EAGER young hockey players are preparing for eight weekends of action at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge.

The event takes place across KZN in the build-up to the grand finals. Publicist, Sophie Thompson explained that the tournament travels to 10 regionals where the winner of each qualifies for the conclusion. The top 10 teams head to the Grand Finals which takes place over two days at St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls in Kloof, with the pool games on July 25, followed by the cross pool and positional games on July 26.

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All challenges will stick to a similar pattern with teams needing to find their groove early on in the quick-fire, fast-paced, thrilling variant, with the format being round robins or pool games.

Last year, Kingsway High School made the grand finals for the first time after a successful regional performance. Two years ago, Amanzimtoti High School lifted the regional crown.

“Getting the ball rolling, Crawford La Lucia will host the first challenge with teams from the Durban North Regional descending on their astro on March 1. Amanzimtoti High School welcomes teams at 3 Schools Trust for the Durban South Regional on March 7,” said Thompson.

Schools from around Pietermaritzburg and surrounds gear up for the Midlands encounter thereafter. Epworth School’s astro is the venue for the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional on March 14, with the Pietermaritzburg North Regional heading to St Anne’s Diocesan on Sunday, March 15. Wrapping up the local tournaments, Westville Girls’ High plays host to the Highway Regional on March 21 and St Henry’s Marist College will take on teams in the Durban Central Regional at 3 Schools Trust on March 22.

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After a month-long break, it will be a ‘whistle stop tour’ for the final four regionals to the outlying areas. Grantleigh School will host schools from Richards Bay and Empangeni for the North Coastal Regional on May 2. The next weekend, the biggest regional, the Southern KZN Regional gather at Kokstad College where teams from the South Coast all the way through to Matatiele and Kokstad will meet on May 9.

Heading inland for the penultimate challenge, Ferrum High School hopes for a home turf advantage when teams from Vryheid, Glencoe, Pongola and Newcastle assemble for the Northern KZN Regional on May 23. Completing the tenth challenge, Wembley College greets their opposition from Greytown, Ladysmith, Wartburg and surrounds for the uMvoti and oThukela Regional on May 30.

Over the past 15 years, 33 schools have earned a spot at the Grand Finals, where only three schools have their names engraved on the trophy, Durban Girls’ College, St Anne’s Diocesan and St Mary’s DSG.

For more information, follow the tournament on Facebook on SparSchoolGirlsHockeyTournament and Instagram on sparkznhockey, or TikTok spar.kzn.hockey.

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