NI RESERVIST TAKES PART IN HOCKEY TOUR TO SINGAPORE AND HONG KONG

Signaller Thompson from 40 (North Irish Horse) Signal Squadron, based in Belfast, was selected to travel to Hong Kong and Singapore with the Adjutant General’s Corps Hockey Team, where they took part in the Singapore 6s Tournament.  Signaller Thompson was one of only 3 reservists on the tour.

The team travelled first to Hong Kong and played a mixed match against the Hong Kong Football club, which they unfortunately lost 5-4 in a very competitive game.

From there, they travelled to Singapore to train and acclimatise for the tournament. As the climate is warmer and more humid than the UK, the training matches were held during the evenings, leaving opportunities in the daytime to explore and experience the culture of Singapore. The group leader organised a few team bonding activities, one being competitive canoeing at Sentosa, which is an island off the Southern coast of Singapore. The group were split into 4 teams which raced each other in large open canoes.  There was also a day spent at Adventure Cove Water Park at which some individuals upgraded their ticket to experience swimming with dolphins. 

          
In the evenings the male and female teams both played local Singapore teams to help acclimatise and practise. Unfortunately both teams lost their matches but it gave them valuable experience for the tournament.

The main event approached and the players were all feeling a little nervous but excited to play against teams from all over the world – there were teams from Japan, Thailand, Australia, Germany and Hong Kong taking part.

The tournament was played during the day, in temperatures up to 30 degrees. Both teams had 5 matches on the Saturday; the men’s team got to the first round of the plate and unfortunately were beaten by a very strong team from Thailand. The ladies’ team played in the bowl and were very unlucky and knocked out on penalty shoot outs by a team from Australia, who actually went on to win the Bowl.

Signaller Thompson played extremely well throughout the tournament and was awarded Player of the Tour from her fellow team mates.