Lady Hockey Players Want More Consideration

Northern Advocate, 19 June 1939, Page 6

Lady Hockey Players Want More Consideration

A request that the ladies’ draw in the Country Week hockey tournament at Auckland should be in the hands of country associations at least a week before the commencement of the tournament, will be taken to the Auckland Ladies’ Association by the managers of the Whangarei laddes’ teams competing. For the competition commencing to-day, the draw for the ladies’ matches was received in Whangarei on Thursday, several days after the men's draw had been announced. This was unsatisfactory so far as the executive of the Whangarei Hockey Association >is concerned, and it was decided accordingly that the team managers should make representations for more consideration in the future.

The Whangarei Executive simularly does not favour the decision this year to play ladies’ Country Week matches at the Gillies’ Avenue grounds in Epsom, while the men’s fixtures are being played at Remuera.

It was pointed out that where Northlanders make the trip to Auckland to see their own teams in action, they generally show interest in both ladies’ and men’s matches. This is the first occasion, it was staled, that men’s and ladies' teams have played on different grounds for a Country Week tournament.

A suggestion was made at the executive meeting that before being eligible for Country Week, players in the Whangarei Association should turn out for at least three club matches.

There are some players, it was stated, who, trading on their reputation, are picked for representative honours, but neglect hockey for the rest of the season. That such players be sent to Auckland is scarcely fair to young players who turn out regularly with club teams, and it was proposed that consideration be given to this matter, in order that it can be thoroughly thrashed out at the next annual meeting.