SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Durban North Regional - Crawford La Lucia - Sunday 1 March

Launching into the sixteenth year, this year’s SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge action unfolds at the Durban North Regional hosted by Crawford La Lucia on Sunday 1 March.

The first of the ten KZN regionals welcomes ten schools from the area. Split into two pools, the teams will take to the pitch for their pool games, followed by the top two teams from each pool going head-to-head in the cross-pool semi-finals revealing the challengers who will meet in the regional final.

Defending champs, Ashton International College take on the home team, Crawford La Lucia in the first game for Pool A, joining them are Danville Park Girls’ High School; Curro Salt Rock and Reddam Ballito. The second game of the tournament welcomes Our Lady of Fatima and Reddam uMhlanga participating in Pool B. Northlands Girls’ High School; Durban North College and Crawford North Coast have also been drawn into this pool.

A total of 23 games will be played in this regional with all games lasting a quick fire 20 minutes. A successful team will add 4 points to their log, while the loser acquires zero points. In a case of a goalless draw, both teams earn 1 point but if two teams managed to net the same number of goals, they will each earn 2 points.  A maximum of seven goals will be recorded if a team dominates. If the playoffs end with the scores being level, three players from each team will head to a penalty shootout.

Emerging from this regional, the first finalist representing the suburbs north of Durban will head to the Grand Finals where they will meet the nine other finalists from around the province. Four schools have had the honour of participating at the concluding tournament. 

Defending champions, Ashton earned a third place last year, the best result for a team from this region. Ashton have gone on to the Grand Finals four times, sharing this record with Danville Park Girls’ High School. Our Lady of Fatima’s claimed victory in the inaugural regional, and has their name engraved six times on the trophy. Host school, Crawford La Lucia have also gone on to the Grand Finals once and with home turf advantage, will be keen to reclaim the title.

Matrics participating in the challenge will have the opportunity to win a year’s bursary at eta College, a leading Sport Science, Coaching and Management tertiary institution in Durban. The bursary will be awarded at the Grand Finals which takes place at St Mary’s D.S.G. at the end of July. 

For more information, follow the tournament on Facebook: SparSchoolGirlsHockeyTournament and Instagram  sparkznhockey or TikTok spar.kzn.hockey or use the hashtags: #ChixWithStix  #HeartoftheCommunity #SuperLocal #MyKZNSPAR #MySPAR 

Caption: Game faces on! Poised and ready to defend their title, Ashton International College’s Anna Angelopolous (captain) and Emmerson van Zijl (vice-captain) hope to lead their team to their fifth victory in the Durban North Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that will be hosted by Crawford La Lucia on Sunday 1 March. 

 Pic by Val Adamson