The Cowichan U18 field hockey team finished fifth at the U18 Club Championships in Surrey from May 23-25. The tournament featured nine teams competing in a series of matches.
"What a fantastic performance by our U18 field hockey team," said team manager Charlene Whipplinger. "The team showed incredible skill, teamwork, and determination throughout the tournament. Their hard work and dedication really paid off, and they should be proud of what they accomplished. Congratulations to the team on an outstanding effort."
The Cowichan team had a mixed performance, with a 0-1 loss to Hawks2, followed by a 4-0 win against Tri City Chaos. They then lost 1-4 to Kelowna Kraken, but bounced back with a 2-0 win over West Van Orcas. The team secured a 4-0 win against Burnaby Bears and repeated their 2-0 win over West Van Orcas to secure fifth place overall.
Cowichan scored 13 goals over the course of the tournament, with top scorers including Natalie Ellingston (5 goals), Lison Mannaert (4 goals), and Cassidy Hill and Nele Lucya (2 goals each).
The team's performance improved with each game, demonstrating their growth and resilience.
The team's success was attributed to the leadership of their Grade 12 players, as well as the guidance of coach Kara Joyce and the support of team manager Charlene Wipplinger and the team's families and supporters.
