NOTES ON THE GAME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 155, 2 June 1937, Page 14

NOTES ON THE GAME.

CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS. (By “Bully.”) The Manawatu Hockey Association’s competitions have reached a very interesting position and, even so early in the season, it is evident that the struggle for supremacy will be a keen one. The championship tables stand as follow after last Saturday’s matches, in which, it-will be recalled, Massey Coliege defaulted to Central Old Boys in the Senior Competition: MEN’S SENIOR.

It is pleasing to note the interest being shown in the game by the younger players, and the majority. ’ of the clubs, as a result, are in the happy position of having teams with a judicious mixture of youth and experience. On Saturday the result was seen in keenness, which goes a long way towards offsetting occasional breaches of' the rules, though club coaches will have their time fully employed in inculcating respect for the finer points of the game. Schoolboy Teams. For years the Manawatu Hockey Association lias made valiant and unremitting efforts to introduce the code into the schools, and although there is as yet nothing definite it is certainly a more hopeful position in which the executive finds itself in this regard. It is understood that negotiations are afoot jvith tho secondary school authorities, and it is to be hoped that these will be attended by success. There is almost scope for a midget competition, too, judging by the enthusiasm and number of the small fry who watched tho games on Saturday. Good Stickwork.

The ability to use liis stick judiciously, with a nice flick and a pushing stroke, made I. Davey -an asset for the Broadway A team on Saturday. As right-half his skill in this direction was especially valuable. Davey, who hails from Lockwood, should prove a sound player. Wandering.

Enthusiasm goes a long way, but It requires to be tempered with foresight, as the Broadway B team found on Saturday. In the second half, particularly, there was an over-abundance of wandering from position, and frequently when a movement might have been turned to account it was wasted through the absence of a player fronf position. It is a fault that requires studied elmination to build up a dependable combination.

Hard Hitting. Almost in the same category, in that it is the result of eagerness, is tiro individual fault of injudicious hitting of the hall when a quiet, welldirected shot would fill the bill. Broadway A’s left wing (R. Jones) had this noticeable lapse on Saturday; it can bo most successfully eliminated by visualising tho layout of the field at the moment of play. Good Defence.

If the Phoenix forward pack on Saturday failed to succeed despite good individual effort, in the junior competition, the full-back hod littlo to feel, displeased about in his own displays Goodwin was an object lesson to most full-backs, and his coolness and good Stick-work undoubtedly saved a heavier defeat.

Flying Sticks. s There is still a tendency in tho junior competition for certain players to retain insufficient control of their sticks, with the result that frequently a hopeful scoring movement is spoiled and tho offender has the chagrin of picking himself up and regaining his “weapon.” Encouraged by an incorrect view of how to play the ball, it

resolves itself into merely throwing the stick—which is by no means orthodox or good hockey. A Safe ’Keeper. The value of a good goal-keeper lies not so much in doing well his obvious duties as in visualising opportunities to relievo tho pressure and act quickly. Hart impressed in this direction, when ho saved an almost certain goal in tho senior match by retrieving the bull with his outstretched hand—a pretty piece of work. Ho also anticipated a number of scoring movements, meeting tho invaders and getting away the*ball to his own pack. Teamwork Tells.

In the long run it is teamwork that counts for most, and in a tight corner always spells salvation. It was pleasing to see it exemplified in the Service--I’hoenix junior match, when Goodwin (full-back), Tester (forward), and Hannan (half) kept the leather in movement for the latter, and Robinson, J3yors, and Leader combined very effectively to spell success for Services. Teamwork always tells. The Quiet Player. It is strange, comments a writer, how so many players who would otherwise be counted as good spoil their play by not observing one of the simplest unwritten rules of the game —to practise self-control by quietness. One is sometimes left out of the actual play during a game for some considerable time, during which ho has ample time to observe tho rest of his team. AVhen he sees on of his team-mates miss the ball, give sticks, or make some equally simple mistake, he is apt to criticise poor play. In fact, he feels that he can do much better himself, and with some fervour expresses his disgust and calls for the hall to be passed to him in no uncertain tone. His colleagues, who have been doing all tho work and receiving very little praise for it,, are not likely to pass the ball to one who just criticises them. Thus there springs up in the team a feeling of disharmony and lack of unity. This spells disaster lor the team. To be a good team one should be quiet, for quietness means that there is understanding among the players, which does not need shouted orders. Quietness means that the team is functioning smoothly. It means, too, that all the breath is being saved for further ' effort and hard work. Quietness shows that each member of the team has self-control. Lastly, by being quiet on the field ono will improve the standard of play, for one will think more than talk, and thinking is one of the essentials of the code. Quiet, thoughtful players, then, are what are wanted on the hockey field, for they are marked by their keenness and eagerness to assist the game.

Goals Team P. For Agst. W. D. L. Pis Broadway A .. 3 14 4 3 0 0 6 C.O.B 4 5 5 2 1 1 5 Phoenix 3 7 4 1 1 1 3 Massey College 3 7 9 1 0 2 2 Broadway B ... 3 4 15 0 0 3 0 MEN’S JUNIOR. Comb. Service . 4 12 7 3 0 1 6 Phoenix 4 7 5 2 0 2 4 Broadway 4 1 4 1 1 2 3 Massey College 4 3 5 1 1 • 2 3 Encouraging Youth.