MEN’S HOCKEY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 264, 5 August 1939, Page 8 (Supplement)

MEN’S HOCKEY

Short Pass And Close Formation Play USE OF THE PUSH SHOT (By Bully.) Wellington hockey players have been • foi'tuuate Chia season. Few Saturdays have been wet, and ground conditions lor this time of the year are really good. * A ground which encourages a short passing type of ganne is the No. 1 Hutt Bark ground. It is composed of a sandy river soil, which dries very quickly. Last Saturday Karori I and lluia 11 played on this ground, and it waw interesting to see the manner in which the Karori team made full use of the excellent conditions. .This team always endeavours to idav the close formation and short passing Lame, and its efforts were fully rewarded as it cut the defence to ribbone with many excellent and well-thought-out movements. , .. , , The lluia team, however, tailed to appreciate the difference in ground conditions, and it was disappointing to see the full-backs and halves hitting the ball with all their strength, expecting their forwards to start movements from those so-called passes, when generally the ba 1 would finish over their opponents back line.

The Bush Shot. Failure to appreciate ground condilioiis is apparent in the play of most teams in Wellington. On days 'when grounds are wet and slippery, one will often see a player endeavouring to pass the ball to a team mate with a weak pus'h shot, with the result that his colleague has often to reach back and scrape the ball into a favourable position for control. If properly executed the push shot call be used to advantage under any conditions, as it saves at least a second on an ordinary hit, and this time saved will help a player out of many a difficulty. If, however, the mini making the shot is only able to send the ball a few yards, he should eliminate it till lie can semi the ball at least 20 yards at a fast pace. To execute this stroke correctly not only the hands and arms are used. Must of the force comes from a free use of the hips and wrists working in harmony with the hands and arms.

Visit from Mauawahi. Next. Saturday senior and junior representative teams will be engaged iu

matches with .Miimtwalii teams, and it will be a great opportunity for the selectors to review Ihe form of players under representative conditions. The important matches against Auckland for the New Zealand Challenge Shield and Zanol Junior Cup, are not far distant, and the early selection of players to train for these games would not be out of place.' The date for the matches is September

' The personnel of teams in these matches is limited to men under 24 years of age playing in junior competition matches. No man who has played two or more senior games iu the season in which the match is to be played is eligible. Actually men who are playing in the senior second division will be eligible, us Ibis grade in Wellington is the junior grade in the other centres. Members of the Varsity and Wellington 1 sides will not be eligible, however, as they have played more than two games in the senior grade this season.