Union High School’s 1st Girls’ Hockey Team returned from their first-ever Cape Town International Hockey Tournament with a silver medal and a performance that made the entire school proud.
Travelling to Cape Town, there was a mixture of excitement, nerves and uncertainty. The team knew they would be competing against some of the strongest hockey schools in the country, but from the very first whistle, they showed that they had not travelled to simply participate – they had come to compete.
Their tournament began against Hoërskool Hugenote. After the holiday break, there were understandable questions about how quickly the team would settle into their rhythm. Those doubts disappeared almost immediately as the girls produced a composed and disciplined performance to record a 2–0 victory.
Confidence continued to grow in the second pool match against Curro Hermanus. The team produced an outstanding display of attacking hockey, securing an impressive 7–0 victory.
The final pool match against Edgemead would determine who finished top of the group. With everything to play for, the girls displayed maturity, patience and discipline, capitalising on their opportunities to earn a convincing 4–0 victory. They finished the pool stage unbeaten, with three wins from three matches, nine points and 13 goals scored.
The cross-pool playoff against Swartland High School presented a different challenge. While it was not the team’s most polished performance, they showed tremendous character, fighting for every ball and trusting one another to secure a hard-fought 2–1 victory. Their determination when momentum was not in their favour proved to be one of the defining moments of the tournament.
The semi-final against Hoërskool Stellenbosch demanded everything from the team. Stellenbosch applied relentless pressure from the outset, but Union remained calm, trusted their game plan and patiently absorbed the pressure. Their opportunity came early in the second half when they scored the only goal of the match. A late penalty stroke awarded to Stellenbosch threatened to change the outcome, but the goal was disallowed, and the final whistle confirmed Union’s place in the tournament final.
Reaching the final against Punt High School was already a remarkable achievement. Unfortunately, the match was decided by an early penalty stroke, that proved decisive. Despite the setback, the girls never stopped fighting. They played with courage, determination and tremendous heart until the final whistle. Although they were unable to find the equaliser, they left everything on the field and finished as deserving silver medallists.
While the silver medal may have been disappointing immediately after the final, it represents an outstanding achievement. In their very first appearance at one of South Africa’s premier school hockey tournaments, Union reached the final and earned the respect of every team they faced.
The team is thanked for believing in one another, trusting the process and wearing the Union High School badge with pride, humility and passion throughout the week. They represented the school with distinction both on and off the field and showcased exactly what Union hockey stands for.
This silver medal is not the end of the story, but rather the beginning of what promises to be an exciting future as the team now turns its attention to the 2026 Interschools.