Hockey coach takes spell from selecting

Press, 6 May 1980, Page 6

Hockey coach takes spell from selecting

Ross Gillespie, the 1976 Olympic coach, has decided to take a spell from the New Zealand hockey selection panel after serving on it for nine years. Mr Gillespie declined nomination for the panel of three named last evening. His place has been taken by another Canterbury man, Bob Campbell, better known as an administrator. He has been a member of the New Zealand hockey Association’s management committee for several years. His selection was a surprise, chiefly because he has not been Involved in selection duties in recent years. He was nominated at a special meeting of the N.Z.HA. last evening and Joins the incumbents Trevor Blake (Northland) and Brian Maunsell (Manawatu) on the panel. The national coach was not decided at the meeting as was expected. He will be named at a later date, but it appears Blake could be on trial for the position. He was appointed

coach of the New Zealand juriio.team to tour Australia in July. . A national coach will have to be named before the NewmansAdidas national tournament in Auckland in September because it will be the last chance for the selectors and coach to view players before a team is named for the Intercontinental Cup id Kuala Lumpur next Easter. If the N.Z.H.A. is not convinced after the junior tour to Australia that Blake is the person to coach the national team a fourth person is likely to be added to the selection panel Cl convenor and eoach. Dave Reynolds (Wellington; and Pieter Jongejan, thf national director of coaching are Mr Blake’s fellow selector! on the New Zealand junioi panel. Mr G. Miskimmin (Welling ton) was appointed manager foi the junior team’s tour to Aus tralia, and Mr D. L. Coulter, th' chairman of the N.Z.H.A. w? appointed manager of thteam to the intercontinent; Cup tournament.