More than 250 children from 21 schools recently took part in a hockey tournament sponsored by Douglas-based pharmaceuticals company Medis.

The event was the result of a partnership between Medis and the National Sports Centre’s Sports Development Unit designed to encourage more children to take up the sport.

The company supplied new hockey equipment to allow teachers to set up after school hockey clubs for pupils.  Some Medis staff even pitched in to help out with coaching sessions for the children after attending a workshop organised by the Sports Development Unit.

The aim was to give teachers the skills required to then organise hockey coaching at their schools in the run up to the hockey tournament.

Many of the children who took part said they now wanted to carry on playing hockey in school leagues.

School teams from across the Island battled it out in two qualifying tournaments - one at the NSC and the other at Castle Rushen High School.

Ashley Hill Primary, Murray’s Road School, Cronk-y-Berry Primary School, Buchan School and Laxey Primary School were the five teams who made it through after the NSC qualifying round.

Three more teams – Kewaigue School, St John’s School and Arbory School – made it through to the finals after the qualifying tournament in Castle Rushen with Kewaigue finishing on top of their group.  The eight qualifiers will take part in the finals at the NSC on 26th April 2010.

Medis managing director Stuart Colligon, who also helped coach some of the children, said he was delighted that so many schools had taken part in the tournament.

"It was pleasing to see the high level of participation and the enjoyment and enthusiasm from all of the children," he said.

"We hope that the finals in April will be equally successful."
            
Pictured: The three captains of the teams which qualified at Castle Rushen High School for the Medis schools hockey tournament finals - Mailie Herbert (St John’s School), Kaan Corris-Atas (Kewaigue School) and Josh Hewett (Arbory School).