The 1st XI girls had a highly successful 2023 season. They commenced the season with the traditional pre-season tournament, Anzac, held at St Paul's Collegiate. The team faced challenges against strong opponents like Kings College and St Kentigern but evolved cohesively as a unit.

It was in the local competition where the girls began to gain confidence and build upon the new strategies introduced during the pre-season and Anzac.

The girls went on to top the table in the local Waikato Secondary Schools Competition, facing St Paul's in the final. The match was tightly contested with opportunities for both sides until the final whistle. The game concluded with St Peter's reclaiming the title with a 2-1 victory.

The focus then shifted to the Midlands Intercity Secondary School Competition (MISSC), where the girls competed against teams from Hamilton, Tauranga, and Rotorua schools. The team performed admirably throughout the competition, leading to a rematch with St Paul's in the semifinal. Unfortunately, this time they couldn't replicate the final's success, with St Paul's winning 1-0 to advance to the final.

Following their impressive work and Tier 3 victory, the prospects of Tier 1 and 2 Nationals in Christchurch were on the horizon. The team traveled to Christchurch on Sunday, August 27, and participated in the Federation Cup and Marie Fry Trophy. This tournament consisted of 32 teams, divided into top 16 and bottom 16 categories.

Once again, the girls found themselves in a shootout for the 7th and 8th place final game, ultimately finishing 8th nationally. This was a remarkable achievement for a team attending Tier 1 for the first time. The group's confidence grew as the week progressed, with Sophie O’Connor (Year 13) excelling as Goal Keeper.

The team was under the guidance of Chris Dowdle (Director of Hockey), managed by Ange Russek, and had the privilege of having Alex Lukin, a current Black Stick, join as the Assistant coach for the week, inspiring the next generation of players.

The group is in a fortunate position, with only three players leaving, and they have their sights set on even greater accomplishments in 2024