Hockey Mania has taken over Carlthorp School!
It’s 75 degrees and sunny on 4th and San Vicente, and the buzz on campus revolves around playing hockey. Unlike schools on the East Coast where the weather is conducive to a hockey tournament, Carlthorp students are happily competing in the annual Floor Hockey Tournament outdoors on the sport court. Fourteen teams comprised of students in 3rd-6th Grades and at least one faculty or staff team captain compete for the coveted title of Hockey Champion over the course of two weeks during lunch recess.
Students are tasked with forming their own teams of 10 players and are also responsible for recruiting a faculty/staff member to serve as team captain. The winners of the 3rd/4th Grade bracket play the winners of the 5th/6th Grade bracket for the championship. There is as much excitement on the court as there is off the court because students who are not competing are thrilled to cheer for their classmates and teachers with shouts of encouragement. “There is plenty of healthy competition taking place throughout the tournament, but like all Carlthorp sporting events, sportsmanship is at the core,” stated Maureen Pollack, Director of Communications. “Don’t get me wrong, these students are playing to win, but they are also helping each other up if they fall down and congratulating their friends on opposing teams when they complete a great play. It’s a pleasure to see how hard these students are working on the court to support their teammates and opposing classmates through fun and friendly competition. Our faculty does an excellent job serving as role models!”
“Playing hockey requires a particular form of hand-eye coordination, one that is important for our students to learn. For that reason, we are teaching hockey skills to all grade levels during P.E. class regardless of whether a student chooses to participate in the tournament or not. This is part of our intentional curriculum to develop well-rounded athletes,” stated Mr. Lemieux, Physical Education teacher.
Established in 1939, Carlthorp School is the oldest independent coeducational day school for grades K-6 located in Santa Monica, California.