Hockey.

Southland Times, Issue 19480, 1 April 1922, Page 9

Hockey.

(Notes by “Circle.”) i During the week the Collegiate Hockey | Club held its annual meeting ana although I there was very little business to consider the players turned out in iorce- and displayed plenty of enthusiasm. Ono or two of last season’s team were absent but it is more than likely that before many practices have been held they will take up the game again. The club will, however, lose two of its players and it is announced that its brilliant centre-forward, Miss Hislop, will ' not be taking the field this season. It is ■ to be hoped, however, that the rumour is ! without foundation as she has been a great : asset to Southland representative teams and : the loss of her services would be a serious jone not only to her club but to the province. i At the club’s meeting some very good | advice was given to the players by an old | and enthusiastic supporter of the game, i He mentioned that each season the game was becoming harder to play owing to the J application of science and in order tor teams to hold their own it was necessary for them (to make a close study of the game and to keep themselves physicially fit. He stated also that it might not be a good thing for a team to keep on winning season after season as it might lead to laxness, while victory was sometimes robbed of the glory unless the teams were fairly evenxy matched. Above everything, however, teams should learn to accept defeat in a sporting spirit and to accept victory in the same way. The Union Club held its opening on Saturday last and arranged a match with the Kiwi Club. The weather was fine and the players enjoyed the game. It was mentioned in last week’s notes that, owing to the falling off in the membership of the Union Club, it would only be able to place one eleven in the field this season. I understand that the-re has also been a Talling off in the membership of the Kiwi Club, which has agreed to join in with Union in order to keep as many teams in the competition as possible. It is unlikely that the Technical College will be in a position to provide a senior team this season as many or last years eleven have left and the majority of those remaining are too young to compete against the more experienced players of other clubs. It would either mean putting a weak senior team in the competition and leaving a team out of the junior competition or vice versa and it has very wisely been decided to adopt the latter course. The Girls’ High School team will lose a good friend in Miss L. Lawson, wno is leaving to take up a position under her former Lady Principal, Mlfb King, at the Otago Girls’ High School. Miss Lawson took a very keen interest in the school teain and her experience as a player enabled her to give the team a lot of valuable “coaching.” She was also very popular with the girls who are keenly disappointed to lose her. She also gave valuable assist ance in another direction and it was largely due to her enthusiasm and to that of BKss Stout that interest in the junior compe\ tion was maintained. As a member of the\ Association she also did a great deal to promote the welfare of the game in Southland. The school team will at the same time lose one of its best players in Miss Lawson’s younger sister, who at left wing was one of the fastest and most accomplished players ■ occupying that position in the local com- ' petition. The has reaped a lot of bene- ' fit from the occupation of the grounds on 1 Queen’s Park by the cricketers during tha summer months. Usually with tne approach ' of the hockey season the playing areas present a doleful appearance and even after ; the grass, which has been allowed to grow i rank, has been cut the surface appears very rough. Lact summer, however, the grass was kept short and the ground kept rolled with the result that the area has been considerably improved. Up till the present I have heard very little in regard to the Winton Club, but it is stated that Miss L. Horner, who for many seasons cantained the country team has notified her intention of giving up the game. The Collegiate Club will also be handicapped by the loss of Miss Rita Dey, its

brilliant centre-half, who was also a member of the 1920 team which went on tour and who has represented the province on several other occasions. Miss Dey lias entered the nursing service at the local hospital. Although it might be difficult, all the clubs would find it of great benefit to obtain the services of an efficient “coach,” who in addition to keeping alive the interest of the players would effect a great improvement in their play. The Association is not, and for many years is not likely to be in a position to afford to secure the services of a paid “coach,” but in the past it has been fortunate in having the assistance of a competent instructor to “coach” its representative team. Failing a paid “coach” to instruct players all through the season the next best thing is for the various clubs each to secure someone to instruct its players. One or two of the clubs have done this in former seasons and the advantages have been apparent expecially in the Wyndham and Collegiate Clubs. It appears as if the game is increasing in popularity among the school girls and it is a cheering sight to see so many of them at play both before and after school hours. Schools’ hockey, is, of course, under the direction of the School Sports’ Association but it would well repay the Southland Ladies’ Association to assist the School Association in its work. This season several of last season's prominent players are dropping out of the game and younger players will be called upon to take their places. If the training given to the school or junior grade players is satisfactorily carried out the senior competition will always have a supply of good players to draw upon but if it is neglected Senior grads hockey will gradually deteriorate. The report of the annual meeting of the Wellington Association contains several interesting paragraphs and a suggestion was made by the Wesley Club that the Association should take up the matter of obtaining a suitable insurance scheme for the protection of players against accident. In support of this proposal the club’s delegate referred to several accidents which occurred during last season and to one case in particular in which the player injured had to give up his work for three months. The Association decided to refer the matter to the Management Committee, with a view to making suitable arrangements with insurance companies.

A suggestion was also made that the Association should endeavour to secure a visit from a Canadian team and this matter was referred to the Management Committed.