HELPFUL REPORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26963, 24 December 1948, Page 9

HELPFUL REPORT

OLYMPIC GAMES MANAGER AIR TRAVEL FOR TEAMS SUGGESTED PA • WELLINGTON, Dec. 23. Recommendations which should be applied to the training and other aspects of future New Zealand Olympic Games teams have been presented to the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association by Mr D. T. Woodfield, manager of the New Zealand team which competed at the last Olympic Games. Mr Woodfield recommended that an assistant manager should in future accompany the team to act as trainer, coach and masseur. » The NZAAA should endeavour at the earliest moment to have cinder tracks laid down in order that athletes could accustom themselves to Games conditions. The New Zealand uniform could be altered to plain black blazer, white fern pocket badge, and nickled buttons, with cream flannels for dress and ceremonial wear, and a Panama hat and metal fern emblem on a black hatband, suggested Mr Woodfield. More attention could be paid to water polo, he said. New Zealand teams were behind the times, and would have no chance whatever against European teams. Mr Woodfiield suggested that the Organising Committee of the 1950 Empire Games would be well advised to have water

polo on the programme. A further recommendation was fftat future New Zealand teams should travel by air, as sea transport took too long, and athletes were unable to retain their condition on board ship, and could qot tram in bad weather. Financial assistance from the Government would enable the New Zealand Olympic Association to arrange the air passages. ■> “ Unless New Zealand teams haye the same facilities as teams -from other countries, they cannot be expected to compete successfully overseas,” concluded Mr Woodfield, who was congratulated by the chairman and members of the executive on prer senting such a helpful report, and on the manner in which he had dls.charged his onerous managerial duties in connection with the Olympic team.