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Medis Hockey Tournament Will Be Bigger and Better in 2011

by isleofman.com 11th January 2011
An Island-wide hockey tournament for primary schools, sponsored by pharmaceutical company Medis, will involve even more teams this year. In 2010 the company teamed up with Manx Sports and Recreation’s (MSR) Sports Development Unit to organise the tournament and Medis provided funding for new hockey equipment to allow teachers to set up after school hockey clubs for pupils. In total more than 250 children from 21 schools took part with qualifying rounds at the NSC and Castle Rushen High School. Murray’s Road School won the final held at the NSC. For 2011 the plan is for a tournament for year three and year four primary school pupils aged seven and eight. Stuart Colligon, Managing Director of Medis, handed over a cheque for ?1,500 to the Sports Development Unit which is part of Manx Sport and Recreation. He said: “The 2010 tournament proved to be very popular and we were delighted to see so many children taking part. Next year we plan to build on the enthusiasm for hockey in the Island’s primary schools and, with the help and hard work of Manx Sport and Recreation, introduce even more children to the sport.” Kerry Penswick, Hockey Development Officer at MSR, said that in order to make it easier for the youngsters to learn hockey skills the 2011 Medis tournament would be based on the ‘quicksticks’ version of the game, which uses a larger and lighter ball than a standard hockey ball. Quicksticks hockey is also played on a smaller pitch and with goals which are wider than standard but with a lower crossbar. Kerry said: “Last year we had 13 schools taking part, this year there are 28 schools which want to enter the tournament. We are very grateful to Medis for continuing to support the tournament and their generous donation will be used to buy quicksticks-type hockey balls for all of the teams.” There will be five regional heats held in March with 10 teams qualifying for the finals at the National Sports Centre on March 30. In each regional heat an additional ‘fair play’ award will go to one of the teams, with the winner of each award being granted a place in the finals. This is designed to encourage good sportsmanship during the tournament and Medis has also donated ?281.50 to buy ‘fair play’ tee-shirts. All of the teams taking part will begin training early in the New Year with some of the Island’s hockey clubs helping to coach the children. Ends
Posted by isleofman.com
Tuesday 11th, January 2011 02:50pm.

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