ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 38, 13 August 1921, Page 12

ASSOCIATION

BOYS' GAMES

POSITIONS OF THE T&AMS

The various junior Soccer teams started out in fine form when the season opened, and, as all referees and the rather few boys' cßiuxh.es attest, have made very creditable progress during the past three months. It i« to be regretted that the coaohing as a whole has not been more regular, for several of the boys teams have had to battle along with a minimum of good advice, apart from \ referees' rulings, which, though they, may be ,clear in many in/ stances, are puzzling in others to beginners. The result is that the lads fall into many mistakes, which, oft-repeated, become part of their play, and will need a. deal of correction later on. There is much tip : top material for .coaches to work upon—to mention one lad of outstanding football ability, young Morgan, of St. Peter's—and properly handled 1 these lads'will make fine senior men in a few years' time. The most fortunate boys in the matter of coaching are, perhaps, the Institiute fourth grade lads and the various Marist Bros.' teams, and the result of their regular tuition is plainly shown by the positions of the teams on their competition ladders. Mr. Colin Reid, who looks after the.lnsti- vtute jumoM,\i3,' by the way, ';a> very firm believer in the teaching of theory and position by blackboard lectures, and his lead might well be' followed by other coaches, including quite jt- few 61 those who . are interested in. senior teams. First and foremost, junior players must gain a sound working knowledge of the very rudiments of the game, position, trapping-, the bail, placing, and' working in with each other, and that knowledge comes best and quickest when rejjular coaohing is given. Not alone will the boys benefit from .the coaching, but there is real enjoyment in the work forvthe coach. Following are" a couple of the boys' championship tables:—

"competition tents closed, for Marist N; (A) have established so great a lead that they may claim first-class honours. € . ■ By defeating Kilbirnie last Saturday by:7 goals to 1, Institute Fourth A secured the Fourth' Division Championship. Their record is: Played 11, won 10, lost ,1, goals for 53, against JLl.'. The chief goal scorers for-ithe season Jvere: Greenfield (19), Nicoll (13), ami Denip- ■ ster (10). The goal scorers on Saturday last were: Greenfield (3), Sigglekow (3), and Banks (1). Both Gill and Dawe were very sound at back; and the team owes a lot of its success to these two ■players.., . - '

"Mr. J." H." suggests the following as, the defenders of Wellington's title to tho Brown Shield on 3rd September: Wi. Neera (Porirua), Ingham (Petonej, Wallis (Hospital), M'Arthur, Jones, and flatten, Cusack, Brownlee, Dacre (if available), or Boagle, Campbell, and Ballard. Such a team, he considers, would hold the Shield, and would play a'spectacular game and. draw a gate which would neatly please the association... *. ■ , .

A rule which is not well recognised is that a referee has po^wer to examine a player's boots, and if he finds faulty studs, buckles, "or straps he may order the man off the field, and that before the commencement of the game. Moreover, that player is not permitted to change his boots and goon again. / "Is the amateur a better man than the professional?" a correspondent asks and answers:—"There have been amateurs outstanding in their prowess, but collectively I do not think the amateurs are as good as their professional brethren. It must be remembered that each professional is a picked man, selected for his ability at the game out of a very large number of candidates. Football is, his profession, moreover, and, as a- rule; the man whose living depends upon his success in his profession generally brings it to a much higher level 'than the man who adopts it for pleasure. As a general rule he keeps more regular hours than the amateur, is up early, and,in bed at a reasonable hour, and is probably more temperate with regard to smoking and drinking. A good many professionals do not smoke at,all, and of those that do the majority take to a pipe,, which is much less injurious to the wind than cigarettes! The professional is nearly always in the very best condition. This regularity of living and moderation of smoking and drinking may not always be to the liking of the professional footballer, but a transgression would soon lead to his deterioration on the field, and a consequent decrease in his earning capacity as a footballer. The amateur, as a rule, is rarely in quite such fit condition. The majority of them do not train at a'j, or if they do, only before some important match. In very many cases the amateur has no time for special training if he is in. business. Time, however, should be found for some training of a light liature."

Many thought the Watei^iders' seniors would give Hospital a close call, if not a beating; but Hospital showed their superiority as a team, and did by far the most attacking, eventually winning by three goals to nil. The Hospital forwards played well, and were superior to their opponents in that they shot more frequently, and had more finish to their efforts. Dick again played a fine game on the left wing, as did Daily on the right. D. Ferguson, jn the centre, kept them well supplied with the ball. The home defence was particularly strong.' Porteous had little to do, but Wallis and J. Ferguson, at back, and the three halves were kept very busy. A welcome reappearance for Hospital was made by Riordan. He played a fine game, and his associates, Thompson and Wright, were little behind him. The best half, if not the best player <on the ground, was Jones, the Watersiders' centre.* He played' an ideal game, and it was an education to watch him. Hawkins, in goal, had a busy afternoon, saying many good shots, and he had practically no chance with those scored against him. Batten played one of his old-time games, especially in the second half, but he was inclined to wander rather much. The forwards were weak as a combination, .-although, they, did some splendid passing

at times^ Their weakness lay mainly in failing to take advantage of opportunities and in shooting. Cauvin and Coburn, on the respective wings, were always prominent and dangerous with their fast runs.

A very welcome visitor at the match was Mr. E. Barnes,* formerly of Porirua, but now at Christchurch. The W.F.A., and the Hospital Club in particular, owe great deal to Mr. Barnes for his efforts on behalf of the game. He is still a keen supporter of the game down South. "REAL NATIONAL GAME." „ "Travelling through- Centennial Park on my way to Bondi one afternoon last week," writes Claude Corbett in Sydney Sun, "I was surprised to gee the great irambev of schoolboys playing ■ Soccer football. On a vacant allotment close to the Bondi terminus there was another match of the same code of football in progress. Once upon a time it was a novelty to see a round ball' in an open park, especially with schoolboys as the players. The question as to whether it was 'a sign of the times, immediately came to the mmdl. In this city one has b,ecome so used to Rugby being the dominant game that no, thought has b.eon given to the stranger at the, gate. Despite 'the strenuous efforts of the Australian rules enthusiasts, they have never been able tq get mueh»of a foothold on the ladder of public popularity here, and the game has not, particularly in recent years, been looked upon as a serious* rival of Rugby .'The same thing applied to Soccer until a couple of years ago. I have watched, this game grow from a 'weak child' into a 'strong boy,' and was not in the least surprised, at the commencement of the present season, when it was shewn by figures that more public school teams had entered - t for Soccer competitions than any other code of football. It has been contended by Rugby supporters that the .reason of Soccer attaining such, prominence is because \of the danger of physical injury baiug less than in Rugby. I cannot subscribe to that idea, for I have seen in England, among the great Soccei" clubs, some very serious accidents. The solution, no doubt, is entirely, with immigration. In England Rugby occupies a very secondary place compared with Soccer. Ten* of thousands of. people watch the- matches evei'y vwaek, while hundveds.might.be said to look on at Rugby. What would be 1 more natural than that English, Scottish, and -Welsh schoolboys, coming to Australia should play the canto to which they had been usecl ? Their enthusiasm, too f would quickly spread to the Australian lads, who can readily" adapt themselves to any sporting pastime, iwwever strange. It is not to be wondered at that the .Australian should like Soccer, for I have never met a Rugby man from this: country who has; seen the game played by famous English clubs, who did not like the game. Messrs. Percy Hunter andHarry Gullet t, the Commonwealth Immi-' gration chiefs, are confident that within a year or two the flow of people to Australia from /Great Britain wil^ reach 100,000 , : a year. If their figures are any way nearly approximately correct, the cry of the. Soccer enthusiast in the land will be loud indeed. Meanwhile, the men controlling Soccer in-Australia- are working quietly, and waiting for the day when they can confidently throw down' the gauntlet to Rugby. Financially they are getting stronger'every year, and!-it. is more than probable that a Soccer team will com© from England in a season or two to tour Australia andi iNew Zealand. The time may ba long-distant before Rugby will lose "its hold' on the public fancy, but the people behind 1 the Rugby^ League, will have to keep their house'in order if they are to remain paramount. One great tiring that, the supremacy .of' Soccer would do would be to make a real national game which all ,thb countries of the British. Empire could play." ; ■ ■ ■ - . -..■

Team. Plyd. W. L. E>. Gls.Gls.Pte. for ag. Institute ...12 10 1 1 22 5 21 Stop/hit ... 11 10 1 0 44 4 30 Porirua ...11 9 1 1 19 7 17 Diamond ... 11 6 2 3 17 7 15 Miramar .13 '6 4 3 15 10 15 Petone ... 12 5 5 2 16 18 12 Marisfc ... 13 4 7 2 17 33 10 Brooklyn ... 12 3 7 2 10 14 8 Technical ... 10 2 8 0 5 26 4 Y<*M.C.A. ... ir 1 10 0 0 39 2 \ Institute look like winners, but Stop Out and Porirua are not ro far behind, and, before tfte competition is- closed, the_ position of the teams .may show a radical alteration.. i" EIGHTH DIVISION.- , Team. PJyd. W. L. D. Gis.Gls.Pts! for ag. Marist N. (A) 12 >12 . 0 0 40 4 24 Marist T. (A) 13 9 3 1 30 9 19 Seatoun ... 13 6 6' 1 23 22 13 Marist N. (B) 13 3 6 4 10 26 10 Institute ... 12 5 6 1 10 29^11 Marisfc T. (B) 13 2 10 1 ( 8 31 p 5 . Thia grade "competition is to all in-