WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 301, 16 September 1936, Page 6

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Australian Combination for America

FORMIDABLE TEAM

Tournament Boon to Sport in Marlborough

(Bl

Critic.)

The All-Australia women's hockey touring team, which called at Auckland on Monday en route to Philadelphia, America, to compete in the international tournament of women’s hockey associations. and defeated an Auckland representative team by 6 goals to nil, is reported to be a formidable combination, and is expected to perform well at the tournament. The team was carefully selected from the inter-State tournament held in Sydney early this month. “ Mrs. F! J. D«vy, who managed the Australian team to South Africa and England in 1930, is again in charge of the team, and it is stated a person better suited to the position could not be found in Australia. She holds the confidence of all sportswomen in her country in any branch of sport, and the hockey players are fortunate that Mrs. Davy was free to take their team overseas. The team, which comprises 14 players, is due home on December 14. Personnel of Australian Team. The captain of the Australian touring team is Miss Merle Taylor, of Victoria, one of the finest half-backs, that Australia has produced. She was a member of the 1930 AH-Australian team which toured South Africa and England. Miss Evelyn Tazewell, of South Australia, is the vice-captain. From 1920 to 1935 inclusive Mies Tazewell was captain of the South Australian side. There are four other Victorians in the team besides the captain, all of them graduates of the Melbourne University with Melbourne and Combined Universities “blues” for hockey. Dr. Girlie Hodges played for Australia against the English team in 1927, and is now an honorary surgeon at the Queen Victoria Hospital, Melbourne. Misses Marghret Knight and Dorothy Scholl are graduates in arts of Melbourne, and Miss F. Faul is a science graduate. The four representatives from New South Wales in the team are Misses Ena Mcßae, Isabel McKinney, Esther Thompson, and Marjorie Haywood. Miss McRae is an international who has represented her State since 1929, when she first began to play hockey. Misses McKinney and Thompson are distinguished graduates of Sydney University in arts and science respectively. Both have made exceptional progress in hockey, and have gained their “blues” in this sport. Miss May Pearce, Western Australia’s sole representative, is one of the finest forwards in Australia. She demonstrated with no mean ability her true prowess with stick and ball at the recent interstate carnival. She has represented Western Australia since 1934, and played for Australia in the only Test match against New Zealand, at last year. Two South Australian players who accompanied the 1930 Air Australia team to the Empire tournament in South Africa, and then toured England, Misses Jean McKay and Mabel Cashmore, are once again honoured with places in the team. Last but not least in the team is the Tasmanian inner forward, Miss L. M inspear, who has represented' her State since 1930, and who played against New Zealand in the single Test match with Australia last year.

Boon to Sport in Marlborough. A review of the New Zealand women’s hockey tournament, recently held at Blenheim, one of the largest fixtures of its kind for a number of years, discloses many interesting features, but of greatest importance as far as Marlborough is concerned is the influence that Jt will exercise on the future development of the sport in that district, where in the past there has always been a tendency for it to take second place. A greater measure of public recognition, is almost sure to result as, during the tournament, hundreds of people, many of whom probably had never seen n hockey match in their lives, were daily visitors to the hockey ground, and a significant fact was the sustaining of interest to the end, a large crowd being present for the final. As far ns the players themselves are concerned, particularly those making their tournament debut, nothing but good can result, as the experience gained through coming in contact with some of the strongest teams in the Dominion should have a lasting effect on the standard of hockey in Marlborough. Promising Young Players. Two promising young members of the St. Joseph’s third grade team, both first year recruits to hockey. Misses Grace Atley, forward, and P. Smith, half-back, were the recipients of the special prizes offered the most noticeably improved firstyear players in their respective departments of the team. The prizes, which were donated by a vice-president of the club, were presented at the club’s annual dinner.

Inquiry Corner. •‘Puzzled,” Karori: (1) The player you refer to did not play at centre half for Wellington juniors against Wairarapa until the second spell, and her capabilities in the position were referred to in this column last Thursday. (2) One is not interested in what a local contemporary has to state. Obviously the paper’s representative overlooked the alterations made in the half line at the interval. E.D.H., Dower Hutt: A further season in the division is advisable, but if you are confident the team will do well in the grade suggested, then by all means advise the advancement for next season.

“Disappointed,” Porirua: You should receive satisfaction if you write to the Wellington Women's Hockey Association on the subject. “Interested Spectator,” Masterton: (1) The ball had passed over the Wellington goal-line before being cleared, and the umpire’s decision in awarding a goal was correct. (2) Yes, the same goalkeeper played for Wellington in Masterton two seasons ago. (3) Your remarks are appreciated, Will forward on your request.

To Play Paraparainnu. On Saturday week, September 26. St. Joseph’s senior team will play a match with the Paraparaumu team, at Paraparaumu. With St. Joseph’s standard o. play having considerably improved, and with the well-known qualities of the Paraparaumu combination, an excellent display of hockey should be seen.

Unique Performance. The success at the recent- New Zealand tournament of the Eastern Southland team gives that combination the unique distinction of having won the Dominion championship, which carries the K Cup and buttons with it, six out of the seven years it has competed at the tournament. It has distinguished itself as one of the greatest teams in the history of hew Zealand women’s hockey. The team is to be congratulated upon its brilliant form. When Eastern Southland, Canterbury and Otago qualified for the semi-finals interest became centred upon the question of which team would have the good fortune to draw the bye, which would, place it in the final without the necessity ot having to do battle for the honour. Otago drew the bye and Canterbury and Eastern Southland fought out the semi-final. Respecting this match and the final, “Spectator” said in the Blenheim newspaper:— . _ , “Canterbury put up an heroic fight against the champions, and the game was one of the hardest fought of. the tournament. only a single goal deciding the issue. Compared with this match the standard produced in the final contest tyas inferior, nnd had Eastern gained the bye and thus allowed Canterbury to play Otago it is quite on the cards that the results would have been otherwise than they were. This, however, was not to he, although it would undoubtedly have rendered the final more interesting.