by Eileen Ang (17S03M), Captain; Kwan Hui Xuan (17S06K), Vice-captain; Nur Umaira (17S06B), Vice-captain; Tapasyah Singh (17S03C), Goalkeeper
In Raffles, hockey is a developmental sport for girls. Embarking on this journey may be a little daunting at first but you will never be alone. Almost all of our girls have had zero experience prior to joining. Many were not even from a sports CCA. They all took the first step starting from scratch and we grew together.
Action on the pitch.
Hockey is not a game for the faint-hearted (Literally. Fast, hard hockey balls come flying at you sometimes). It not only calls for courage, but also perseverance and passion. You will be made to push your limits –both physically and psychologically. Not only will you become fitter, but more importantly, you will grow stronger in character and spirit. In the end we stay true to our motto of “Hustle, Hit & Never Quit”. Everything — your blood, sweat, tears — all of it will be every bit more than worth it as you fight alongside your team.
Battle cries.
A typical training begins when we meet about an hour earlier than the stipulated training time for warm ups. The team gathers under the clock tower next to the astroturf at about 5 p.m. We either go for a long distance jog or do some sprints, before ending warm ups with a round of stretching. Sometimes, we switch it up with, for example, a round of catching or agility exercises. Once we are all done gearing up in our shin pads, socks and shoes, we step onto the pitch to work on our stickwork and basic skills, followed by drills and set plays when Coach Dahlia arrives.
We have to travel to external pitches to experience the actual playing field, as our school’s pitch is only about a quarter in size of an actual pitch. Some days, we are provided with chartered buses, while other days see us taking public transport. After trainings, we sometimes have dinner together as a team. We also have team outings once in awhile.
Team dinner after a match
Achievements
Clichéd as it may sound, teamwork really does make the dream work. With months of hard work, the girls team clinched 3rd place in the SSSC National A Division Girls Hockey Championships 2016 while our counterpart, the boys team, placed 2nd in the SSSC National A Division Boys Hockey Championships 2016.
Hockey (girls) ‘A’ division team 2016
Hockey (boys) ‘A’ division team 2016
Don’t go through life without (hockey) goals, so come and “stick” around!
Training information
When: usually 6-8 p.m. (report an hour earlier to warm up). Tuesdays and Thursdays (+ Monday when nearing ‘A’ Division season)
Where: RI School Pitch, Sengkang Hockey Pitch, MOE Evans (CCAB) Hockey Pitch, Delta Hockey Pitch
Equipment: Hockey stick, Shin pads, Shoes, Long Socks, Mouthguard
Batch ‘16/’17 outing
