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Wearing the Bedford High School team shirt is the single most important thing. It defines you like being an All Black or a Springbok or wearing the baggy green Ozzie cricket cap. It is this sense of pride and of unique identity that makes such a difference on the pitch.

On Saturday, in Wolverhampton, the U16 indoor hockey team played four 'cup finals' at the Midlands Finals, each one a 'must-win' game, each one an exhibition of skill, invention, dogged resistance and mental toughness. The team would be the star.

It is the festive season but Repton were in no mood to 'gift' us anything and we found ourselves 2-0 down against the run of play. Becky Wright got low and strong and totally involved but paid the ultimate price for her tenacity and courage with a nasty wrist injury which meant she could take no further part in the tournament. Bereft of such an influential player, the team had to step up and step up they did! Chase School provided the opposition and chase is all they did as we tore into them from the whistle. Frankie Scott drove the team forward breathing confidence into each player through her brave tackling, incredible work rate and individual skill. Her two penalty corner goals rattled the backboards before Maya Thrasher added a third with a good individual goal. Jess Logan made some key saves and Becca Wilkinson was beginning to use her pace and power down the right boards.

King Henry V111 School were up next. There was no mention of Jane Seymour, Anne Boleyn or Katherine Howard on the team sheet and unlike them we kept our heads and put on a royal command performance! Frankie drilled in three short corners with unerring accuracy. Hannah Ayres began to drive past players on the right and Becky Dorgham relished her new role up front. The B & B duo at the back, Wilkinson and Burgoine, were more 5* hotel than B & B as they made many strong and timely tackles - it may be the season of goodwill but there was no sign of it as we won the game convincingly 4-0 and were in the semi-final!

One game - 20 minutes of hockey - winner takes all.  The prize - a place in the national finals!

Our opponents were Kings High. We had already dethroned one king and the team had to find an edge, and extra dimension to overthrow Kings High and take the crown for Bedford High!

What followed was a compelling and emphatic performance. Hannah collected the ball,  drove into the circle and sent over a great cross for Maya to convert. Becca repeated the act for Maya's second goal which she deflected into the roof of the net. Frankie made it three from a penalty corner. Kings High replaced their goalie with a kicking back. Frankie seized the moment and dribbled through the middle and fired goal number 4 into the corner. It was High 5s all round as Frankie's penalty corner strike whistled into the net for a 5-1 victory.

BEDFORD HIGH REACH THE NATIONAL INDOOR FINALS!

Before the celebrations could begin we had the Final to play - our opponents were again Repton. It was now 4.40pm and we had last played them at 10am but a lot had happened since then and we were now in the mood to party!

The whistle blew. Frankie self-passed the ball, drove through the heart of the Repton defence and slammed the ball into the net. 9 seconds from start to finish - great Scott, what a goal! Hannah won a short corner which Frankie converted to notch up her 10th goal of the tournament and cap a brilliant and truly motivational individual performance. Repton responded and brought the score level. Jess saved a penalty stroke before Repton added a third from a short corner. With seconds remaining we forced the ball into the net only for the umpire to blow too soon and award a corner. No goal resulted and the whistle blew to end a high tempo game. Our disappointment at losing in such unfortunate circumstances was short lived. There were tidings of great joy - it had been a real cracker of a tournament and we had been given the best present ever. 

Bedford High had reached the Indoor National Finals for the first time. I am so proud of all the girls for this fantastic achievement and we wish them every success in Birmingham on Saturday 16 January.

A huge thank you to Roy Scott for his time and perceptive coaching and to the wonderful parents for their unstinting and valued support.

Happy christmas to them all!

Team: Frankie Scott (c), Jess Logan, Becca Wilkinson, Hannah Ayres, Becky Wright, Becky Burgoine, Maya Thrasher, Becky Dorgham.