Hockey Down Under
The Girls' 1st XI Hockey squad, captained by Rachel Malcolm (C2009), travelled to Australia and Singapore in 2009, taking in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane before their final match in Singapore. Katie Gardner [S6] and Susie Gillman [S6] report.
When the Rugby team found out in 2008 they were going to South Africa, we were so jealous we pretended we had our very own tour to
Mexico. It turned out there was no need to make up a dream tour, as we soon learned we were heading to Australia ourselves.
Flash forward a year. Due to Miss Simpson's notorious lack of compassion, we played our first match immediately following a 24-hour journey to Perth. Despite our exhaustion we still managed a 4-1 victory, which was an excellent start to the tour.
Our two matches in Melbourne were at the Commonwealth pitch, where we lost a decent-fought match against the Victoria State team and cruised to a 12-0 victory over Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar.
On arrival in Sydney we enjoyed a tour of the Olympic stadium, where our very own Rhona Simpson was at last able to grace the number one podium spot, having played in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. We had our own shot at Olympic glory, when we won 5-1 at the Olympic
Hockey Centre against Wenona School, whose team is coached by Carolyn Shaw (C1999), a former Hutchesons' 1st XI captain.
Fittingly, we were scheduled to climb the 140- metre-high Sydney Harbour Bridge the morning we received our exam results. The climb went without a hitch and, from the top, we took in spectacular views of the one of the most famous cities in the world.
Our final stop of the tour, after playing the Brisbane Under 18 team, was Singapore, an exhausting eight-hour flight away. We played the
Singapore national full squad on Karen Leslie's birthday and earned a rewarding 1-1 draw.
Former pupil Lesley Nock, née Black (C1961), who has lived in Australia for many years, tells how impressed she was by
the Hutchesons' Girls.
"I played in the Hutchesons' Girls 1st XI from 1958 to 1960, alongside Alix Jamieson, née Stevenon (C1960). I went on from School to Dunfermline College of Physical Education and played in the 1st XI there before going on to teach PE in Bath and to play hockey for Gloucestershire. I then married and emigrated to Australia. I had only played three club matches when I was selected to play for Victoria, which I represented for two years before moving to Tasmania which I represented for one year.
"I never made it into the Australian team, but it wasn't for want of trying! I was pregnant at the inter-State tournament that year (but only just) so didn't play at that level again, but I still played and
coached at club level and coached juniors at State level in Tasmania. After five years I returned to Victoria where I continued to play and coach A grade hockey until I retired at the age of 41.
"My husband and I managed to attend the Melbourne hockey match by the Girls' 1st XI against Lowther Hall Academy and we both thoroughly enjoyed a very one-sided match; the Hutchie girls were too strong for their opponents and won by 12-0 (not heard of 50 years ago, as we had to stop scoring goals before we reached double figures!). It gave us a grand opportunity to observe how well the Hutchie girls played.
"They displayed wonderful stickwork skills, fast attacking play, excellent defence when necessary by covering well for each other and, in general, mature teamwork, unselfish play and some terrific individual opportunism. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the
game, despite the bitingly cold wind and the sudden heavy downpours of rain! This was typical of Melbourne's winter, but the girls
will have had much kinder weather in all the other cities.
"I was delighted to see how they encouraged each other, especially the way the older girls praised the younger ones, and how they
responded to every coaching instruction given so capably by Rhona [Simpson]. They were full of youthful exuberance, but were also so natural and well mannered and, in fact, just a credit to
themselves and the school!"
