Watford Wizards travelled to the Nottingham Wildcats Arena on Saturday 30th May for the Sports Insure Goalball UK Shield 2026, ready to test themselves against strong regional opposition and continue building as a team.

The Wizards were represented by a solid squad of Orla, Hannah, Daniel, Finn and Jacob, with Greg and Elisabeth supporting from the coaching bench. With Daniel, Finn and Jacob recently moving up from Level 1 to Level 2, this tournament gave the Watford Wizards squad an excellent opportunity to adapt, learn and compete under real match pressure.

The format also created valuable opportunities across the squad. With three players on court and a combined level count of 5, both Orla and Hannah played key roles throughout the day, helping the team maintain the right balance across all our games. Hannah also marked a fantastic personal milestone by scoring her first ever goal in a tournament, a brilliant achievement and a moment the whole team could celebrate.

The Wizards started strongly with a 5–2 win over Cambridge Dons before narrowly losing 5–4 to Bradford Giants in a closely fought match. One of the standout moments of the day came in the placing games, where Watford produced an excellent 7–3 victory over Chelmsford. The team then faced The Welsh Viper Dragons in the 5th–6th place match, finishing 6th overall after a competitive 4–2 result.

While the final results only tell part of the story, the tournament gave the players and coaches something even more valuable: experience, confidence and clear lessons to build on. The team showed courage, determination and fantastic spirit throughout the day. Players were tested in different positions, everyone contributed, and the squad proved that when given opportunities, they can perform well under pressure.

As a coaching and support team, we could not be prouder of the players representing Watford Wizards. It was a long and demanding day, but every player gave their all from the first game to the final whistle. This tournament showed that the team is moving in exactly the right direction, with strong foundations, growing confidence, and a clear determination to keep improving. Every game gave us valuable lessons, and the squad showed the courage, teamwork and competitive spirit needed to become a real force to be reckoned with in future events.

The Wizards left Nottingham with plenty of positives, valuable experience and a real sense of momentum. There was effort, belief and more than a little Wizard magic on show throughout the day. We know there is more to come from this team, and we are excited to continue building on what we saw.

Well done, Wizards, we are incredibly proud of you.

Go Wizards!