HOCKEY NOTES (By “Rep.”)

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 181, 31 July 1934, Page 8

HOCKEY NOTES

(By “Rep.”)

The weather has not been very kind to hockeyites this season for another Wednesday has passed with the grounds unsuitable for play. We aro not tho only town suffering this way as Dunedin has lost five playing days already and on the other days the grounds were very heavy.

Although no official advice has been received yet by the N.Z.H.A., it seems quite certain that we shall have a visit from an Indian team next year. Laofficial word lias been received that a Bengal team has been granted permission to travel.

The Suva .Men’s Association also desires to send a team to travel New Zealand in 1935 but nothing definite can be arranged owing to the proposed tour of the Indian team.

Tho Australian team is now leaving Sydney by the Wuuganclla and will play the first match at "Waikato on August IS. On the 20th they will play at Dannevirkc. This is a Monday so no doubt sonic of tho local enthusiasts will bo able to make tho trip and see the match.

A writer has written in asking how the ball can bo stopped with tho foot as almost every time he tries to do it, tho ball muses forward, and he gets penalised for it. He thinks umpires arc a bit severe on it.

The umpires are quito right in penalising it as the rules are quito definite on the point. The fault lies with tho player. Practically everyone who uses the foot to slop the ball, uses it in the wrong way. They persist in trying to stop the ball with tnc side of the foot and the obvious result is that it gets kicked, or it rebounds and it becomes “knock on.” To stop the ball properly with the foot, it should be “chocked” under the uplifted sole in front of the player. Then it cannot rebound, and it is quickly in position to be played with the stick. Only one player has been noticed stopping tho ball that way this season, and the writer noticed a Massey College player using this method of stopping tho ball in a penalty corner early in the season. And it was only in this one match that he saw it done.

In the use of the foot some arguo that as hockey is a stick and ball game that the use of the foot and the hand should be eliminated. This would be an ideal game, but it could only be adopted if all the grounds were like lawns. On the grounds, which we play on for the most part in New Zealand, it would be impracticable. The using of the foot also brings to mind the question of using the hand. This is another point where not enough care is exercised by the players. Many times when players go to stop the ball with the hand, it gets knocked forward, or they pat or throw it on to the ground, all of which aie illegal and must bo penalised. One of our loading players has tho very bad habit of patting the ball down to the ground and considers that he is stopping the ball correctly. When tho ball is stopped by the hand, tho hand should bo relaxed and not still, and as the ball hits the hand, let it go back slightly. Do this properly and you wlu not knock the Dali forward.

Tho corner play this season has improved considerably and it looks as it tho various teams nave started to realise that they have been missing great opportunities in this part of the game. Lundy and Morgan (Phoenix) nave made great strides in tnc use of it, and the writer has now seen them score live beautiful goals in this way during the year. Against Massey College the goal from tho second penalty corner was about the cleanest piece of work that one could desire to see.

The representative team is now at work under Mr. E. Cousins and wo look to see them go ahead. Owing to injuries R. Ward will bo unable to travel which is most unfortunate, and to make tho position worse, Rodgers has now uotilied that he is unablo to get leave. So two missing from our half line leaves us with a big gap to fill. Physical training is in the hands of Mr. E. Lewis who can be relied on to do the job well. "Player" has written in asking when the "scoop" stroke can bo used as he says that sometimes he gets penalised and at other times no action is taken.

/ Tho "scoop" stroke is permissible at all limes (sole exception being when the bait cannot be scooped from a free hit) provided that tho stroke in itself is not dangerous, and provided that, in tho opinion of tho umpire, it does not lead to dangerous play. . In watching tho play of- the various

teams one big fault is quite prominent, and that is "individualism." Positional play is of vital importance in team work; indeed keeping your place in the field means the difference between success and failure. Our forwards are inclined to hang on just too long and to make their passes just too late. AViugs run too far down the line. Halves are inclined to dribblo into the forwards. Every man in the team should keep his place so that his team mates will know at any time where to pass the ball. Individualism ruins all team work, hionie of tho younger players would be well advised to watch this fault.