TOP AWARD FOR COLLEGE

They were presented with the Young Team of the Year award on Monday evening at the annual Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards at the Ramada hotel in Belfast.

Lurgan College girls’ 1st XI hockey team, who made a clean sweep of all available trophies for 2010-2011 season, faced stiff opposition from Dalriada School Volleyball team, The Northern Ireland Youth Commonwealth Games team and St.Colman’s Newry GAA team.

With such an array of achievements the young College side were always strong contenders but when the Sports Minister confirmed to the huge gathering of sporting elite that Lurgan College had indeed won the award, there was warm applause as captain Natalie Barr and coach Julie Hinds went up to receive it.

This final award was the icing on the cake for a hugely talented and committed young team who won every single piece of silverware available to them.

Given the lack of playing facilities at College Walk and the constant need to travel offsite to train and play regular fixtures, it simply makes their 2010-2011 season all the more remarkable.

The pupils, staff, Headmaster and Board of Governors of Lurgan College are rightly proud of this group of players and their dedication to their sport.

The Lurgan College community continue to show their unwavering support to this season’s squad who have currently reached the quarter-final stage of the Senior Schools Cup competition, having already retained their Senior Tournament title from last season.

The College 2nd XI have also reached the quarter final of the McDowell cup competition, illustrating the strength in depth in girls’ hockey that exists at the school.

This strength is also consolidated through the strong links that exist between Lurgan Ladies Hockey Club and the school, with many girls turning out for both on a weekly basis.

Hopefully the memories of last season will now spur both current school teams on to future successes this season.

During the 2010-2011 season they won:

Senior Schools Tournament, September 2010; Mid-Ulster League, March 2011; Mid-Ulster Cup, March 2011; Belfast Telegraph Senior Schools Cup, March 2011; Kate Russell All-Ireland Schools, April 2011; Antrim sixes winners, May 2011.

They were also named as the Irish Hockey Association Team of the Year, May 2011, and Craigavon Borough Council Team of the Year.