29th Annual Jean Torrance Hockey Tournament

Hockey teams from across the UK came together once again for the 29th annual Jean Torrance Tournament, a competition that continues to honour a name deeply rooted in our OAKS heritage.

Old Arnoldian Jean Torrance was a founding member of the Girls’ Games Tour Committee, and her daughter Julia made history as the first Arnold girl to represent her county in hockey following the move to co-education in 1976. Julia later became First XI Captain and Deputy Head of School in 1987/88.

The tournament celebrates Jean’s life and contribution to school sport, with the winning team presented with the trophy in her memory.

Nearly three decades on, it is now a genuinely multi-generational occasion. Clare Taylor, Old Arnoldian (1980–1994), once competed in the tournament herself and recently returned to watch her daughters follow in her footsteps, Sophia in previous years and Lexi this year, representing the AKS U11 team. It is fantastic to see a long-standing tradition still being celebrated today. Clare and Lexi are pictured here with Clare’s winner’s medal from her own time competing in the Jean Torrance Tournament, joined by Judy Dixon, who taught both Sophia and Lexi, and Gill Raby, former Arnold teacher and coach at Arnold and AKS, who taught Clare and later her daughter, Sophia.

We remain incredibly grateful to Jean, Julia and the Torrance family for all they have given to school hockey.

Congratulations to The Mary Erskine School for taking home this year’s trophy, and for once again travelling from Edinburgh to be part of such a special event.

Full Match Report

The Annual AKS U12 Jean Torrance Tournament, which was taking place for the 29th year, saw 10 teams participate in the A & B tournaments with schools from as far afield as Scotland and Yorkshire joining three AKS and local sides for an action packed day of hockey.

In the A tournament the AKS U12A team got off to the perfect start with a well deserved 2 – 0 win against Lytham High A team. We started slowly but soon gained greater accuracy to our play and with great attacking play down our right from the team we proved too strong for our opponents and deservedly took the win and secured our first points on the board.

The second game saw us against the AKS U11 side and it was a superb game with both sides playing some fantastic hockey. The U11’s gave a great account of themselves but a great strike from Winnie Van Rijn saw the A team take the lead half way through the match and the win was sealed with another goal to make it two wins and six points on the board.

Game 3 was a close fought affair against GSAL A team and it proved our toughest test so far. The team raised their game and played some excellent passing hockey to put the GSAL defence under pressure and create some great scoring opportunities. GSAL, however, were always a threat and only more great defending from all the team along with some great saves from keeper Emily Holmes kept the scores level. With the result in the balance it was GSAL who managed to find the net to secure a narrow 1 – 0 win.

The A team’s final game was against eventual winners Mary Erskine A team. Mary Erskine started on the front foot with their strong powerful players attacking at pace from the first whistle and they took an early lead. Undeterred we battled hard playing more good hockey but it was Mary Erskine who found the net again. We did find the net ourselves but it was Mary Erskine who finished as 3 – 1 winners to seal not only the win but also top spot in the tournament. The A team had to settle for a 3rd place finish.

The AKS U11 side also played in the A tournament and did themselves proud playing against older opposition and finishing in 5th place. The team grew in confidence as the tournament progressed and played some superb hockey along the way. They enjoyed close battles against AKS A team and Grammar School at Leeds A team and were always in all the games and no doubt will have learnt a great deal from the experience of playing against tough opposition.

The U12 B team played in the B tournament and started the first match against Lytham High B team well dominating possession and creating some great scoring opportunities. We had attack after attack but the Lytham goal had a charmed life and all our shots were either saved or flew just wide and at the final whistle the score remained at 0 – 0 and both teams shared the points. The match against GSAL B team could have gone either way with both teams having chances to score but at the final whistle it was GSAL who took the points. Mary Erskine B & C teams provided opposition for the other two matches and despite not winning the team fought hard. The girls defended for their lives at times but could not prevent our Scottish opponents finding the net and ultimately taking the points and in the final standing the team took home 4th place certificates.

Mary Erskine returned to Scotland as A &B tournament winners but although everyone did not take home medals hockey certainly was the winner with so many young players from far and wide taking to the field, enjoying a great day of competitive hockey and definitely improving as the day progressed.

Kay Hanham

Sports Coach