Scotch College

Scotch Hockey players go to Canberra

On 7 December 2004 twenty under 15 boys from Scotch College travelled to Canberra to participate in the Quikstix Tournament. We played against teams from Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia in the under 15 and under 17 divisions. The skill level of our opponents was excellent and a sporting highlight was playing a team of elite athletes from the Bandar Penawar Sports School in Malaysia. The 78 students at this boarding school are selected to attend based on their sporting prowess in rugby, hockey or soccer. Their games featured great sportsmanship, team play and extensive use of set plays which created a challenging competive game environment than the boys normally experience. The Bandar Pendawar players inspired the Scotch teams by their sportsmanship and skill.

A highlight of the end of the tour was exchanging T-Shirts and promising to meet up again next year.

The Scotch boys played an average of two games a day during the five-day tournament, encountering high temperatures and humidity, electrical storms, hail and plane delays. I was impressed by the enthusiasm, and determination of the Scotch players to meet the physically demanding schedule of the tournament. They returned to Melbourne exhausted but exhilarated by their experience which had enhanced their hockey skills.