Hockey association decision on surfaces surprises

Press, 21 February 1987, Page 88

Hockey association decision on surfaces surprises

By

KEVIN TUTTY

Hockey players and coaches in Canterbury are surprised at a decision by the Canterbury Women’s Hockey Association to play some senior games on grass this season. Players and coaches had expected the association to play all senior games on the new artificial turf at Porritt Park, but at a recent management committee meeting the association decided to play half the senior games on the artificial surface,

and half on grass. This will enable the senior reserve grade players to have an equal number of games on the new surface. The coach of the Canterbury women’s team last year, Shirley Haig, who has also been nominated for the position this year, and the Canterbury captain, Mary Clinton, were both surprised to learn of the decision when contacted by “The Press.” “I think a few people will be disappointed at the

decision,” said Mrs Haig. “Senior players assumed they would be playing all their matches on the new surface. Perhaps they shouldn’t have.” Clinton, who is also the New Zealand captain, thought that all senior games were to be played on the new surface. “It’s a bit disturbing that they are going to play some games on grass.” At Queen’s Birthday week-end Canterbury will play in the top six interprovincial tournament in Whangarei, and a few

days later the New Zealand team will leave for Amsterdam where it will play in the inaugural women’s Champions tournament The tournament involves the top six teams from the World Cup in Amsterdam last year. Clinton said it would have been advantageous to play as many games- as possible on the artificial surface before those two tournaments. Mrs Ann Mcßobb, the president of the C.W.H.A, said the annual meeting

of the association had indicated mixed feelings about whether the entire senior competition should be played on the new surface at Porritt Park. . Also the national tournament this year will be played on grass at Hamilton in August, said Mrs Mcßobb, and the players would have to make the transition from an artificial field to grass then. Mrs Mcßobb said the association had not started to compile the draw for the season yet,

but did not envisage any problems trying to ensure all teams had an equal number of games on grass and artificial turf. The association did not foresee any problems if games scheduled for grass pitches had to be postponed because of wet weather. Mrs Haig agreed the association’s decision could affect the outcome of the senior competition. The skills of a top team could be hampered by a bad grass ground allowing a lesser team to snatch a

draw or win. On the artificial turf the top team would perhaps be two goals better. "Several senior players have also brought fiveyear tickets for $300,” said Mrs Haig. “They expected to get value from them because they would be using them every week-end. Now they might not get the value out of those tickets.” Pat Barwick, the New Zealand women’s coach said she could understand the association wanting to give senior reserve

players regular matches on the surface because the grade contained many promising juniors. But Canterbury will provide four or five players for the New Zealand team and ideally Mrs Barwick would like them playing on the artificial surface at every opportunity before they leave for the Netherlands. “I think the association is trying to be diplomatic but the decision could create more problems for them than they expect.”