Celebrating Success: Oliver and George Selected for England Hockey Teams

We are thrilled to announce that brothers Oliver (Upper Sixth) and George (Year 10) have reached a remarkable milestone, securing places in the England Hockey U18 and U16 group squads.

Oliver, a seasoned player with prior experience representing England, is delighted to be moving forward with his progression. Reflecting on his achievement, he shared: “I was very excited to find out that I had been selected for the England squad as I have put in lots of hard work within school and for my club, and it has always been a goal of mine to represent my country”.

George’s accomplishment is particularly impressive, as he will play a year above his age group. His exceptional talent has earned him a spot in the U16 squad, despite being U15 age, placing him among the top four players in his age group nationally.

Their success will see Oliver and George both attend regular training camps, where they will take part on pitch, in the gym and in tactical and education sessions to allow them to develop. This then eventually leads up to the opportunity to play in international fixtures such as the Euros in the Summer.

Head of Hockey at Leighton Park and Hampstead and Westminster HC  player, Matt Richards, expressed his delight: “It is amazing that we have two brothers in the school who are now representing their country for hockey in different age groups. It is a testament to their hard work and the dedication they show towards their hockey – both in and out of school. We will continue to support them with specialised S&C programmes, scholars’ talks and trips as well as hockey sessions throughout the year. My hope is that these achievements will help to further build the profile for Boys’ Hockey at Leighton”.

The school’s PE department plays a pivotal role in supporting its athletes through the Advanced Performer Programme (APP). Oliver benefits from three personalised gym sessions (set by England Hockey) per week under the guidance of Alice Ledson, Head of Strength and Conditioning. George highlighted the invaluable support he has received from the school, expressing his gratitude:

“Special thanks to Simon, who has helped me not only as an athlete but as a student, being my tutor for the last two years. Also, many thanks to Alice, aiding me with my APP sessions (where I work on my strength and speed) and providing support throughout my time at Leighton Park.” The Oke family further expressed “We are immensely grateful to Matt for his support , encouragement and wise counsel.”

APP is a co-curricular club for advanced athletes, competing at County-level or above, who are invited to focus on fitness training, nutrition and psychology. Building on the core speed, agility and strength skills needed to play elite sport.

Hockey is a focus sport for Leighton Park, with multiple boys’ and girls’ teams across different year groups. We have consistently been in the top 3 in the senior Super 8 League for the last six years and our U15 team won the County Plate Competition recently. Our Hockey Tour last year went to Spain, with our players going to Barbados next year, creating multiple sporting opportunities for our players beyond the Park. Our brand new Hockey Astro was also installed in February 2024 and has been vital in facilitating our players reach their full potential.