Tower and Town, October 2026 (view the full edition)College HockeyHockey has always been a fundamental part of life at Marlborough College. What began as a new pursuit in the mid 19th century has since developed into one of the College’s largest sports, with hundreds of pupils playing across the boys’ and girls’ teams. Hockey was first introduced to the College in 1874 by Henry Richardson, the Master of the Lower School at the time. A year later, in 1875, Marlborough XI hosted their first ever game. Since then, Marlborough has continued to establish itself as a centre for hockey and enjoyed a long tradition of university hockey success, with four Oxford and five Cambridge blues in 1890. Since then, hockey has gone from strength to strength. Marlborough can field up to 30 teams across girls and boys, displaying the depth of the programme and the desire of pupils to get involved with this tradition and proudly represent the College. With the recent arrival of our new Head of Hockey, Mr Willars (a former GB and England international), the programme has entered an exciting new chapter. Recent results are already beginning to display his impact across the club. 2025 and 2026 were particularly notable years for Marlborough Hockey: the Boys’ 1st XI competed in the semifinal of the Tier 2 National Plate in 2025, and last year, the Girls’ 1st XI achieved their highest finish to date, placing among the top 12 schools in the country. Most recently the U16 Girls’ team finished 2nd in the Tier 1 National Final, highlighting the strength of the programme that is evident not just among the first teams. In addition, this summer the College took two girls' teams on a two-week tour to South Africa. This trip gave the girls a chance to be tested against some high-quality international opponents as well as to create lasting memories on and off the pitch. These successes speak to the continued progress and development of hockey at the College. From the first game in 1875 to the 30 teams stepping onto the astros today, Marlborough hockey has come a long way. With this exceptional history behind it and new, exciting players coming through, Marlborough hockey looks well placed to continue developing for years ahead. Scarlett & Sholto<br>Hockey Captains |