Hockey TRAINING FOR BOYS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29799, 16 April 1962, Page 16

Hockey TRAINING FOR BOYS

Basic Skills To Be Taught A meeting of coaches and members of the executive of the Canterbury Hockey Association was held at the Christchurch Boys’ High School gymnasium on Saturday morning, when it was decided that primary and secondary school pupils would receive intensive training in the basic skills this season. Later, it is hoped to be able to extend this coaching through other grades, but the schools come foremost in consideration. Masters and coaches of school teams will receive a basic training and they will later pass on this knowledge to their pupils. Some years ago, a coaching course for coaches was held, but this fell through after a rathe- promising start. With the new scheme the association will require the backing of all the clubs. Mr T. Eggleton, initiator of the scheme, said that many players, even wearing the silver fem. were not familiar with the fundamentals, and that they had to compete on the international level. He also said that anyone who had seen the inter-secondary schocls' tournament last year, and thought that the future of hockey was bright, must be living in a wofld oi fantasy. ’ Hockey is a game of skill.’’ he said, "and that is the only way to play it t F we are to play the game in this manner, then it is vital that our school players become familiar with these skills before they try to eompete at higher levels." Mr Eggleton then had oupils Christcnurch Boys’ School demonstrate the drills he had in mind for other young hockey players. He had t>oys dribbling around medicine balls in the gymnasium, and pointed out the hitters from those showing good stick control. He also had boys placed at each end of the

Fnnasium attempting to hit single medicine ball at the ?HJZ r ,? Dd ' ? nd Pomted out how tong it took each lad to notch five hits. There were other M well During these dnljs, Mr Eggleton pointed out hew much the boys had to improve in these skills before they could hope to compete at the top level. xt wM decided that a meeting would be held with the captains or sealer hockey teams to formulate a code of ethics.