SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 20 April 1923, Page 3

SCHOOL FOOTBALL

ATTITUDE TOWARDS SOCCER GAME Association football in schools and alleges was discussed at the meeting of delegates to the Wellington Football Association on Wednesday evening, and the chairman (Mr A. E. Wells) expressed the hope that any opposition would soon be overcome. The point was raised by Mr J. Hayward, who said that he thought that it, was time the association took steps to deal with the attitude of the school and college authorities towards the Association game. It was also high time that they found nut the attitude of the Rugby people towards the game. The Rugby people posed as their friends, hut lie thought that on the other hand they were their bitterest enemies, and he 'thought- they were doing everything they could lo squash the game. The, speaker said that he had written to the Clyde Quay School regarding the establishment of the game in that school, and had offered to dive his assistance in every way. He had had the support of the superintendent of the Congregational Church in the matter, lutt, despite that- fact he had been ■ in-ucd down. Mr Hayward said that he thought it was time they came out into the open, and fought- the Rugby Union in its attitude towards the game of Soccer. They would never go ahead until they did.

Tn replv. Mr Wells said Hint the matfir raised by Mr Hayward had been cue of the greatest troubles with which they had had to contend. Headmasters had taken the stand that unless a team from a school could he accompanied bv a master it could not take partin football. That was nn n»iwr>'tt<m law of the schools. The difficulty had been sio-monnted to some extent on the association giving the assurance that some responsible person would be present at the various games, and this system had proved a very ureal success. Headmasters were pleased to think that there was someone who would lake an interest in the boys. Thev wanted to see as manv boys .-is possible participate in snort. In some however. they were up against rabid headmasters, who only saw the position from one point of view, and favoured Rucrby to such an extent that thev would ' not hear of their boys playing another code. He was happy to say that it was only in isolated cases tli.il they were up against such an attitude. They had always met with considerable opposition at Clyde Quay, but be hoped that it would not be long before that opposition was broken down. Tn fact, he looked for-j ward to the lime when the game of J Association would he played in all tintschools. Tn regard to the colleges, Mr Wells said that he understood that tho New Zealand Couth il was making some endeavour in this direction.