UNION NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21007, 22 January 1932, Page 5

UNION NOTES

PLAYING HINTS Footwork.—All that has been said previously concerning stroke production will be of little value unless some attention is given to footwork. Footwork may mean two things, speed and balance. The latter is all important in stroke production. The main object of balance is to keep the body well away from the ball. It.has been said previously, generally the body is -parallel to the flight of the ball, and correct balance is maintained by transferring the weight of the body from one foot to the other. This method of using the feet correctly also helps to keep the body away from the racket. There are exceptions to this, however, the most noteworthy being Mile Lenglen who, when making a forehand drive, faced square on to the net. Balance may be said to be absolutely essential to good stroke production. Speed on the other hand is, properly used, merely, a valuable asset. Nothing is so disconcerting to a player to have what he considers winning shots returned. On the other hand it is usually a waste of energy to attempt “impossible” shots as your opponent will probably get you “on the, run,” and eventually catch you out of position. Many players, especially ladies, do not-use their speed anyway near to the best advantage. Anticipation.—The world’s* leading players ail assert that the all important factor in tennis is physical fitness and alertness, because these two assets are the greatest factor in developing a keen sense of anticipation. A good sense of anticipation will easily compensate tor any lack of speed. Anticipation is slumbering in most people, but *by being alert and using one’s brain this slumbering sense can be roused into a very wide awake one. Health is the greatest factor in anticipation. A good player may be beaten by a good shot, but he is seldom found going in the wrong direction. The same player, however, if not feeling quite up to the mark, may ofteft “guess” wrongly. To do justice to his game, therefore, every player should aim to be physically fit and alert. “It is when a man is on his toes with keenness that his sense of anticipation is best.” A combination of footwork and anticipation is essential, and to put it briefly brains, arms, and feet must work together. NOTES.

Results of recent challenge games are; A. Miller heat A. Kaye, 11-9: L; Kaye beat W, Gibson, 9-1.

A team of six ladies and six men from Eorbury played a team from St. Patrick’s Club last Saturday, and succeeded in winning by 15 sets and 115 games to 9 sets and 87 games.

The first round of the B Section will finish on Saturday, and the draw for the second round will he published early next week. It is hoped to publish from onwards, under “Playing Hints,” some articles on match play, and an effort is being made to have these written by some prominent player.

the eights. From the names submitted to the association—Mitchell, Mansoh, Deans, Duncan (North End) ■, Brough, Johnson, ; Lawless, Vallis, Wdrges, Zaffer (Otago), Adams, Solomon ( H., Hill, Neilson, C. Cranjond, Madigan, and W. M'Connell (Port) —it is evident that the best crew could not be chosen. Drive has some members who would be sure of a place. But there; is material enough for a fairly sound combination. What about F. Brough (st.), J. Solomon (7), W. Werges (6), < G. B. Johnson (5), C. Cramond (4), J. Mitchell (3), E, Manson (2), and A. Deans (bow) ? , Last week the association was opposed to the idea of asking oarsmen to pay their expenses or part of the cost. Auckland had representatives at Dunedin for the race last year, and every man paid his way. Voluntary, nominations nave been called for again this year. “ Coxswain ” believes there are some oarsmen in Dunedin who would be willing to pay something for,, the trip just to secure representative honours, and, though we,would not be, sending our best cyew away, we .would' at least be keeping faith with Marl-' borough, which, like Otago, has been* a staunch supporter of the eight-oar . contest. It would also go to show that Otago is not lacking in sportsmanship. If some men were prepared to pay something toward the trip, that is provided they were selected, would the association be pre- , pared to make a donation of the re- 1 maining amount required ? • Perhaps the association .is right in standing by, the clubs, but it >is ; certainly to be regretted, that after win- ■ ning the contest three times out -of, four Otago is to he deprived of the Hallyburton Johnstone Challenge Cup without making a bid for its retention,. DECISIVE FINISHES AT PORT. 1 Form at the Port Chalmers regattal last Saturday was a slight improvement on that shown down the bay on Boxing Day. The racing, however, fell a little short of expectations, the decisive finishes depriving the events,of. much interest. Nothing better in the way of weather could have been de-i sired,, but a rising tide would perhaps' have brought about a close finish or . two. It was a real day out for the Drive and Port Clubs. They certainly showed . representatives from the city and Mac- , andrew Bay what they thought of them by having first pick at the honours in every race. Not one first placing did] Otago, North End, or Macandrew Bay* have a chance of taking home with J them. Very fair starts, for which Mr] E. V. Fairbaifn is deserving of much ? praise, gave no competitor an advan- ! tage. Every crew had to fight for. its position, and therefore the results were indicative of a crew’s worth. In conversation with some, old-timei regatta enthusiasts the writer was informed that 'Saturday’s, performance was a record, in that Drive and-Port won every race between them. Many 1 years ago a somewhat similar position arose when with a full programme Port and Otago divided every race, with the exception of the junior pairs, l which was won by that good North End pair, Purvis and Knox. To a,dd still further to the coincidence the two clubs deadheated in the senior fours, rowed in best boats. The success of the Lower Harbour crews was well deserved, as they all appeared fit and well,and some of the wins were so. ridiculously easy that it leads one to believe that the' Upper Harbour crews are sadly neglecting their training, and that clubs are experimenting with crews instead of persevering with them. Very commendable was the manner in which the racing was put through. ■ There was no time wasted, , and it was found necessary to put races, from the junior double sculls onward, hack a quarter of- an hour. The reason for this step was to'allow men rowing ip the senior fours to get back to the starting line to row in the following race, which was the junior double Sculls. It was impos-, . sible to start this race as set down in ! the fours. Otherwise the despatch :of the racing could not be criticised. Several. crews who would have held up every- i thing had they had their own way,: found their mistake when, .part-way, : down to the start, their race’ was sent' away without them. Who was to blame?, Good times were registered in all the races when one considers that practically the whole programme was rowed on the ebb tide. The provision of a fine launch for the umpire made that official’s duties more' Comfortable and obviated the possibility, of any incidents going unobserved. —The Performances.— One fine feature was the performance of North End’s No. 2 crew in the senior fours'. This last-minute combination did really well to get so close to Drive, especially as stroke Eggers rowed with a damaged seat. After Macandrew Bay it appeared that' the Port senior four, with more practice, would make things interesting, but bn ' Saturday they and Otago V ei ’e most , disappointing. ■' Clark and Pritchard, after their sound defeat by the Port pair on Box-; ing Day were not expected to win ‘by, j such a margin at their next outing.They never looked like losing, and must have been very short of work for the first regatta. This pair also won the ' senior pairs, a harder race than the sculls. Brough staged a great finish, in the ' pairs, and was unlucky to miss q place. It speaks , volumes for “Mick’s” en- i thusiasm that he is prepared to go out’ with practically scratch crews for the sake of a row. One must also think that if the Otago Club is so rich in members that an international stroke can be shelved more than £2 in prize money should come its way. / The junior fours promises to be interesting right through the season. Port and Drive have each had a win, and 1 the margin has been very slight at. each finish. There is a keen personal, rivalry between these two crews that, helps to make the game. North End should have done better with such a big crew, that lacks nothing in experience. Drive won both the youths’ fours and sculls. Macdonald is rowing very well. Last year this boy did too much.and if better counsels do not prevail t he may drift at the end of the season.. Otago filled second place in both the youths’ events, these crews being responsible for the £2 won. ! The maiden oars, Mitchell and Anderson, of Port, repeated their - Boxing Day performance by- giving another bright exhibition of sculling, and secured the easiest win of the day. ' In the junior sculls three clubs were affected by having members rowing in the senior fours of one and a-half miles immediately before. Results show thaff men must have a-breather,' as the race was won by Drive crew, which was not ' engaged in the seniors. —Shield and Cup Points,— Points won to date in the premiership shield and cups for the four classes are as follow: Premiership Shield. Drive 104,. Port 66, North End 24, Otago 16. Senior Cup.—Drive 11, Port 9j Otago 6, North End 4. ' Junior Cup.—Drive 9, Port 9, North End 6, Otago 2. , Maiden Cup. Port 10, Otago 4, Drive 4, North End 3, Macandrew Bay 1. Youths’ Cup.—Drive 12, Otago 6, Port 5, Macandrew Bay 1. -