Oakhill College was recently fortunate to play sports against two touring British school teams – Pate’s Grammar from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire; and Adams’ Grammar from Newport, Shropshire.
Pate’s hockey team arrived to a warm welcome at the Oakhill Sports Campus on Saturday, 22 July. This was an ideal opportunity for the Oakhill hockey girls to not only interact with an international team, but to also get a kick start before the busy term started on Tuesday. There was great camaraderie and a mutual love of the game, with the final score going in Oakhill’s favour 6-0. Two netball games also took place at Oakhill School. Oakhill U16 played their 2nd team and won 17-7, while Pate’s 1st team proved stronger on the day, beating Oakhill 22-11.
This past Friday, 28 July, Oakhill’s 1st Hockey Boys had their turn in hosting Adams’ Grammar and kick-starting their hockey term after a long holiday. Unfortunately for UK side this was one of Knysna’s hotter days, and whilst our locals have become somewhat accustomed to this unpredictable heat, the Adams’ Grammar team were a bit shell-shocked. They gave it their all though, and the match ended in an 8-2 victory to Oakhill. Oakhill Netball 1st and 2nd teams both had successful games against the Adams’ Grammar teams, with Oakhill 1st winning 26-8, and Oakhill 2nd winning 17-7.
Touring fixtures are competitive but always played in a good spirit. Both teams get to learn a lot about different cultures, and new long-lasting friendships are formed. These touring sides often want to come to South Africa to see how they fare against our sides, as well as taking in our scenery and culture. It is always a privilege to host them, especially in our beautiful town!
