HOCKEY

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3181, 24 May 1932, Page 4

HOCKEY

THE GAME LOCALLY. WAIPA V. HAMILTON REPS. In view of the Waipa senior rep. team journeying to Hamilton to-mor-row to play the Hamilton reps, the Empson Cup competitions have been suspended. Waipa's rep. team is as under:— C. Blomfield, W. Ryan, R. Hinton, T. Finch, L. Spiers. O. Finch, R. Richardson, T. Simmonds, B. Spiers, G. Wood, G. Finch. Reserve, B. Gibson. THE JUNIORS United v. High School A.—Ramsbottom, Kerr, Harden, Sherley, Rigden,, Binns, Taylor, Hamerton, Penny, Dalziel, Gilbert, Adams. Huias v. High School B.—P. and W. Ryan, Sherley, Cox, Munro, Warner, Wellington, Gifford, Brown, Hayes, Ryan and Reid. LADIES' COMPETITION. Te Awamutu A v. Te Awamutu B.— Misses A. Reynolds, Bowden, Budden, Miller, E. Hall, Z. Spiers, N. Greenwood, Parr,i L. Kerr, E. Maxwell, E. Bowden. Reserve, P. Snowden. Te Awamutu B.—Mesdames Brewer and Cook, Misses T. and D. Irwin, G. Westbrook, E. Mensforth, M. Craig, E. Stanford, W. Fear, V. Chillingworth, Z. Noonan. NOTES AND COMMENTS. (Contributed.) It was very encouraging to the stalwarts of the hockey game in this district to note the large attendance to watch the games at Albert Park last Wednesday. One spectator remarked that it was only the second game he had seen since the Indian team's visit. May he make a point of attending every Wednesday. other remarked that he was pleased to see the number of young players, and the encouragement given them. Judging by the standard of play shown in the senior men's game on Wednesday, and taking a general average through former games, it is evident that there is room for a deal of simple improvement in that grade of hockey in Te Awamutu. Surely there is no excuse for the development of a permanent school boy "hit and chase it" style of game. In one of the games on Wednesday there was no combination—for that there was a reason—but there was little combination in the other match. Certainly the play was scattered well about the field, and it is true that both ends had their share of the game, but how did that come about? Was it due to definite moves that had an objective, with the ball going through certain players to reach that point, or was it erratic hitting. Ross was too slow in stopping and centering the ball from his wing. Karl was fast, but hardly accurate enough yet. W. Ryan is the makings of a rep. full back if he pays sjjrict attention to his game. Bert and Len Spiers are still hard to beat, but they have not yet struck their best form. Gibson plays really well at times, and very moderately at others. He can be as good as the best if he will get thoroughly fit. Blomfield has, so far this season, not had a great deal to do, but he has managed satisfactorily, without doing wonders. Barry, one of Paterangi's forward line, is a great worker and has a fair knowledge of the game. That knowledge should be useful to his team mates. It is to be quite understood that last Wednesday's games were only the third o£ the competitions, yet now is the time when improvement should be shown, and the time when instruction should be having its effect. Neither of the senior games on Wednesday was of the standard they should reach. There are young players on the field, but what of the whistle? There was too much whistle, but let it be said that it was justified. Many small points are holding up play. Offside infringements are stopping play when there should be none. "Sticks" is given in far too many instances. Such matters as those can be corrected by tactful wording of the players concerned by captain off coach. It should be known now what are the faults of the younger players, and it is the bounden duty of the older players to correct their own faults when they know what they are. Few of the players who have been on the field for a number of years are without a notion of what they do wrongly. Even such a matter as hitting the ball correctly ctould be the subject of smoothly given advice in many cases. There is a correct way to hit a ball so that the best result is achieved, and the laws of the game kept. Hockey players themselves must realise that it is upon their shoulders alone that the improvement of the game lies. They must realise also that there is room for improvement in the play on Albert Park. Anybody can run about after a hockey ball with a stick and hit it when it happens to be near, but hockey players can take pride in their style of game. It is not a matter of gaining representative honours, or building vanity on being one of the best in the team. It is a matter of playing a game and playing it well. Those who are entering the game for the first time this season can find a great deal of satisfaction in the knowledge that they are playing the game as it should be played, that they are using moves that gain ground, that they can keep their positions on the.field, that they use their heads as well as their sticks in hitting, and that they are members of the team,* in the best sense of the word, playing a fast, clean game.