Sportsman's Notebook ARMLESS STUDENT IS KEEN SOCCER PLAYER

Press, Volume C, Issue 29502, 2 May 1961, Page 18

Sportsman's Notebook ARMLESS STUDENT IS KEEN SOCCER PLAYER

“A man's got to keep fit." said Canterbury University law student Rodney Haines, "and I like a team game, so for me it had to be soccer." The reason it had to be soccer and not Rugby or hockey is that Rodney has no arms Rodney was out on Saturday playing on the wing tor the University fourth division team. Normally he plays with the fifth division side mostly at half-back. “Laon’t mind much where I play, as long as I get a game,” he said. His biggest fear on the field is that the opposing side will go out of the Way to avoid “playing him hard.” A game’s not worth playing if it's not played all out. he maintains. If he takes a place in a team like any other player, he expects to be treated like any other plaver. Quick turns, and other times when balancing with the arms would seem to be called for. do not worry Rodney unduly. He was full- of sympathy on Saturday for s player he saw in a neighbouring game with only one arm “He must find balancing difficult." said Rodney. Last year, when Rodney was at Nelson College, lie played regularly in the Thistle soccer club's senior reserve side and at times for the college. His home is in Nelson, near the port. To say that Rodney is completely withou* arms is not strictly accurate. Actually he has a small stump on one side, enough to work an artificial arm. But when tt comes to writing, of which a student has to do a fair amount. Rodney uses his feet. « # # Golf Prize Money Prize money for the 1961 golf championship meeting to be held at New Plymouth, will be the same as for last year with a special prize of £25 to be awarded to the leading New Zealand professional. Total prize money (inclusive of the special prize) will be £725. s’: sjs s> Empire Games Junior farmers’ clubs throughout Western Australia will grow wheat and other cereal crops, sell stock and hold social functions to raise money for the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, to be held in Perth. The scheme, which has a tar-

get of £20.000 profit both this year and next, U part ofa public appeal for LlW'.ui’d This amount is required for subsidised fares of competing teams, feeding and housing athletes and officials, providing recreation and other facilities and for other administrative costs. * * ♦ Surf Awards A total of 35 Canterbury swimmers passed th? examination for their surf awards this year, according tj a statement made at a recent meeting of the Canterbury Surf Life-Saving Association. Before a surfer becomes fully qualified, he has to gain first his Royal LifeSaving Society bronze meiallion and then his surf award. Before both these examinations have been passed, he is unable to take part in any inter-club competition. Three persons also passed their examination for indructor's certificates this year. * ♦ • Olympic Equipment Sports equipment used during the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne may be brought to Perth for use in the British Emnire and Commonwealth Games in November next year. The secretary of the organising council (Mr J Howson). will be meeting the Australian Olympic Federation and will check whether the equipment available is suitable. Equipment needed for the Games is estimated to cost £14.000 and a considerable saving could be made by using Olymnic equipment, if only for training purposes. ® * ♦ Soccer Loss Playing for Diamond against Petone in the Wellington soccer competitions last Saturday, the centreforward, J. Raat, left the field with an ankle injury. It was later found that the ankle was broken, and Raat is unlikely to play again for at least two months. This means that Raat, New Zealand’s brilliant centreforward on the tour to Tahiti last season, will not be able to represent the Dominion against the English team next month. This will be a sad loss, as he is probably New Zealand’s best forward.