Hockey looking ahead

Press, 16 September 1976, Page 25

Hockey looking ahead

The foremost consideration of the New Zealand Hockey Association in the next four years will be a build-up to the Moscow Olympics and the defence of the gold medal.

But the N.Z.H.A, will be looking further than the New Zealand team. At a special meeting last week it discussed several ways to improve the standard of the game, and interest in it, throughout New Zealand.

For many years the association has thought in terms of a national or provincial club competition similar to the rugby championship and the Chatham Cup.

The chairman of the N.Z.H.A. (Mr M. R. Good) said the main problem faced in introducing such a competition was finance, but there were

many other factors to consider.

The annual interprovincial tournament plays an important part in the promotion of the sport and the N.Z.H.A. does not want to see the status of this diminished if another competition is introduced. Besides a national competition for top teams, the association will encourage provinces to establish under age tournaments.

Although there are many tournaments at secondary school level, Mr Good said he would like to see regional and national tournaments for teams in the under 12, 14 and 16 years age groups. This would get the best players in those age groups together where they could be guided by national or regional coaches.