Hockey: The Kate Trolove Cup being played around the country this week

The Kate Trolove Cup Secondary Schools Girls' Tournament has attracted 240 players from 16 schools. Photo / George Novak

Hockey players and their supporters are in Taupo this week for a national tournament.

The Kate Trolove Cup Secondary Schools Girls' Tournament has attracted 240 players from 16 schools, from Warkworth to Wellington, plus coaches, managers and supporters, with games on every day this week.

Tournament director Julie Jackson, of the Lake Taupo Hockey Club, said the tournament was aimed at secondary schools' 1st XI hockey teams from Years 9-13 and the standard was high.

Games are played rain or shine and, with wet conditions to start the week, there was plenty of rain to be had.

Each team plays three games of pool play before the tournament goes to quarter-finals, semifinals and finals games tomorrow.

Last year's winners were Botany Downs Secondary School from Auckland.

The Kate Trolove Cup is one of several hockey tournaments being played around the country this week, with Taupo-nui-a-Tia College teams travelling to Wellington and Wanganui for their respective competitions.

It is named after former Black Stick Kate Trolove, who amassed 163 test caps for New Zealand and was captain of the Black Sticks from 1993-98.

She also competed at the Barcelona and Sydney Olympics, the 1992 and 1998 World Cups, and the 1998 Commonwealth Games.