National Champions | Charterhouse School | The best school in the country for hockey

Charterhouse 1st XI Boys’ Hockey team are National Champions after completing an extraordinary unbeaten season.

Two of the School’s standout hockey players, Tom and Humphrey, shared their reflections on the emotions, commitment, and significance behind this historic achievement.

Tom, Second Year Specialist & 1st XI Hockey Captain:

This year, the 1st XI Boys’ Hockey team completed the “perfect” season. The season we had set out to complete years ago, when Mr Colman took charge of the team, unbeaten with a National Cup win. After the heartbreak of the year before, coming into the 25/26 season, all the boys were ready and clear on the aims we had for the year ahead. After a successful tour in the Netherlands and Belgium, our preseason was flowing with running, gym, and training every week, which set the basis for what ended up being a historic year.

The cup run started early with a comfortable win over Lord Wandsworth College, followed by Churcher’s, which was set out to be a gritty, tough game after a recent rivalry in the past few years. We showed how much we had improved as a team when we came back from a goal down to win 4–2.

The intense training continued through heavy rains and frosty evenings; with the culture building and our hockey getting better and better with each session, we began to believe more and more.

We faced RGS Guildford in our annual Friday Night Lights game, which is always an intense, high‑tempo match, in recent years having a narrow loss and a tense draw. This year, we wanted a win more than ever to continue our unbeaten run, and with all the 2YS (Year 13) playing one of their final matches at Charterhouse, anticipation was high. We came back from 2–1 down and then 3–2 down to level it up 3–3 in the last three minutes in what was an all‑time match and a great way for the Second Years (Year 13) to bow out of their Friday Night Lights years.

Friday Night Lights 2026

We set out on the final Tuesday of Quarter (term) against Canford in the cup semi‑finals. Nerves were high and tensions grew in what was a physical test in a very competitive match. We showed our desire and grit, as well as our hockey class, to push through and win 4–2 in a final match at the School for the Second Year Specialists. Charterhouse were final‑bound for the second year in a row.

On came finals day over a month later. An early wake‑up and a team breakfast saw us on the coach to Lee Valley at 8am. Nerves were high and anticipation grew in a long morning full of photos and team talks preparing us for what we had been talking about since OQ (Oration Quarter – Autumn Term). Warm‑ups began with great support from the travelling Carthusians, helping to build the atmosphere for the big game. A long 70 minutes ahead in high temperatures and blazing sun was going to be seriously tough. We started shakily, soaking up high pressure from Haileybury as nerves really set in, conceding an early short corner in the first quarter, which we kept out convincingly. Our confidence grew into the second quarter, beginning to find our feet and show some liquid hockey, winning multiple short corners and creating many chances, but to no avail as we entered the half‑time break at 0–0.

We started with our trademark pushback and run down the right side, entering the D and passing it across for a tap‑in at the back post. 1–0. We quickly followed this up with more liquid hockey down the left‑hand side this time before a hit across and a calm, composed finish saw us go 2–0 up. Our dominant quarter continued with another flowing move down the right with a pass across for another tap‑in at the back post. 3–0. Our hockey was flowing and we were oozing with confidence and class going into the final quarter break.

However, nerves set back in and with 10 minutes to go we found ourselves conceding to a strong penalty corner from Haileybury. They then piled on the pressure, scoring another with five to go. At 3–2, nerves really began to set in as they took off their keeper, gaining themselves an extra man. However, we remained resolute in defence and the final whistle blew and the overwhelming relief, joy, and pride set in.

Humphrey, Second Year Specialist & 1st XI Hockey Vice-Captain:

For me, the season started when we went on a hockey tour to Belgium and Holland. This gave us the chance to get back into the swing of things, as well as to really come together as a team and a squad, looking ahead to what would be a great season.

Following last year’s run to the final, there was a clear expectation to do the same again and go one step further by winning it. At that point, having not yet played a match, it seemed like a tall order, but we all believed it was possible.

We got off to a very good start to the campaign with some strong wins, and the momentum quickly began to build. While we had some experienced players, we also welcomed younger ones into the team, and game by game their confidence grew, meaning we only improved as the season progressed. The first real sign of this was a draw against Reed's, a very competitive Tier 1 team. This showed us what we were capable of and strengthened our belief that we could go all the way in the cup.

The Friday Night Lights match against RGS Guildford also stands out. Going a goal down on two separate occasions and still coming away with a 3–3 draw showed how far we had come over the course of the season, not just in terms of ability, but in how we handled games.

After a convincing win in the semi‑finals, we had a long break over the Easter holidays. This left us with a lot of responsibility, as it was up to us to stay in shape by running consistently and keeping up gym work.

Finally, after two weeks of training back at School, we felt ready, and spirits were high. Matchday started early, leaving School at 8am and arriving at the venue a few hours before pushback. The atmosphere in the changing room before the game was surreal. For us Second Years (Year 13), it was our last ever hockey match in a Charterhouse shirt, which made it feel even bigger. The younger players were also nervous, facing their first cup final. However, we managed to use those nerves in a positive way and channel them into our performance.

The final itself was a rollercoaster. We survived three consecutive short corners at the end of the first quarter and went into half‑time at 0–0. We then came out strongly in the third quarter, taking a 3–0 lead. At that point, it felt like the game was under control, but a late push from Haileybury brought it back to 3–2. The final minutes were tense, and it felt like we were just holding on, but we managed to see it through.