Non-playing captain for golf team

Press, 10 March 1982, Page 42

Non-playing captain for golf team

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

A Canterbury golfing tradition will almost certainly'end this year with the appointment of a non-playing captain for the province’s representatives teams’ fixtures leading up to and including the Freyberg Rose Bowl. It has been customary for the immediate past president of the association to manage the Canterbury team at the event and while it is still possible that an administrator will be sent with the team the side will be the responsibility of the nonplaying captain.;;

A recommendation from the match committee for the appointment of a non-playing captain was adopted in principle by the association’s management committee. Already one club has submitted a name for the position. and all clubs will be invited to put forward candidates for the role. Auckland has had a nonplaying captain for many years and its record in the event — it has won the last three Rose Bowls — suggests that the ' players have responded. Certainly the Auckland players in recent years have had an intense team spirit as well as being

highly competitive. The idea of a non-playing captain was mooted by some members of recent Freyberg teams and the Canterbury association’s match committee convener (Mr George Walker) proposed the idea to the management committee in February. It was resolved that Mr Walker’s suggestion be investigated by the match committee which would report back at the next meeting. Mr Walker said yesterday that the objectives for the . appointed person were to ‘assume the role of a nonplaying captain-coach and to advise on and adopt a suit-

able training programme. The person would be the direct link between top selected players, the management committee and its selection panel, improving the liaison and most importantly the playing standard. “The match committee believes that a training squad of say 10 to 12 should be established with the ultimate objective being’ more adequate match preparation leading up to the Freyberg Rose Bowl. The selectors and non-playing captain would have the power to add or to delete players, Mr Walker said. “We want to introduce

some incentive and create a more competitive atmosphere thus encouraging our top golfers to participate in representative events and endeavour to build up an effective and harmonious team spirit,” he added. It is proposed that the nonplaying captain will not be subjected to selection pressures or any subsequent criticism, and to be seen as impartial the match committee considers the appointee should not be a member of the selection panel. To allow for continuity, Mr Walker said that he envisaged the appointment would be medium term.

“Certainly for at least three years as I imagine the first 12 months would be used to come to grips with the job, the second 12 months to consolidate, and the third 12 months it should be well in hand.” Mr Walker said that he expected nominations from clubs to be before the management commmittee meeting next month and that the match committee would make its recommendation. However, the final appointment would be made by the management committee. “I hope we will have the position filled before the annual nieeting on April 19,” he said.