“A David and Goliath story” is how Kirkby Stephen Grammar School under-16 hockey team’s victory in the national schools finals at Nottingham was described.
A hockey team comprises 11 players, and Kirkby’s whole squad numbered just 12, as there are only 12 girls playing hockey in that year group at the 360-pupil school. And, of the eight schools in the finals, only three were state schools.
“This just shouldn’t have happened!” said PE teacher Helen Paul. “It was all a bit surreal. We were an unknown school — even the organisers were enthralled by what was happening, saying ‘who are Kirkby Stephen?’ It was like David and Goliath or Cool Runnings (the story of the Jamaican bobsleigh team) — a fairytale.”
The story is all the more remarkable as the Kirkby Stephen team almost did not go to Nottingham last Monday due to the costs involved.
“We really struggled. The entry fee alone is hundreds of pounds and then there is the transport cost,” said Helen.
Kirkby Stephen qualified for the finals by winning the North Cumbria and Cumbria finals, before being unbeaten in the regional finals in Cheshire.
At the Nottingham Hockey Centre, the Tier 3 under-16 teams were split into two pools of four. Kirkby finished top of their pool and played Tiffin Girls’ School, from Kingston-upon-Thames — another state school — in the final, which they won 2-0.
“It was 0-0 at half-time, but I told them ‘you’ve got this’. Everything was lined up,” said Helen.
And so it proved, as two goals from England player Martha Bainbridge sealed the victory. Martha was the tournament’s top goal scorer with six — netting all her team’s goals and making them the competition’s top scoring team.
“As a PE teacher I will never do this again,” said Helen. “You never imagine having success like this with a school so small.”
Helen saluted her “amazing players” and also paid tribute to Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club, where most of them play the majority of their hockey.
“Most of them play week in, week out with Kirkby Stephen Hockey Club first or second senior team and they know each other really well.
“I am very much aware of the effort these girls put in. The day was a pleasure from start to finish. We went to enjoy it and not be overwhelmed, and before they played I said ‘You are in a national final. If we win it will be amazing; if you are second, that is also amazing’.
“We should not have been anywhere near these private, massive schools. I don’t think I will ever have a year like this again — we will never forget it,” added Helen.
