HOCKEY.

Southland Times, Issue 19658, 7 October 1922, Page 12 (Supplement)

HOCKEY.

(By “Circle.") The hockey season for 1922 wao brought to a close on Saturday last. In almost every respect the season was a successful one and in addition to the finances of the Association being strengthened, the high reputation which the province gained in interprovincial hockey in 1920 and 1921 was fully maintained. Out of six representative fixtures played the Southland team won four and drew two, and this must be regarded as highly satisfactory for a centre which is considerably handicapped when compared with many of the northern centres in which the players enjoy many more privileges than they do in this part of the Dominion. There are many things to be done before hockey in Southland will be placed on a really sound footing and those who have control of the game during the next, few years will have a big responsibility placed upon them. Early in the season the question of forming a junior grade conqwtition was discussed, but it seemed to be impracticable at the time and for the lime being, the matter was dropped. Further reference was made to it, however, at the last meeting of the Association when the President suggested that next season hockey should be conducted on similar lino to rugby and that each team taking part in the senior competition should be made to cuter a junior grade team. It may nor be possible for all senior teams to do •’’this, but the importance of providing an intermediate grade between "chools and senior hockey, cannot be over-estimated. In recent seasons the Association has been fortunate in having some exceptionally good players in senior grade hockey, but it is worth while noting that eight of the players who represented Southland this season were, also in the representative teams of 1920 and 1921. It will not be long before the majority of these players will have given up the game, and if it so happened that they did so next season, the Association would find it a difficult matter to select a team, which could compete successfully against other provinces. Hockey has now become a very popular game for schoolgirls, but after these players have left the primary schools, they are not old or experienced enough to take part in the senior competition. There is consequently a lapse of several years in which they cannot play unless they enter a secondary school and the majority do not play again. If provision was made whereby t-here youthful players oouid continue to play after their school days are ended, they would not lose the benefit of their early training and there would be a great, many more playing than there are under the present conditions. This is the

main thing upon which the future of hockey in Southland depends and a serious effort should be made before the next season opens to introduce a junior competition. Then* have been one or two outstanding events during the past season and chief among these was the decision of the Eastern District to form a separate Association. I have dealt with this matter fairly fully in previous notes, and do not intend to do so now. except to express the opinion that under wise government, hockey in the Eastern District should benefit by the change. In some ways it is a pity that the Association and sub-association could not work together, but other branches of sport have met with the same experience

as hockey, and I understand that it has now been suggested by the bowling clubs in the Eastern part of Southland, that they should form a Centre of their own. Another matter which the Association cannot afford to overlook before it finally ceases its activities for the season is the re-vk-ion of the constitution which was forwarded to the New Zealand Ladies’ Hockey Association early in the season. The majority of the rules will not require to be altered, but all those relating to the subassociation will have to be deleted iind in some instances new rules will have to be substituted. For a long time now the Association has been working under a constitution which is practically worthless and one which may lead to injustice being done. The rules which wore drawn up last season after a great amount of trouble form the basis of a really satisfactory constitution, and the Association should seek to Jiave it placed in order before the next season begins. The appearance of teams may not seem to be a very important matter, but in interprovincial hockey much too little attention is paid to it. It is surprising how many of the onlookers at a match compare the uniforms and general appearance of the two teams, and it is good for a team, and also for the province which it represents, to create a favourable first impression. The uniform worn by the Southland team this season was not smart and was the subject of a good deal of adverse criticism, especially those who saw the Otago v. Southland fixture played on Queen’s Park. The dresses worn by the Otago players were of uniform length and much shorter than those worn by the local players, whose uniforms looked odd. It is time the Association considered the question of adopting a smarter uniform, preferably that worn by the Southland team in 1920. In some centres it is also the custom to award caps to those gaining representative honours and if local players received some, similar recognition, it would help to popularise the game. The report of the Committee which was recently appointed by the Association to inquire into tiie question of erecting a pavilion on Queen’s Park will be awaited with interest. The matter is an important one and some form shelter and accommodation is urgently needed on the present playing areajL This season two in terprovincial fixtures were played on Queen’s Park and it may not be long before it will be a common thing for five or six home matches to be played in one season, lor visiting players especially, it is necessary that some dressing accommodation should be provided and it i.s unfortunate that Invercargill is behind other centres in this resjiect. It not only creates an unfavourable impression, but causes endless inconvenience and in wet weather may be injurious to the health of the players.