21 August 2026
Many of KwaZulu-Natal’s leading hockey schools will converge on Botha’s Hill this weekend for the annual Kearsney Hockey Fives, with 25 teams set to compete across three sections from Friday, 21 August, to Sunday, 23 August.
The tournament has become a popular fixture on the school hockey calendar, with the speed and intensity of Hockey Fives providing plenty of action across a packed weekend.
The boys’ high school competition features Ashton International College (Ballito), Durban High School (DHS), Glenwood High, Hilton College, Kearsney College, Michaelhouse, and Westville Boys’ High, with Glenwood the only newcomer to the section.
There is no shortage of recent champions in the field. Westville claimed the title in 2023 before Hilton College took over at the top in 2024. DHS then produced a winning performance last year.
With three different winners in the past three editions, another closely fought contest looks likely.
The girls’ high school section features Ashton, Curro Hillcrest, Danville Park Girls’ High, Our Lady of Fatima, Maris Stella, and St Mary’s DSG.
St Anne’s won the inaugural girls’ competition in 2023, while Danville Park produced a surprise victory over St Mary’s DSG in the 2024 final. St Mary’s bounced back in 2025, though, and will arrive as the defending champions.
St Mary’s will be among the teams expected to challenge for the title again, but they face a new threat in Our Lady of Fatima, who will make their first appearance at the tournament.
The primary school section is the biggest of the three, with 12 teams taking part: Ashton, Bonisanani Senior Primary (Ntuzuma), Chelsea Primary, Cowan House, Curro Salt Rock, Highbury Prep, Hillcrest Primary, Kloof Senior Primary, Penzance Primary, Reddam House Ballito, Umhlali Prep, and Winston Park Primary.
As the largest component of the tournament, the primary school festival will be the only section continuing into Sunday. Its prize-giving is scheduled for 10:45, while the senior boys’ and girls’ competitions will conclude on Saturday, with their prize-giving taking place at 17:00.
The first matches get underway at 07:30 on Friday, setting the tone for a weekend of fast-paced hockey.
Hockey Fives is a condensed and highly dynamic version of the traditional 11-a-side game. Teams consist of five players and compete on half of a regulation-sized pitch, with boundary boards keeping the ball in play and helping maintain the pace of the contest.
One of the key differences from traditional field hockey is that goals can be scored from anywhere on the playing area, adding another attacking dimension and forcing teams to remain alert across the entire pitch.
The format has also gained international recognition and is played at both the Junior World Cup and Youth Olympics levels.
Entry to the tournament, which is backed by Halfway Ford Waterfall, is free. Visitors will have access to ample secure parking on the Kearsney College campus, while the campus coffee shop will be open for refreshments throughout the event.
FIXTURES
Boys Senior
Friday, 21 August
09:00 – Kearsney vs Glenwood, Court 1
09:00 – Hilton vs Michaelhouse, Court 2
11:30 – Kearsney vs Hilton, Court 1
14:00 – Kearsney vs Michaelhouse, Court 1
14:30 – Ashton vs Glenwood, Court 1
15:00 – Westville vs DHS, Court 1
15:30 – Hilton vs Ashton, Court 1
17:30 – Hilton vs DHS, Court 1
18:00 – Michaelhouse vs Glenwood, Court 2
18:30 – Westville vs Ashton, Court 2
19:00 – Glenwood vs DHS, Court 1
19:30 – Kearsney vs Ashton, Court 1
19:30 – Hilton vs Westville, Court 2
Saturday, 22 August
09:00 – Westville vs Glenwood, Court 1
09:00 – Michaelhouse vs Ashton, Court 2
09:30 – Kearsney vs DHS, Court 1
10:00 – Hilton vs Glenwood, Court 1
10:30 – Ashton vs DHS, Court 1
10:30 – Michaelhouse vs Westville, Court 2
13:00 – Kearsney vs Westville, Court 1
15:00 – P7 vs P8 (7/8), Court 2
15:30 – P5 vs P6 (5/6), Court 1
16:00 – P3 vs P4 (3/4), Court 2
16:30 – P1 vs P2 (1/2), Court 1
17:00 – Prize Giving
Girls Senior
Friday, 22 August
09:30 – Danville vs Curro Hillcrest, Court 1
11:30 – Danville vs Maris Stella, Court 2
14:00 – Maris Stella vs Curro Hillcrest, Court 2
14:30 – Danville vs Our Lady of Fatima, Court 2
15:00 – St Mary’s Kloof vs Ashton, Court 2
15:30 – St Mary’s Kloof vs Curro Hillcrest
17:30 – Our Lady of Fatima vs Ashton, Court 2
18:00 – St Mary’s Kloof vs Maris Stella, Court 1
18:30 – Danville vs Ashton, Court 1
19:00 – Our Lady of Fatima vs Curro Hillcrest, Court 2
Saturday, 22 August
09:30 – St Mary’s Kloof vs Danville, Court 2
10:00 – Curro Hillcrest vs Ashton, Court 2
11:00 – Maris Stella vs Ashton, Court 1
11:30 – St Mary’s Kloof vs Our Lady of Fatima, Court 1
13:00 – Our Lady of Fatima vs Maris Stella, Court 1
15:00 – P3 vs P4 (3/4)
15:30 – P5 vs P6 (5/6)
16:00 – P1 vs P2 (1/2)
17:00 – Prize giving
Boys Junior
Friday, 21 August
07:30 – Hillcrest vs Umhlali, Court 1
07:30 – Boninsanani vs Curro Salt Rock, Court 2
08:00 – Highbury vs Kloof, Court 1
08:00 – Winston Park vs Penzance, Court 2
08:30 – Reddam Ballito vs Chelsea, Court 1
08:30 – Cowan House vs Ashton, Court 2
09:30 – Hillcrest vs Curro Salt Rock, Court 2
10:00 – Umhlali vs Kloof, Court 1
10:00 – Boninsanani vs Penzance, Court 2
10:30 – Highbury vs Chelsea, Court 1
10:30 – Winston Park vs Ashton
11:00- Reddam Ballito vs Cowan House, Court 1
12:30 – Hillcrest vs Kloof, Court 1
12:30 – Curro Salt Rock vs Penzance, Court 2
13:00 – Umhlali vs Chelsea, Court 1
13:00 – Boninsanani vs Ashton, Court 2
13:30 – Highbury vs Cowan House, Court 1
13:30 – Winston Park vs Reddam Ballito, Court 2
16:00 – Hillcrest vs Penzance, Court 1
16:00 – Kloof vs Chelsea, Court 2
16:30 – Curro Salt Rock vs Ashton, Court 1
16:30 – Umhlali vs Cowan House, Court 2
17:00 – Boninsanani vs Reddam Ballito, Court 1
17:00 – Highbury vs Winston Park, Court 2
Saturday, 22 August
07:30 – Hillcrest vs Chelsea, Court 1
07:30 – Penzance vs Ashton, Court 2
08:00 – Kloof vs Cowan House, Court 1
08:00 – Curro Salt Rock vs Reddam Ballito, Court 2
08:30 – Umhlali vs Winston Park, Court 1
08:30 – Boninsanani vs Highbury, Court 2
11:00 – Hillcrest vs Ashton, Court 2
11:30 – Chelsea vs Cowan House, Court 2
12:00 – Penzance vs Reddam Ballito, Court 1
12:00 – Kloof vs Winston Park, Court 2
12:30 – Umhlali vs Boninsanani, Court 1
12:30 – Curro Salt Rock vs Highbury, Court 2
13:30 – Hillcrest vs Cowan House, Court 1
13:30 – Ashton vs Reddam Ballito, Court 2
14:00 – Chelsea vs Winston Park, Court 1
14:00 – Penzance vs Highbury, Court 2
14:30 – Kloof vs Boninsanani, Court 1
14:30 – Curro Salt Rock vs Umhlali, Court 2
Sunday, 23 August
08:00 – Hillcrest vs Reddam Ballito, Court 1
08:00 – Cowan House vs Winston Park, Court 2
08:25 – Ashton vs Highbury, Court 1
08:25 – Chelsea vs Boninsanani, Court 2
08:50 – Penzance vs Umhlali, Court 1
08:50 – Kloof vs Curro Salt Rock, Court 2
09:15 – Reddam Ballito vs Highbury, Court 2
09:20 – Hillcrest vs Winston Park, Court 1
09:40 – Ashton vs Umhlali, Court 2
09:45 – Cowan House vs Boninsanani, Court 1
10:05 – Penzance vs Kloof, Court 2
10:00 – Chelsea vs Salt Rock, Court 1
10:45 – Prize giving