WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22355, 31 August 1934, Page 10

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —We do not wish to cutler into a newspaper controversy over this matter, but in justice to my executive we ask permission to correct three items in Mr D. Miller’s letter of 28th inst. which place the executive in an absolutely false light. The rest of the letter is selfjustification, ami does not concern us. (1) The point of the player. Mr Miller states, “Any selector retains the right of a fair trial for all, and lhc t claims of country players must be recognised.” That was our attitude towards the players throughout Otago, not Mr Miller's attitude. as the following will prove. When Mr Miller attended our meeting ou July 30 these questions were pointedly asked: “Don’t you think we had better have, an Otago-South Otago match, so that Clutha players may be included? ’’ The reply was, “ No, I’ve got ray team, except for oue or two reserves, which I m in doubt about.” After Mr Miller had left the meeting I was instructed to write to Maniototo and South Otago Subassociations and ask them to nominate players who were available for the tournament for a match in Dunedin on August 11. This I did, and at the same time wrote to Mr Miller as follows: “ I was instructed to write South Otago and Maniototo Sub-associations to ask if they had any outstanding players they wished to nominate. This step was absolutely necessary as these two subassociations have stuck to us faithfully, and though they may not have any likely representative players, they cannot be ignored by the parent body. We feel sure you will see this from our point of view, which, of course, must be for the whole of hockey ii> Otago.” The only consideration Maniototo got from Mr Miller is contained in the concluding paragraph of his letter of August 12, when he submitted 44 names (including IS South Otago). "Should there beany nominations from Maniototo they should replace those in No. 4 (2) e at no time stated that Mr Miller’s selections were i( ridiculous,” but that the request to bring 18 South Otago players into town on Saturday, iSth, was ridiculous and an unnecessary expense. In the same letter we asked for the list of 15 players for tournament team. Mr Miller states he could even now select a team from South Otago who could lift the It. Cup. If now, why not when asked for a list on August 14? We did not at any time instruct Mr Miller where the tournament team should be chosen from. (3) The nasty little jibe about having broken with good sub-associations I is Mr Miller so ignorant of the usual procedure in all sports? When there are only one or two clubs in a district they affiliate to the nearest association, but as the game becomes more popular more clubs spring up, and they discover they can arrange fixtures amongst thcmseU.es much more easily than by having to refer to a distant association; in other words, suddenly discover that they can govern themselves, and form an association on their own, without bearing animosity towards their late parent body. This latter fact is borne out by a letter just received from the secretary ot the 'Central Otago Association in which he states, “We are looking forward to a visit from your team at some future time, when we hope to repay a little of the kindness and generous treatment meted out to our team o| 193& ara > e^c ” Hon. Sec. O.W.H.A.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—A letter which appears in Saturday’s issue of your paper over the signature of Mrs Nelson as secretary, and a replv in Tuesday’s issue over the name ot D. Millar certainly bring to light some very startling facts as to bow hockey is run iu Otago. It is a well-known fact that the cream of the Otago team at the last New Zealand tournament came from South Otago, but it is also common knowledge that there are several good players iu Dunedin who are worth a place in a tournament team. The selector seems to have taken up an arbitrary position that he is executive, selector, and in fact the whole team. I will grant that he has done great work for the' Otago Executive, but there is no reason why he could not have the executive, especially when the local teams had uad so many postponements, and if he takes up the'position that four playing Saturdays are necessary to mould this team into shape, well, I venture to say that four months would not mould some ot the players who go to the New Zealand tournament into a team. Ihe K. tup docs not count for everything; in fact, in my estimation very little, as year alter year a number of the same players are chosen and lots of players.who are just as keen as the others receive no chance or encouragement to follow the game up. This opinion refers to districts like Otago, which have several sub-associations to draw from, and I would like to know why Otago cannot send two teams. ihe selector in his letter states that a team could be picked from South Otago which would have a good chance of lifting the K Cup. Why not send it? I believe there was a rule that no district could •send more than one team, but I understand that has been altered, and, if not, it should be, as it is very unfair to players who are available for tournament games. The whole business wants ieorganising from the small club right through to the New Zealand Association. [ remember a conference that was held about four years ago. Some splendid work was done at that meeting and referred to the annual meeting, and the delegates, mostly Wellington, who represented other districts by proxy, voted most of the resolutions out, one of which was for a South and North Island tournament that was carried unanimously at the conference, the idea being to give the small associations such as Ashburton, South Canterbury, and North Otago a chance to compete. Under the present conditions it is cheer nonsense to put these teams up against the cream of Eew Zealand, but it seems that the selector of the Otago team was prepared to sacrifice the interests of young players as long as he got a team that would at least be very close to winning again the K Cup. As far as manager is concerned I have always been of the opinion that where possible lady managers should go with the team, and it does not matter very much whether somebody’s dignity is hurt or not. These gentlemen can be done without, and it is in the interests of the game, and hockey iu Otago in particular, that fresh selector and coach should be appointed, as one can hold these positions too long. Finally, I venture, to say that the selector was not considering, the players at all by taking un the attitude he did. He told them he had his team except the reserves. Why did not he place them on tile table like the selectors of the New Zealand team to play Australia, in respect to which you will note that the reserves will be picked later. 1 think that the executive has taken .up quite the proper attitude, and possibly Mr Miller and Mr Martyn will now realise that although they have done good service, the time lias arrived when they can be done without. ill’s Nelson lias explained the executive’s part in the case very fully.—l am, etc., K. Cup. Clamant, August 28.

TO TUB EDITOR, Sie,—ln Mr Millar's letter of the 2(ith inst., re women’s hockey mutters, he states, “Already we have broken with such good sub-associations as \ incept, Tuapeka, and North Otago.” In justice to the Otago Association I would like to point out that as far as the Vincent Sub-association and, I believe, Tuapeka Sub-association, there has been no break. The reason we formed a separate association was because we recognised* the value of such a body to our players, as wo could never expect to get more than one or two players into an Otago team, when there were so many sub-associa-tions affiliated. As a separate association we have been able to send a team to the 1032 tournament and now one to this year’s tournament. We have not had any break with Otago and our relationship has always been of the best.--I am, etc., U vi. Hewitt. Hon, Secretary Central Otago W.H.A.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— As a keen follower of hockey I am very much surprised at the attitude the Otago Association has adopted toward their selector. The association appoints a man to select an Otago team and after he goes to the trouble of selecting the best in Otago the association won’t accept his selection as there arc not enough representatives from Dunedin. Reading from the association report it seems that they tried to form a team from last year’s representatives without knowing of the performances of any new blood. As they report the K Cup is not what they are after, but to give the hockey players of Dunedin a game. Would

any member of the Executive Committee care to tell hockey fans why they suspended the sub-association. If the Milton ladies refused to play, why the sub-association be penalised? It is a case of “Wake-up, South Otago!’ Apparently the Otago Association does not want its assistance, so why not form an association of its own and take the K Cup to South Otago next season. —I am, etc.. . SIiINTT. ■ Milton, August 30.