INTERSCHOOL ATHLETICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26315, 21 November 1946, Page 4

INTERSCHOOL ATHLETICS

MISMANAGEMENT CHARGES

Mr M. Leadbetfcer, rector of the Southland Boys’ High School, has written complaining that a paragraph which appeared in this column criticising the management of the track and field championships of the Otago and Southland secondary schools reflects unfairly on two bodies concerned with the control of the meeting, the Sports Masters’ Committee and the Southland Sub-centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association.

Mr Leadbetter says that the committee which decided to hold the meeting on a track which he admits could scarcely have been heavier was composed of sports masters representative of all the competing schools, and included among its personnel two former New Zealand or New Zealand University champions and others with considerable knowledge of the sport. Mr Leadbetter adds that, if . similar circumstances arose again, this committee’s decision would be exactly the same, and that the verdict was unanimously endorsed by the boys who ran. Irrespective of the opinion of the sports masters or the boys (whose views were probably moulded by their teachers), the fact remains that the track was not fit to race on. and. had the meeting been scheduled for Dunedin, the officials of the Otago Centre would not ha evallowed it to proceed under those conditions.

Pointing out that tangents to the track had been taken out at both start and finish so that in the 440 Yards there was only one bend and the starting straight-’was 170 yards in length, Mr Leadbetter describes the statement that “ 14 runners were asked to run on a track wide enough for seven ” as fantastic, and he asserts that the best boy bad every opportunity to win. The sports masters were right in their view that it would be wrong to ask boys to run both heats and final under the difficult conditions, but they—and especially Mr Leadbetter —must know that to race 14 boys round a bend in so short a race does not give every boy an equal chance or even a clean race. The boys on the outside will race for the inside before they get to the bend, crossing over in front of the field if they are fast. enough, and a scramble at the bend is almost a certainty. Mr Leadbetter’s contention that the conditions were accepted as being the same for all, in the true spirit of sport, is laudable, but he should know that in quarter-mile races conditions cannot be the same for all unless lanes and an echelon start are used. Therefore, the sports masters and officials of the sub-centre, in spite of their experience, did not use the best judgment in deciding to hold the championships. GOOD WICKETKEEPING I. W. Gallaway shaped very well behind the wickets for Carisbrook against Albion-Y.M.C.A. on Saturday, and his three victims included two caught and one stumped. His work was done very neatly although, considering the fact that the bowlers were not getting any pace from the wicket, he stood rather far back. Gallaway is a young player, but he has had plenty of experience, and after playing in the Christ's College eleven he represented Otago before going overseas to serve in the navy. In one match against Canterbury at Christchurch, he was responsible for disposing of five batsmen. He figured in Services cricket in England. He displayed promising form as a batsman on Saturday, his 16 not out being correctly and confidently made. A. S. Mills, the Albion ’keeper, alst> showed great promise with the gloves, and it was pleasing to see these two young players beginning so well. Mills was with Old Boys before he went overseas with the R.N.Z.A.F., but in view of the fact that his former club was able to call upon the Otago representative 'keeper, George Mills, he wisely elected to transfer to another club, and Albion has gained a worthwhile acquisition. QUESTION OF SPORTSMANSHIP The Otago Lawn Tennis Association has not been compelled to legislate against the practice of “ switching ” the order of players in teams, and it is hoped that, the good sportsmanship of captains will save the necessity for bringing into force any ponderous system of control such as has become necessary in some of the northern associations. Changing the correct order of play of members of teams is a ruse which not only causes a great deal of ill-feeling among opposing players, but one which, if practised by every team, would reduce the competition to absurdity. Any isolated cases which may have occurred so far this season have probably resulted from a lack of understanding of the undesirability of this doubtless shrewd but unsporting juggling.