Hockey’s big task

Press, 22 November 1989, Page 34

Hockey’s big task

The winds of change swept through Canterbury hockey earlier this month when the men’s and women’s associations, which had operated separately for more than 80 years, combined to form one body to promote and administer the game in the province.

The change was virtually forced on the associations. The New Zealand Hockey Federation — itself formed a year ago by the amalgamation of the two national bodies — has told provincial associations that if they have not combined by November next year, they will lose part of their voting rights. The Canterbury Hockey Association (1989) Inc. had its inaugural meeting on November 6. Administrators must have been disheartened by the poor attendance, but the new board of management chosen to guide Canterbury hockey through the 1990’5,« is determined to convert apathy to enthusiasm.

At the conclusion of the meeting the new board met, and lan Marshall, previously a member of the Canterbury Hockey Association’s management committee, was elected as the new chairman.

The first priority for the new board will be to compile a management plan that will take advantage of incentives which the national body proposes. Among those advantages are a rebate of affiliation fees if the provincial associations can set a target of increased membership and achieve that target. The plan will create a new emphasis for the association. Mr Marshall believes that in the last couple of years Canter-

bury hockey has become “facilities driven.” “The facilities are an integral part of hockey, but hockey has concentrated on their development, and in doing so has not placed enough emphasis on other important areas of development. “What we need now is a market orientated plan. We need to concentrate on coaching, especially at the junior level, and the promotion of the game. We need to get the game back into schools. That will be a priority.

“We need more people in the game and to do that we have to provide the competitions to cater for them. We have to promote the family type environment.” Mr Marshall said he had seen an excellent business house competition operating in Palmerston . North. It involved more than a 1000 players, and each team was allowed no more than two hockey players. It was imperative thatthe new association had a strong administration and the appointment of an executive director in the New Year would galvanise the administration, saidTMr Marshall.

A series of sub-commit-tees would be appointed and each of the eight members of the board would be given responsibility for a specific area.

Mr Marshall said the board members would be asked to present reports on their areas of responsibility. They in turn would co-opt people onto the sub-committees who had specific interests in those committees. “We want to make these people responsible for formulating these plans. If they do that, hopefully they will want to ensure that the plan works.

“If I had a worry at this stage it would be that people see the amalgamation as a panacea for Canterbury hockey. The real results probably won’t start to show for 12 to 15 months.” In addition to the executive director, the association will also appoint a director of coaching early in the New Year. Finance for the appointment will come partly from the C.H.A. and partly from the N.Z.H.F. which recently received a sponsorship valued at $150,000 over three years, from New Zealand Sports Distributors Ltd.

The coaching director would be the only one in the South Island and would be available to other provinces if they sought his or her services.

The association will have an early opportunity to test its promotion abilities. The revised national premier tournament — involving both men’s and women’s teams — will be played at Porritt Park next September. KEVIN TUFTY