Early titles in water polo

Press, 23 May 1977, Page 20

Early titles in water polo

The premier water polo competition •in New Zealand, the Trans Tours inter-club championship, will be held during the Christmas-New Year period again this year.

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Water Polo Board decided on a championship programme which reluctantlyplaced the inter-club championships late in December, partly because of the need to select a national side to play Queensland early in February.

Accordingly, it again placed the Rothmans inter-provincial championships early in March, at Auckland — the Trans Tours tournament will be in Christchurch — and the women’s interclub championships either in mid-January or the long weekend at the, beginning of February, which includes Waitangi Day.

But one championship went by the board: With the under-15 and under-18 grades — a reversion to the old age gradings — now scheduled for Easter, the secondary schoolboys’ championship has been dropped, with little dissent. There was also a unanimous decision against the principle of winter championships. Tours planned are for the senior men’s team, to the United States before its World Games eliminations against Australia in April; for the women’s team to Australia in December; and for the New Zealand Secondary schoolboys’ team, also to Australia.

There is likely to be a 32 levy on every water polo player to assist those trips. The conference scheme adopted bv the charman, Mr G. S. Brockett, streamlined the consideration of remits -r many were withdrawn, and those passed were largely mechanical. The restoring of the junior age limits provided most discussion, and there was also conrtteable discussion — and

tion — to proposals to increase the penalties for brutality, and disrespect to referees. Refereeing received a fair airing, with a general re-statement of present policies relating to A and B grade referees. There will no longer be a “referee of the tournament” and in future, prospective A grade referees will first be required to pass game secretary and time-keeper qualifications. The board will also work towards different means of reviewing referees, rather than reexamining them. A suggestion to have a single five-man selection panel received no real support, and the three different panels were retained Those elected w-ere;— Senior: Messrs M. C. Scott, W. H. Dyson (convener) and G. A. Knights. Junior: Messrs Dyson (convener), I. Frew and L. M. Scott Women: Messrs B. M. Mustchin, J. C. Baart and W. F. 80l (convener).

It was agreed to set up a regional coaching scheme, and to continue with the concept of the now discontinued Rothmans coaching clinics. - The administration of women’s water polo had a fair hearing. The source of most discontent was communication between the national board and the women’s steering committee in Auckland. A badly-worded remit from that committee suggested that women’s administration be a senarate entity, but this received ho support, hardly even from the proposers. Instead, improved liaison w>ill be sought. A later decision agreed that female players should be permitted in matches with males only up to the under-15 grade at national championships. Officers elected were:— Chairman. Mr G. 5. Brockett; secretary, Mrs L. G Mcßreen; board, Mesut J. da Haan. W. R

Williamson, M. C. Scott, P. J. Carpinter, C. P. Walls and B, M. Mustchin.