The James Craib Field is home to the Hilton Eagles Sports Club, a homeschool-centred community playing team sports including soccer, hockey, ultimate, touch rugby and softball. This provides a social, outdoor and skills-based environment for children to play team sports outside of the school structure. The ages served range from four years upward to the competitive senior teenage team.
Ultimate – commonly known as “Frisbee”, but this is a patented brand – is currently the most popular sport. The seven-a-side game requires athleticism, coordination and skill. This growing sport is coordinated by SAFDA (South African Flying Disc Association), and we anticipate seeing further growth in the coming years.
The teenage Eagles team took part in the Eastern Region (KZN) Regionals in April and September, and recently competed at Uprising, an U20 tournament of 10 teams attracting players from five provinces. After a close loss of 11-8 in the play-offs to the eventual winners the Rambs (Durban), the Eagles narrowly succumbed to the Donkeys (Pietermaritzburg) 12-10 in the semi-finals, before going on to beat the Jackals (Lion’s River) 11-10 for third place.
Earlier in the year, an U24 squad – the Wild Dogs – was selected to represent South Africa at the U24 World Championships in Spain. Four players from Hilton were part of this elite squad: Reuben Macfarlane, Keziah Simpson, and brothers Jonathan and Samuel Combrink.
Congratulations to our local Hilton players for being selected to this team. Eagles coach Daniel Rushton was also the defence coach for the Wild Dogs, who represented their country admirably at the tournament.
The Eagles prize-giving held last week saw these and other players awarded for their excellent performances this year, both in talent and in the spirit of sportsmanship.
A municipal field, James Craib Field is maintained and mowed by the homeschool community as well as Hilton Quarry Spar. The field, enjoyed by the Hilton community at large, requires a fresh layer of topsoil, grass and fertilising in the coming months. To contribute to this project, please WhatsApp Eagles head coach Curran Grieshaber on 083 352 1770.
Top image left to right: SA U24 player Reuben Macfarlane, head coach Curran Grieshaber and coach Daniel Rushton.
Below The Ultimate Team.
