Eight To Play Senior Hockey

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31028, 6 April 1966, Page 18

Eight To Play Senior Hockey

Eight teams, including two from the Woolston club, will contest this season's Canterbury senior hockey championship.

Of the nine entries received for the senior grade, one, from Eastern Suburbs, was not approved.

The Canterbury Hockey Association last evening approved a recommendation from the competitions subcommittee that Woolston (two teams), Hagley Old Boys, Harewood, High School Old Boys, Selwyn, Sydenham and University play for the senior championship.

The sub-committee chairman (Mr I. Palmer) said that his committee did not favour Eastern Suburbs’ entry because the club had the same team that finished second to last in the 1965 senior reserve grade and because the club’s entries had dropped from four to two. Colts Team Next Year

After a lengthy discussion the following amendment put forward by Mr C. D. Reed was carried: “That the 1966 championship consist of eight teams. The second team from the Woolston Club be relegated next year and a colts team be constituted and entered in 1967. If a colts team is not formulated, the 1967 championship will revert to a six-team competition with the second Woolston team and the last team to be relegated." This followed a motion from Mr B. Fuller that the 1966 competition consist of six teams —Woolston, Hagley Old Boys, University. High School Old Boys, Sydenham and Harewood. The formation of a colts team for 1967 was suggested by Mr u. Rothwell, who asked that a leading coach be associated with the team. Clubs To Nominate

| Mr T. Crossen said that it |wa s an opportunity to uplift 'senior hockey. It would be left to the clubs to nominate players. “Only half of last year’s colts team were senior players.” Mr T. Bate queried the strength of the second Woolston team. “Are we going to have six strong teams, or eight with one to be beaten by big scores?” he asked.

The Woolston teams were read to the committee by Mr Palmer, and Mr Crossen said that the B team “wouldn’t make a match of it, even for Sydenham." It was unfair to promote the Woolston team only to drop it next year, said Mr Fuller.

Mr Reid’ s amendment was carried with one dissension.

Fewer Entrlei.— Mr Palmer reported that 79 entries had been received from senior to under 12. This was a decrease at 11 Fifty-nine open grade teams had been nominated and Io under-age teams. Last year s figures were 63 and 27 resortIvely.

Referred Back.— A letter from the Sydenham club requesting permission to play C. Nlnimo of Marlborough who will be tn Christchurch each weekend was referred back to the chib

The letter from the club sec retary (Mr R Fife) asked the association to contact Mart borough requesting permission to play Niinmo.

Mr Reid said that the player should approach the Marl borough association to get per mission. He moved that the club be Informed of this Re-gradings.— R. Fuller (Hare wood) was re-graded senior to senior reserve, and G. Fletcher (Lincoln College), senior to second grade A

Selector. The association nominated Mr G.'Maister as a New Zealand selector.