DIFFICULT HOCKEY DECISION

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31335, 4 April 1967, Page 19

DIFFICULT HOCKEY DECISION

The Canterbury Hockey Association’s management committee may have a long

meeting this evening, for there is certain to be a division of opinion on the number of teams to be graded as senior sides this season.

The amalgamation of the Technical Old Boys and West Old Boys clubs into Hagley Old Boys left only seven senior teams for the 1966 season. The Woolston club was invited to enter a second team

to keep the strength at eight, but there was an understanding that no dub would thereafter be asked to enter two senior teams.

This evening, the committee will have to decide whether to reduce the number of senior teams to six, or to keep it at eight by including the new Linwood Old Boys club. If six is the number decided upon, the team to go out would almost certainly be

the old-established Selwyn club. It is a difficult decision, but in terms of attracting players to the game, the admission of Linwood Old Boys seems a reasonable gamble. The Linwood High School,

although a comparatively young school, already has a proud tradition in hockey, and it has produced some very fine players. Last season, the school won toe South Island secondary schools’ championship. Linwbod Old Boys would be able to call on three senior players, four members of toe school team of last year —two of them chosen in the New Zealand team selected after toe tournament and four players from toe University senior reserve team which won its grade handsomely last season.

The side would be a fairly young one, but Linwood High School produces teams which try to play constructively, and with senior experience these players could have a good influence on toe senior grade. A place in the senior grade would no doubt assist the club in retaining young players as they leave school. Already there are fears that toe Canterbury Cricket Association’s new promotion and relegation scheme—with only six sides in the senior grade —may cost the game players. A dub such as East Christ-church-Shirley, which was one of the first two to be demoted,. may have a hard struggle in the next few years to maintain strength because its prospects of returning to senior are not bright. A good case can be made for toe hockey association to retain eight teams, there is also a good case for toe admission of only six. But if the committee has as its

main objective encouraging toe popularity of the game, it may very well decide on the larger number.