HOCKEY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 147, 24 June 1931, Page 4

HOCKEY

’ (Bi,

"STICKS.")

I It might have boon after the repre* i tentative game of the Saturday P but last Saturday’s hockey games were devoid of any great interest. There were some bright movements it is truej ( but taken as games they did not comet up to tho standard of other club fixtures. Big scores w. re made, and that in itself is an indication of tho mannerl ot the games. This Saturday there willl bo Possible ami Probable games in all II grades. ( e A writer in the Evening Post mena tions that the Wellington Hockey n Association contemplate sending 'I team to Taranaki this season ami sugt gusts that a game at Wanganui might bo included in the trip. Here is a chance for the local association to get busy and secure a first class game* Wellington can field one of the stroug- ’ cst sides in New Zealand and a game with Wellington’s best should be ale nms an attraction, as one against even ,J some of the overseas teams which havc t 0 in the past, played in Wanganui. e - • - Technical College will have two n games next month. One will be against o Wellington. Representative games aro to be arranged for .he juniors. Wellington will probably make the return visit this year. n Mitchell made a welcome rcappearh anco last Saturday. Ho was vailed ; upon a fair amount to defend his gout „ In the girls’ games on Saturday Cob e lege must have shown considerable improvement in that they fully extended Star, the game being decided by the I odd goal in throe. Wesley have also a shown improvement. Although they were easily defeated in the first round . by Old Girls, the game on Saturday c was decided by a narrow margin. 1 ‘ Team Units. Having dealt with the half-back V positions forward play, is now tu be considered. Before dealing with lhe II individual positions it is necessary * that some generalities should be mem * tioned. The first essential of a forward ■ is dash. Mere speed or running track • pace is not. sufficient. What is required 1 is lightning quickness off the mark, c A slow starter is a failure. The second i necessity is quick thinking. Call it up--1 portunisni if you will—it scores counts less goals. And the third and para- . mount requirement of the forward is - ball control. Without this feature rcay sonably developed a forward is useless, il To< often a forward will exhibit rare, i. pa-° and toil hard, but will have his J good work rendered comparatively usey less through failure to control the ball, s On attack the forward with the ball i- should be a yard or two in advance of e his mates. These are responsible for j maintaining the position, as in this r, way possibility of off side is avoided. •. Wingers are the greatest offenders in e this respect. Eagerness results in their 0 dashing ahead of the player in possesf sion in anticipation of the pass. As a 0 result, the movement is nullified by uff- (, side. To advocate cither short ur a lung 0 passing game is presumption. Different teams adopt different methods and I both stylos of play will prove ef- . fective. The writer's own experience I is, however, that the first class teams rr favou. the short passing. This is not to say that the long pass is to be studiously avoided. On the contrary, ; the long pass to the wing is a favourite 1 variant, and very often will prove an * effective change in the short passing e game. Some difference of opinion exists as s to the most effective, wing upon which 1 to launch the attack. Her eagain the 1 method adopted varies with the team, r but the general concensus of opinion is that the right wing attack will prove 0 the more efficient. The reason is obvious. Though perhaps more difficult 10 set in motion, it provider • much easier method of centering the ball from the wing, since the right winger has the natural hit (to log) and the opposing ' back is necessarily hampered in his tackling, which must be from the ' wrong side, or the left hand side. s When in Wanganui last year. Mr H. 1 Hatch, one of the Dominion’s best I known critics emphasised this point. It will be noticed that in weak teams t! the half backs and back, unthinkingly < force all the play to their left wing, this is accounted for, of course by the t “leg swing.” > Another much-discussed element in forward play is the extent to which r forwards should tackle back. As a rule > it is neglected. On the other hand, if - it is overdone, it. becomes au abuse. s Forwards interfering with the half- ~ backs makes for • onfusion. Where '■ a winger tackles back too far, he can|l not hope to be in position for forward II passes. Again, a centre forward must • be ever ready in the centre of the field I to finish off the movements of the wingers. If he has tackled back, and t so lost position, the backs are presented with easy clearances. Inside forward! have more latitude in this respect, but I the two outside forwards and the I centre should always remain in advance of their halves to be in a position to ' carry out the attack. I Corner hits are too often wasted. r These are best taken by the winger. Any of the inside trio may make the , resultant shot, but whoever* the striker • is. the remaining forwards should follow the ball in. Opportunism in this respect will gam more goals than in any other way. A goal-keeper has ' little or no chance of dealing with a shot off a rebound. Where a corner 1 has been awarded against a side, the ! defending forwards have the duty of clearing at tho first rush if possible. Even if they fail they should quickly get. into position for clearing hits front halves and backs. To linger in the 1 circle is only to hamper their own defence. The individual position will be 1 dealt with later. , The Game in the Schools. The Wellington Primary Schools’ Hoekev Association has experienced great difficulty in securing sufficient and suitable grounds on which to play ' its fixtures, says a Wellington writer. 1 After much negotiation, both by the W.H.A. and tho teachers, the use of < three Soccer grounds at Lyall Bay Reserve has been obtained, and with these I the association is endeavouring to carry 1 on this season. The grounds have the i advantage of being dry. nut arc rather rough in places for hockey Over ' twenty teams are engaged in the coni' i petitions, and these are divided into .» four grades. Two rounds have been played so far. and lhe usual outstanding keenness is evidenced in the piny of tho youngsters, but. it is ton early in tho season to forecast the winners of I any of the grades.