Double Gold! Hampshire Crowned U17 National Champions
It’s official: Hampshire’s U17 Boys and U17 Girls are National County Champions!
After three days of high-pressure hockey, brilliant teamwork, and some seriously nail-biting moments, both Hampshire squads have lifted the national trophy in style.
🏆 U17 Boys – Champions with Clean Sheets and Cool Heads 🏑
The Hampshire U17 Boys entered the final day having already topped the Championship Pool with a 2–0 win over Surrey. This set up a repeat clash for the final—and it didn’t disappoint.
The final kicked off with Hampshire pressing hard and fast. They looked fired up, hungry, and totally in control. A lightning-fast counterattack—sparked by a sensational double save from the keeper—led to the opening (and only) goal of the match.
Surrey responded with intensity, but Hampshire’s defensive wall held firm. Even when down to 10 players twice during the match due to green cards, the boys dug deep. The Hampshire keeper was once again heroic, pulling off another pair of crucial saves to deny a Surrey equaliser.
Late in the game, Surrey threw everything forward—even subbing off their keeper for an extra outfield player. A last-gasp short corner threatened to ruin the party when Surrey managed to get the ball in the net. But the umpires deliberated and the goal was disallowed.
FINALLY! The whistle signalled full-time… and a 1–0 victory.
Of course, no championship campaign is complete without some alternative squad awards—delivered with a wink and a sense of humour by coach Pierre-Charles Wood:
- Best Elimination Skills – Charlie Kavanagh
- Heart of the Team Award – Campbell Hope-MacLellan
- Most Time Off the Pitch – Hayden Ewing (accompanied by a KitKat!)
- Brightest Star Award – Eoin Cusack (who else gets a Star Bar?)
- Best Tackler – Sebastian Zwolinski
- Smoothest Skills – Henry Sandler
- Effort Award – Riley Huddlestone
- Hockey IQ Award – Edward Swift (presented with a tube of Smarties!)
- Future Umpire Award – Milo Brailey (who had a lot to say during matches… 🙄🙄)
- Top Goal Scorers – Henry Wood & Harry West
- Coaches Award – Nathan Foster
- Players’ Player – Harry West
What a team. What a tournament. What a win!
🏆 U17 Girls – Revenge, Resilience and Glory 🏑
The U17 Girls brought their very best hockey to the business end of the tournament.
A confident 2–0 semi-final victory over Buckinghamshire—featuring two second-half goals—earned them a shot at redemption in the final against North Yorkshire: the only team to beat them in the pool stages.
This time, Hampshire were ready!
With tactical tweaks, fierce determination, and an unshakeable team spirit, they turned the tables on their northern rivals. A well-executed short corner and a pressure penalty flick gave Hampshire a 2–1 win, securing their title and sealing their place in county hockey history.
From start to finish, the girls were exemplary both on and off the pitch—playing with maturity, passion, and a sense of togetherness that left coaches and parents bursting with pride.
Girls' team manager/coach Elaine Gibson says:
I just want to say what a wonderful experience the last 3 days has been. The girls have been exceptional both on and off the pitch, and are an absolute credit to you all as well as fantastic hockey players. Parents, you have been incredible and your support before and during the tournament has been immense. You have all thanked us as coaches and managers, but you and the girls made our lives incredibly easy. Aside from the gold medals and the beautiful trophies that we have brought back to Hampshire, I genuinely hope that the girls have had the best time, made fantastic memories and hockey friendships that will last a lifetime.
Hampshire Performance Director, Dave Miles, comments:
It has been an honour and a pleasure working with this group of boys and girls, I love working for Hampshire Hockey! I put so much into making sure we provide the best possible environments and opportunities for the players, it’s moments like this when I get the chance to work with groups like these players and share these experiences that make all the hard work we put in absolutely worth it.
Seeing the kids play with so much passion, resilience and pride for their county is phenomenal and they are not just a credit to themselves and you as parents but the entire county as a whole 🏑👍🏻🤩
A huge thank you to Pete Tunstall, Elaine Gibson, Oakley Sparshott-Thompson, Pierre-Charles Wood and Nick Dudman; you guys have been immense over the last 3 days your leadership and support for the squad has been immaculate and it has been an absolute pleasure working with you, you are all a credit to Hampshire I know the players have loved having you there, and as a team you have given them the best first tournament experience. And to come away with the 🥇 was the icing on the cake.
You guys have made my job as performance director so much easier by the standards you have set!
Finally, I want to say a massive thank you to each and every one of the parents, guardians, family members and supporters for your support and belief in the pathway we have created in Hampshire for the players. We continue to evolve and adapt what we do to give all the kids the best opportunities possible to play the game we love. This tournament was a massive step forward in our vision for what hockey should be, and without your support and belief in us as an entity and the coaches working within it, this would not be possible 😍
👏 Behind the Scenes: The Real MVPs
None of this success would have been possible without the relentless work of our coaching and support staff:
David Miles, Oakley Sparshott-Thomson, Pierre-Charles Wood, Pete Tunstall, Elaine Gibson, and Nick Dudman—you’ve been outstanding, both on the touchline and in the laundrette (literally).
From tactical planning and injury support to last-minute laundry runs and group breathing during short corners, you’ve been the heartbeat of this campaign. Thank you for everything.
🔮 Looking Ahead
Plans are already underway for an even bigger NCC in 2026, with early signs suggesting more counties, more competition, and the exciting addition of U15 tournaments. After the success of this year, the future is bright for county hockey—and Hampshire will be ready to rise again.
Well done to all players, parents, and staff. You’ve done Hampshire proud. 💙💛
#TeamHampshire #U17NCC25 #NationalChampions #OneTeam #LaundryLegends #HockeyFamily
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