour experiences. Large squads and some challenging conditions helped to develop the players’
understanding of hockey's fast and frequent substitutions. The girls seized the opportunity to play in new positions, learning much about different types of defensive press and formations.
New skills and ideas were tested out in the constant churn of competitive matches, something which is not always possible during term time. This helped boost the girls’ confi dence and soon saw them trying aerials and drag-fl icks and transferring the ball more often, improving their game considerably in the process. The tour offered much in the way of sporting development, not least by playing both club and school teams with well- established regimes. The girls were also lucky enough to train at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium in the company of Larry
Macintosh, Head Coach at the New
South Wales Institute of Sport. The standard of hockey was well- balanced, with the Oundle girls winning nine, drawing three and losing eight of their games. For coaches, a balanced set of
results on tour is always a bonus, as it shows that the challenges faced were appropriate for the team. On any school tour, time away from pitches and planes is a must as it gives pupils valuable opportunities to expand their cultural and linguistic horizons. Malaysia and Australasia offered tremendous contrasts, from the bustle of Kuala Lumpur’s markets and temples to Sydney’s Taronga zoo and on to the crafts and culture of New Zealand’s Maoris. Travel, matches and exploring meant a
packed and challenging itinerary, but the girls returned eager to start the hockey season and with a strong appetite to explore the Far East further. Gareth Terrett, Head of Hockey, commented: “The tour offered a tremendous amount for the girls. Not only did they enjoy exploring new places together, they also improved their hockey signifi cantly thanks to the amount of tour time dedicated to matches and skills. "All the tour members got to play against older and more experienced players, learning a great deal about team- play and skills development. I am looking forward to seeing their experiences put into practice this coming season.” ISS
Tim Hipperson is Oundle School's Director of Co-Curricular Activities.
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