HOCKEY CONTROL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 54, 5 March 1943, Page 5

HOCKEY CONTROL

ENTER ANOTHER SEASON!

PROBLEM OP GAME IST SCHOOLS

a < annual meeting of the Auckland Hockey Association is to be held on March 29, and the Ji?T ing are extr acts from the report:— * T ?^« een clubs were affiliated to the association in 1942 providing an entry bf 39 teams in the six grades, as compared with 65. entries the previous year, a decrease of 26 entries. In addition to the above affiliated clubs several service participated in the competitions, and their presence provided an added Interest to the matches. Y-R g of entries no second grade competition was played. The loss of an area (Hobson Park) upon which hockey has been played for almost 40 years, is a severe blow to the game; its loss cannot be measured in terms of money, but the executive, realising the exigencies of war, made immediate arrangements for new grounds, and after a postponement of only one week the competitions were carried on. In this connection we are indebted sister codes for rapidly releasing certain of their grounds for our use.

Thus, Hobson Park has, for the duration at least, been lost to the hockey enthusiasts of Auckland. It remains the bounden duty of future executives to carry on the game in spite , the many difficulties, ever remembering that when this war is over it will be their duty to ensure that Hobson Park will once again become the "home of hockey." Regarding the matter of compensation, little can be offered for the information of delegates, other than that every effort has been made to protect the Association's interests; the necessary claim has been lodged, * and the matter is now under consideration. Progress And —— It is pleasing to report that hockey still maintains its progress in the secondary schools, and the entries from the schools constituted 18 out of a total entry of 39 teams in the grade competitions. It was regretted that the annual secondary schools' tournament had, perforce, to be abandoned on account of the travel restrictions. Every effort was made by the executive to secure the necessary permit to enable the teams to travel, and the Minister of Railways was approached with a view to having the matter reconsidered. The executive felt keenly upon this matter, as it was of the opinion that while sport was being carried on at all every encouragement should be afforded to "school hockey" from which our future players come. Dissatisfaction! The executive is still far from satisfied with the development of primary school hockey. When one reajJs the annual reports of associations in ! the south, and sees the great strides made with primary school hockey in those districts, one feels that some new policy will have to be evolved to surmount the difficulties faced in Auckland in organising these competitions.

It is realised that a commendable spirit is being adopted by some clubs in securing boys from the primary schools and playing them in their club teams in the junior grades. The incoming executive should make eve.T endeavour to further encourage the game in the primary schools.