Hoërskool Eldoraigne aims to raise the bar for 2025 hockey festival
Hoërskool Eldoraigne‘s Director of Hockey, Chadwin Petersen, says preparations for their annual 2nd Team Hockey Festival for 2025 are well underway, with 36 teams confirmed to participate in next year’s event.
The event takes place from 28-31 March, with matches being played at the Pretoria school’s AstroTurf.
The festival has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2022, which makes the 2025 iteration the fourth edition of the event.
Taking a leaf out of an idea very successfully implemented at the Fairweather Hockey Festival in KwaZulu-Natal, the event gives much-needed exposure to second-team boys’ and girls’ hockey players from schools around the Gauteng region and further afield in the northern regions of the country.
“The drive ultimately was to grow the game beyond the first or A team senior level in the traditional sense,” Petersen told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“We wanted to prove that sport and hockey are for everyone, and if we could find the means to create an elite tournament for second teams, this will give the same feel and vibe as what the major tournaments create around the country.”
The festival takes place amidst a busy schedule of first-team tournaments in the early part of the season, and it has attracted some noteworthy participants.
Among the top schools that will contest next year’s festival are Jeppe High School for Boys, Hoërskool Garsfontein, Helpmekaar College, St Alban’s College, Die Hoërskool Menlopark, and Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool.
This year, Affies won the girls’ section, while Jeppe claimed the top honours in the boys’ competition.
The tournament has been well received by the schools and parents and serves as an important building block for the players.
“One thing we’ve seen is the passion and pride that goes into each individual that represents their school,” Petersen said. “This event allows them to be treated like ‘elite’ players and gives them the platform to bring their best.”
It creates an opportunity for players in either their last year of school hockey or for those who narrowly missed out on first-team selection, to lay a foundation for their season, he explained.
Despite the success of previous editions of the festival, Petersen is adamant that there’s a lot to improve on from an organisational point of view.
“We always believe in adding value and creating an unforgettable experience for the players and staff on and off the field,” he explained.
“With a number of partners secured for 2025, that will be no different. An increase in interactive activities taking place throughout the day will keep players and staff engaged and entertained.
“One of the main features of the festival is no game will end up in a draw. If teams end up in a stalemate, they will share the points; however, there will be an extra point on offer in a three-player shootout post the game to acquire an additional point,” he concluded.
Hoërskool Eldoraigne Hockey Festival 2025 Pools
Boys
Pool A: Jeppe High School for Boys, Helpmekaar Kollege, Hoërskool Waterkloof, Potchefstroom Gimnasium
Pool B: Die Hoërskool Menlopark, St Alban’s College, Hoërskool Linden, Hoërskool Nelspruit
Pool C: Hoërskool Louis Trichardt, Hoërskool Garsfontein, Hoërskool Eldoraigne, Hoërskool Kemptonpark
Pool D: Sutherland High School, Hoërskool Zwartkop, Hoërskool Pietersburg, Hoërskool EG Jansen
Girls
Pool A: Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool, Hoërskool Eldoraigne, Hoërskool Zwartkop, Hoërskool EG Jansen, Hoërskool Louis Trichardt
Pool B: Die Hoërskool Menlopark, Hoërskool Pietersburg, Parktown High School for Girls, Sutherland High School, Hoërskool Nelspruit
Pool C: Hoërskool Waterkloof, Hoërskool Wonderboom, Hoërskool Overkruin, Hoërskool Kemptonpark, Potchefstroom Gimnasium
Pool D: Hoërskool Noordheuwel, Hoërskool Garsfontein, Helpmekaar Kollege, Hoërskool Linden, Hoërskool Eldoraigne (Invitational team)
