Twenty rising stars from Castletown Hockey Club took their game to the UK last weekend.
Both of the club’s Under-12 squads qualified for the North-West In2Hockey Area Finals at Sedbergh School in April.
With a junior player pool a fraction of the size of their English counterparts, CHC faced clubs drawing on hundreds of youngsters.
Youngsters Excel
Undaunted, the Manx U12s produced a string of eye-catching results, matching the pace, skill and physicality of the region’s elite.
For many of the children it was their first experience of tournament hockey off-island, an essential benchmark for individual player development and the Club’s long-term talent pathway.
“Our U12s were fearless,” said Junior Lead Coach Sophie Phythian.
“They adapted to a faster game, learned on the fly and showed the expansive, passing hockey we coach every week. Results aside, the biggest win was watching their confidence sky-rocket.”
Support for Hockey Team
The trip was made possible by Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, which part-funded the travel costs, and by the wider Manx hockey family who raised the balance through a lightning round of football-card draws.
The Steam Packet’s long-standing mission is to connect the Island with the North-West and back community sport, values that align perfectly with CHC’s junior programme.
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