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    Isobel on Course for England U18 Hockey Squad

    Sixth Former is through to next stage of England Hockey Pathway trials.

    Sixth Form Hockey player Isobel Hughes is on track for selection to the England U18 squad, following trials at Old Loughtonians hockey club last month. She is one of only 61 girls nationally to have made it through to phase two of the demanding selection process.

    The England Player Pathway is a key part of England Hockey’s talent development strategy. Players selected for the programme train in an environment that helps realise their potential and encourages them to be the best player they can be – potentially going on to represent England or Great Britain at junior or senior level. Hockey is one of the main boys’ and girls’ games at Kimbolton and our professional coaches have supported several pupils to follow this route in recent years.  

    17-year-old Isobel fits her Hockey commitments around A Level studies in Biology, Chemistry and Geography, and hopes to go on to study Zoology at Nottingham University. Amazingly, she only picked up a Hockey stick after joining Kimbolton in Third Form (Year 9) and just a year later was awarded the captaincy of our U15A team. She now regularly represents the School in 1st team Hockey and also plays for Cambridge City’s 1st team - a national league division 1 side. She said: “I'm really pleased to have got through to the last stage of the U18 trials but I know this will be really challenging as I will be up against very stiff competition, as well as the current U18 England players.”

    Head of Hockey at Kimbolton School, Mr Jack Middleton, added: “We are delighted for Isobel. She is extremely dedicated to her hockey, putting in a huge number of hours at School and at her hockey club. She has made excellent progress over the last few years and thoroughly deserves the opportunity to trial for the national team.”