LADIES’ HOCKEY

Southland Times, Issue 20496, 26 May 1928, Page 18 (Supplement)

LADIES’ HOCKEY

(By “Long Corner.”) The school holidays are over now; hockey should be getting back into full swing again for the season after the slight set-back that it received from the holidays and May Fair week combined. The season began well with an increased club membership and increased enthusiasm among the fairly dry bones of the association. Good resolutions were made to bring in the reluctant fees from clubs and to generally spruce things up. Eight teams took their places on the field one Wednesday afternoon and fixtures have been very good all along. This season will be an important one in Southland hockey, as there is a possibility that a tournament may be held here. The power of allotting the venue of the tournament was delegated by the annual meeting of the New Zealand Ladies’ Hockey Association to the New Zealand Management Committee. The applications for the tournament must be in the hands of the committee before May 31, when the whole question will be discussed and the various events weighed. Definite news on the subject should be available next month in order to give the association chosen time in which to make all necessary arrangements regarding billeting. THE MEN WITH THE WHISTLE.

To cope with the increase in the number of games controlled by the association this season, the services of many friends of the game, old and new, have been gained by the association this year. Among the ranks are to be found Mr R. J. Surgenor, the coach of the Southland team, Mr F. Hinton, who is again so willingly taking his place on the field, and Mr E. H. Battin, who is always prepared to take control of a game. Mr Taverner, who has had experience in South Canterbury both as a player and a referee, has done good work in many games already, and Mr L. G. Newman, also experienced as a referee, is doing good work. A new recruit to the ranks was found in the person of Mr Albert Shaw, a young referee who controlled in a very efficient manner the last match played before May Fair, Collegiate-Invercargill, on May 12. The association is very deeply indebted to these gentlemen for these services, for everyone knows the saying, “A referee is no man’s friend.” Moreover, they have to give a great deal of their time to the game, as well as an immense amount of energy. Anyone who has played in an un-refereed match, particularly if it is at all keenly contested, will realize the impossibility of playing under such conditions even if both sides are real sports. FIXTURES ARRANGED.

“Long Corner” has been advised that the following fixtures have been arranged for the next two weeks:— Saturday, June 2, at 2.30 p.m.: Collegiate v. High School; Invercargill v. Union. Wednesday, June 6, at 3 p.m.: Collegiate v. Invercargill; Union v. High School; Winton v. Collegiate B. Saturday, June 9, at 2.30 p.m.: High School v. Union; Invercargill v. Collegiate. Wednesday, June 13, at 3 p.m.: Winton v. High School; Union v. Invercargill; Collegiate v. Collegiate B. POSITION OF TEAMS WEDNESDAY COMPETITION.

Applications for the New Zealand Ladies’ Hockey Championship tournament close in Wellington on May 31. It is probable that the South Canterbury and Auckland Associations will apply to have the tourney at Timaru and Auckland respectively. At last meeting of the Southland Association it was decided to support the application from South Canterbury. Should the Timaru people not desire to have the privilege then Southland will make application to have the tourney held at Invercargill again this year. The place of the tourney will be decided by the management conlittee in Wellington before the end of June. Hockey is going stronger than ever in Southland this season and the future looks brighter as the primary and secondary schools are taking up the game in earnest. Besides a number of ex-representative play ers are playing again after a few years spell. There is every indication that the Southland team this year will consist of better and more experienced players than ever before.

Hockey in the Western District is improving considerably this season. The players are in good form, but lack of knowledge of the finer points of the game. With a little more coaching and blackboard lectures

the games would become more scientific and more players would gain representative honours. The Western District trial matches will be played at Otautau on June 4. Misses Grace Clark (Drummond) and K. Hunt (Nightcaps) will probably be selected to represent Southland again this year. The school’s competition will commence early next month. It is likely *hat middle School and South School will enter two teams each. Kapuka Schools will enter one team and there is a possibility of other schools taking up the game. GENERAL - NOTES The second round of the Saturday Competition commences to-day. The match High School v. Invercargill was not played in the first round owing to the school holidays. This match will be played at the end of the season. At last meeting of the Southland Association it was decided to call a general meeting of all players and supporters to consider the question of raising funds to send a Southland representative team to the New Zealand Ladies’ Hockey Championship tournament this year. An interesting seven-a-side tournament will be held at Gore on June 4. Several teams under the jurisdiction of the local association will take part in this tourney. It is anticipated-that over 30 clubs will be represented It Gore. Hockey in the Southern District is flouring this season and the number of teams playing under the Sub-Association has increased. The Sub-association would probably be well advised to have more direct representation on the Southland Association. They are entitled to have two delegates on the executive which meets at Invercargill fortnightly. It is difficult for the delegates residing out of town to attend these meetings. The Southland executive would be also strengthened by the addition of two active members. Not only would the delegates take an interest in their district, but they would have a share of the control of the game throughout Southland. More direct representation would be an advantage to both associations. EASTERN DISTRICT NOTES (By “Circle.”) The following table shows the positions of the teams in the Eastern Southland competition :

Probably the most interesting game that has so far been played in the Eastern Southland Association's competition took place at Gore on Wednesday when Wyndham A met and defeated Hokonui A by 6 goals to 4.

The match was a most interesting one throughout, but it was not until the last fifteen minutes of play that the Hokonui team showed up to any great advantage. For the first spell and for the greater part of the second spell the Wyndham team played with more dash and better combination than the Hokonui team.

One of the most noticeable features of the game was the keen sense of anticipation displayed by the Wyndham girls, who did not wait for the ball to come to them, but went to meet it. The Hokonui players, on the other hand, played a waiting game and were frequently badly left. This slowness on the part of the local girls lost them many a good opportunity and was in a large measure responsible for their defeat. Players should acquire the habit of going after the ball immediately it has been hit and it should be their aim always to reach it before an opposing player. The two teams adopted widely different styles of play, the Wyndham team playing the short passing game and the Hokonui team going in for the long passes. Opinions differ as to which style is the more effective, but in ladies’ hockey it should be generally agreed that the short passing among the forwards tends to better position play and requires less effort. The difference in the position play of the Wyndham and Hokonui forwards was most marked, and while the former were almost invariably in the correct line, the latter were almost as invariably out of it. Time after time the long in-passes of the wing players went astray because the inside forwards were, not in line to take them. This is one of the great objections raised against the long passing game for ladies, and unless the forwards are exceptionally fit and fast they cannot keep up with the play. This position is accentuated in the case of a team which has an unusually speedy wing player such as Hokonui has in Miss M. Nicol.

While the Wyndham team retains several of ite last season’s players a number of younger girls are, included in its present team and are shaping very satisfactorily. The team’s play on Wednesday showed evidence of very efficient coaching. Wyndham s centre-half was penalised on a number of occasions for undercutting the ball. She should remember that not only is undercutting illegal, but is dangerous and likely to cause injury to other players. There was altogether too much talking during play on the part of the Hokonui players. The captain of the team is the only one who has any right to speak to a player, and she should do it quietly when opportunity offers. No more effective means of putting a player altogether off her game can be employed than by snapping at her during the progress of the match. Several of the Hokonui players criticized each other very freely and with very little reason.

Miss R. Scott at half-back was a weak link in the Hokonui team and she should learn to stop and to tackle-back. Miss E. Johnston at left-wing made the mistake of carrying the ball too close to the goal-line before centering. This made it necessary for her to turn before centering and enabled the opposing backs to tackle before she could centre. She should pass the ball sooner and cultivate the trick of suddenly tapping the ball back before centering. This nearly always leads a player tackling her to over-run the ball and leaves her with plenty of time in which to make her centering hit. Hockey Park is a very much improved ground from last year and its surface is nicely grassed. The turf along the sides and in the centre of the ground is good, but it not quite so satisfactory in the circles. Clubs’ are reminded of the seven-a-side tournament to be held on the Gore Hostel grounds on June 4, entries for which close on May 29. Excellent trophies have l>een donated, and a set of minature cups will be presented each to the winning tram and runner-up in the major competition, and a set to the winning team of the consolatio ncompetition. It is hoped that a number of the Invercargill and Western District clubs will participate and that several of the Northern District clubs will also compete. NORTHERN DISTRICT TOURNEY The Northern District is to hold a tournament at Dipton on Saturday June 16: Tha programme promises to be of an interesting nature and includes a ladies’ seven-a-side hockey tournament, open to all clubs affiliated to an association. The first prize will be seven silver cups, and there will also be seven trophies for the runners up. A ladies’ consolation tournament will also be held for teams that have lost their games in the qualifying round, an event for which seven trophies have been provided. A school girls’ seven-a-side tourament, open to teams from primary schools, will also be held for which seven trophies are available. The following rules and regulations have been drawn up for the meeting:— School tournament to .start at 12 o'clock sharf). Post entry. Ladies’ tournament to start at 1 o’clock sharp. Draw will be pub-

!ished on Wednesday. June 13 1928. Committee reserve the right to make any alterations in the programme if found necessary. Each ladies’ team guaranteed at least two games. All protests to be in writing ind entered within ten minutes after each •vent, accompanied by a protest fee of ss, money to be forfeited if protest deemed frivolous. All byes to take place in the first round. Two spells of seven minutes to be played with one minute spells between. Competitors must appear in club uniform. Players must play with the club to which they belong. In the event of a draw two 2 minute spells will be played. In the event of still a draw to play from which ever position in the field they may be in until there is a score. The team that hits a behind from inside the defenders 25 to score 4 point. No two teams from same club to meet until the final. All teams to be on the field of play ready to start within 3 minutes of finish of preceding game or they will lose the match by default. In the event of teams not agreeing to referee, Tournament President to decide. All Nothern Hockey Clubs to provide one white Hockey Ball. NEW SOUTH WALES TEAM At the meeting of New Zealand Ladies’ Hockey Association, the question of inviting a New South Wales team to tour was considered. Most of the New Zealand ' Associations were in favour of a definite invitation being sent to the New South J Wales Ladies’ Hockey Association to send • a team to tour New Zealand; but it was decided to abandon the idea this year | owing to the lack of definite guarantees to ; meet travelling expenses. The finances of j the New Zealand Ladies’ Hockey Aseociat- ! ion are not in a position to meet heavy I deficiencies, if incurred, and liberal guaran- • tees were required if the tour was to be proceed with. DIVIDED CONTROL The question of dividing the control of ’ hockey has been a moot point for some time among the authorities in charge of the I game and at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Association, the question was raised by the Wanganui centre. At present ; both Ladies’ and Men’s Hockey in Wan- . ganui is controlled by one Association. After I a very lengthy discussion the proposal to j form a separate body to control Ladies’ j Hockey in Wanganui was not agreed to. [ The council came to the conclusion that the time is not opportune, nor would it be in the best interests of the game, that divison of control should take place in the Wanganui area at present.

Team. P. W. L. D. Points For. Ag. Ch. Collegiate A . 2 2 — — 8 1 4 Union . . . 2 1 1 — 2 1 2 Winton . . 2 1 1 — 2 4 2 Collegiate B . 2 1 1 — 5 3 2 High School . 1 — 1 — 0 4 — Inv’gill A 1 — 1 — 1 o — SATURDAY COMPETITION. Points Team. P. w. L. D. For. Ag. Ch. Collegiate 3 3 — — 21 2 6 Union . . . 2 1 1 — 14 a 2 High School . 2 1 1 — 4 14 2 Invercargill . 3 — 3 — 2 20 —

P. W. L. Goals Flag D. for. agst Pts. Ex-High A . 4 3 0 1 13 8 7 Wyndham 3 3 0 0 22 6 6 Hokonui 4 2 1 1 23 9 5 High School . 1 1 0 7 6 z Wyndham H. 2 1 1 0 3 6 2 Mataura . . 3 1 2 0 6 9 z Edendale . . 4 1 3 0 17 10 2 II. J. Smith’s 4 0 4 0 1 38 0 Wyndham B. 4 2 1 1 9 5 5 Mataura . . 3 2 1 0 14 7 4 Hokonui . . 3 1 2 0 3 8 L High School 2 0 1 1 2 5 1