Coaches quit

Press, 25 October 1985, Page 32

Coaches quit

By KEVIN TUTTY Jim Bowden, the coach of the Canterbury men’s hockey team since 1982, and Pat Barwick, the coach of the Canterbury women’s team since 1980, have both announced their retirement from the positions. Both coaches confirmed yesterday that they would not be seeking re-election next season, but their association with the sport will be far from ended.

Mr Bowden, in addition to coaching Canterbury A this year has been chairman of the Canterbury Hockey Association’s management committee. He intends to continue his role in adfninistration next year if he is reelected.

Mrs Barwick will retire from one coaching position but has already assumed another. Since June she has been the assistant coach of the New Zealand team.

Also this year she was the coach of the New Zealand junior team which made a two-week tour of Australia.

Mr Bowden had immediate success when he took control of the Canterbury team in 1982. At the national tournament at Mosgiel near Dunedin that year Canterbury beat Wellington 1-0 in the final of the Challenge Shield. In the subsequent three years Canterbury played Auckland in the final, but lost narrowly each time.

Mr Bowden said he had been “mulling over” the coach’s job since the national tournament in Christchurch last month. “Nominations have been called and members of the C.H.A. asked if I was available, so I had to make a decision.

“I think four years is about the right length of time to be in the job. I was the coach of the Selywn senior team for six years and that was just a shade too long.” The C.H.A. faces some dramatic changes in its administration over the next two years. Next year it hopes to have an artificial playing surface laid at Porritt Park and that will change the structure of hockey in Canterbury. Mr Bowden said it will be a busy and testing time for Canterbury but he was prepared to play a part in the administration. Mrs Barwick has built, an impressive record as the Canterbury women’s coach. She was a player-coach in 1980. That year and in the four subsequent years, Canterbury either won outright or shaded the Prudential Cup at the national tournament.

This year Canterbury failed to reach the final of the Prudential Cup and in the second game of the tournament against Auckland, ended a string of 30 tournament matches without a loss. In Mrs Barwick’s six years as coach, Canterbury lost only six games. Mrs Barwick said she decided earlier in the season she would not be available for the Canterbury position next year.