HOCKEY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 123, 24 April 1936, Page 8

HOCKEY.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — Much has been said lately of hockey in schools —and the Manawatu Hockey Association lias a consider a Die fund available to further this object, iuany people subscribe to the view that hockey can only be successful in a school where there is a teacher who is an enthusiast, and in such a case the enthusiasm can be conveyed to tne youngsters, who will form quite a keen team, armed with any old hockey sticks and jolly good hooited sticks cut from a tree. Where there is no enthusiastic leader—or, definite antagonism, as in many of our schools—no amount of expensive equipment will give the encouragement necessary, and money expended wouia surely only be wasted, itven an enthusiastic coach, attending once a week, would have great dnriculty in sustaining interest. However, there seems to he another more important avenue for the encouragement of hockey—one that has been practically overlooked by the association and by most of the clubs, and that is, junior hockey. Last year there were four teams in the junior section; this season only two teams have been nominated. There is far more scope for fosteriug the game in a junior section, under tne direct control of the hockey executive and in direct touch with the players, than in schools under the active opposition of teachers advocating Rugby. All the players in last season’s junior teams had hockey sticks—of a kind but even here greater encouragement could have been given by the clubs, with financial help from the executive, by seeing that the juniors were assisted to secure really good hockey sticks and equipment. Perhaps many of last year’s juniors—members of teams that have not been re-established this season—would be only too glad to play again this season. The names would probably be available from the club secretaries. And it seems a pity they should be lost to hockey through •lack of encouragement. Undoubtedly the success of every team, senior or junior, depends on the leadership of one or two members, and it is to be hoped that existing clubs can provide sufficient leadership to enthuse some new teams—the players are there, with very little persuasion—and that the executive will see that anv new teams are given, the assistance which is essential if hockey is to be perpetuated in this district.—l am etc K. ’