Marylebone Boys enjoy Schools’ Hockey Festival

Pupils from Marylebone Boys School competed in Lee Valley Regional Park Authority’s fourth annual Schools’ Hockey Festival at the Olympic Park.

The youngsters participated in various activities, spending the first part of their morning in training practising key technical skills whilst learning the rules of the game under the expert guidance of the venue’s resident hockey coaches.

Following a brief rest break, the energetic students took to the bright blue, Olympic standard hockey pitches – which saw international action this summer from England Hockey’s men’s and women’s teams during the Investec Internationals and Hero Hockey World League Semi-Finals London – for the first of six, 15-minute games competing against schools from across London and Essex.

The action-packed day came to a close with the announcement of the winning team – Saffron Walden County High School from Uttlesford in Essex – who were presented with a trophy.

Shaun Dawson, chief executive at Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, said: “In the five years since the 2012 Games, I’m delighted to see our staff and venues continuing to contribute to the Olympic legacy, facilitating activities such as today’s Hockey Schools Festival – the fourth hockey festival since the venue opened in 2014 - for young people across the region.

“I hope that our programme will have inspired young people to take up and excel at sports such as hockey and even be the first taste of hockey for what could be future international players.”

Founded in 2011, the Schools Festival programme gives young people across London, Essex and Hertfordshire the chance to enjoy sport in the three inspirational London 2012 legacy venues which Lee Valley Regional Park Authority owns.

The two-day Hockey Schools Festival is funded by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, of which celebrates its landmark 50th anniversary this year.