FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 205, 24 May 1919, Page 3

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

■ ANNUAL 'REPORT. . ..The annual- report , of the New Zealand Football Association to be presented to the annual meeting of on May 29. sta'tes that as conditions are now. rapidly becoming normal, an advance in Association 'football in the Dominion is naturally to be expected and sought aftefr Progress in the four main centres will naturally be attended to by tho associations interested, but the moro outlying districts should be the immediate concern of the New. Zealand Association. , Immediately preceding the there were no. fewer tyian nine associations alfili.ated to the N.Z.F.A.," with others in 'course of. formation at the time. The Great War disturbed all these centres, with the not altogether unexpected result that as the war proceeded these associations dropped out one by one, leaving only the big cities continuing, and. then mainly with playera under. 20 years of age. The council considers that; the time should now be opportune to again establish the gamo in the smaller centres. In the Waikato, at least, the game flourishes, and it should 'be so in all parts. Excellent progress has. been imade.in the four big cities, ahd except by bad management, there should be no set-backs there. Special mention should be made that boys' football, especially in the ohief centres, continues to go ahead; no doubt due to the attention that is now given to this class of football. It has taken • eomo years to make some people realise thit the boys of to-day are the seniors of to-morrow, and it would corn tainly benefit every association to concentrate its efforts upon boys and schools' football. ~ Projierly coached, schoolboys quickly become efficient in tho gamo, but ft is a muoli more difficult problem to coach older players. The council regrets that tho introduction of the game into the secondary schools of the Dominion is not meeting with muoh success, and suggests the various cssociations should give this matter serious attention.

Brown Shield game? were resumed during the season, -when Wellington and Otngo in turn played Canterbury, with the following iresultsCanterbury, .1 goal; Wellington, 0 goals. Canterbury. 3 goals; Otago, 2 goals. Auckland also' Eent in a challenge, which could not be accepted owing to the lateness cf tho season. The northern association,- howeyer, sent a team as far as Wellington, and succeeded in defeating the homo team by two goals to one. . ColonelF. J. Courtney, one of'the vicepresidents, and a most enthusiastic's«p.portei' of the. game, is at present in England. In conjunction with Mr. A. E. Gibbs, the otticial representative in London, he intends interviewing the Football Association with regard to the prospect of a team visiting the Dominions, and also other matters of interest, 60 no doubt pome interesting correspondence should, be received from him in duo course. The' council should at i)0 i distant date consider the matter of inviting an -Australian team to-visit land. ;

Once again. the association desires to plaqp on record its, keen appreciation of the many hundreds of Association players and enthusiasts who left these shores to play" tho greater game, and'its deepest sympathy with the relatives of. the; number of very tine'men who, unfortunately, will never return. Tho council hopes that-in}the near future it will,' with the co-operation of all affiliated associations, be able to issue a complete tpll of honour. Since tho.-last report was issued the council regTets having to record the loss in action of many players, including Mr. W. J. Taylor, the well-known Wellington player, uid captain of the New Zealand team in 1905; Mr. J. C. Dunlop, lato secretary of the Manawatu F.A... and a 6on of Mr. J. J. Roberts,, one of our best-known vicepresidents. The influenza epidcmic al6o laid toll, and many good players were lor,t. The question of grounds throughout tho Dominion is now onra much more satisfactory basis. Many prominent citizens now recognise the importance of outdoor games, sports, and fresh air spaces. Playgrounds and even more playgrounds aro needed to maintain, the youth of tho country in a satisfactory condition of stamina and' health, apart from- the question of playing football or ither sport.