Hockey
Girls’ hockey has been a major sport for many years at The Glasgow Academy and has produced some fantastic success stories. Former pupil Laura Bartlett won a bronze medal for GB hockey in the London Olympic Games 2012 and our girls have been crowned Scottish Champions three years running. A number of players represent their districts at U14, U16 & U18 level and the school fields on average 12 girls’ teams every Saturday morning.
Girls are introduced to hockey in Prep 5 and can continue developing their hockey career all the way through to S6. Girls train at least twice a week, with strength and conditioning sessions included as part of the senior programme as well as additional technical sessions throughout the week for junior players. These sessions take place before school or during lunchtimes. The culture within the hockey club is to be the best we can be and staff, coaches and players all strive to achieve this.
Director of Sport, Rhona Toft, played hockey for Great Britain in two Olympic Games (1996 and 2000), for Scotland in three Commonwealth Games (1998, 2002 and 2006) and in two World Cups. She is Scotland’s most-decorated Hockey player (over 280 caps for Scotland and Great Britain). She chaired the Athlete’s Advisory Committee on behalf of Glasgow 2014 and is Chair of the first-ever Commonwealth Games Federation Athletes Advisory Commission, representing the Commission on the Commonwealth Games Federation Executive Board. She show jumped for Scotland and Great Britain for over ten years at senior level.
The Glasgow Academy’s international-standard water-based hockey pitch (the first in a West Scotland school) was used, like the school’s rugby facilities, as a training venue by various countries competing in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The boys hockey programme at The Glasgow Academy offers an exciting and competitive opportunity to learn the game as a novice in S3, right through to playing at a high level in our senior squad which comprises S3 to S6 pupils. Many boys have their first experience of hockey in S3, quickly picking up the basics on a Tuesday at a games session and playing fixtures against other schools in order to hone their match experience. Some S3 boys are able to make the jump to play in the senior squads, representing the school on a weekly basis in the 2nd and 1st XI who play on a Saturday morning. The senior squad have training sessions on a Wednesday afternoon, during their timetabled games session, where they work on game play, fitness, skills and tactics ahead of their Saturday fixtures.
Mrs Toft’s 10 hockey challenges seek to encourage children to develop their skills at home.
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