Shrewsbury Hockey Celebrates Historic Double Qualification

Shrewsbury School enjoyed a landmark moment on Monday 9th February as both the U16 and U18 girls’ teams competed in the England Hockey Vase Finals at the Nottingham Hockey Centre. This is the first time in the School’s history that two Shrewsbury teams have reached this national finals event in the same year, having progressed through both county and regional rounds to earn their place among the top eight schools in the country.

The U18s opened their campaign against eventual champions Culford School, who fielded a well‑organised side including two England U18 internationals. Despite a fast, frantic and competitive match in which Shrewsbury created several circle penetrations, they were unable to convert their chances and fell to a 2–0 defeat. A further 2–0 loss to Godalming followed after missed penalty‑corner opportunities, but the team responded brilliantly, securing back‑to‑back wins—2–0 over Ampleforth and 3–0 against Streatham & Clapham—to finish 5th overall, an improvement on last season’s result.

The U16s began with an excellent 2–1 victory over Dame Allan’s, sealed by a last‑minute winner from Agatha R. In their second match, they pushed eventual champions Tiffin Girls’ all the way, with Agatha again on the scoresheet after firing a superb strike into the top corner. The team finished their campaign with a narrow loss to Stephen Perse and a hard‑earned draw against Loreto Grammar to place 7th nationally. Both teams represented Shrewsbury with pride, determination and outstanding sportsmanship, and the experience of competing at a national event will remain with them for years to come.

Director of Hockey and Assistant Director of Sport, Liam Hennessey said:

“We are really proud of the girls who have taken part in hockey this academic year. We have regularly fielded seven teams in fixtures, offering an inclusive sporting environment that has helped develop real depth in our play.

“Hockey is a sport for life, and I am sure these moments will stay with the girls forever. It was a great day filled with emotion, resilience, and fantastic skill, and we hope to continue qualifying for events like this in the future.”