BRILLIANT HOCKEY AT N.Z. WOMEN'S TOURNEY

Chronicle (Levin), 5 September 1947, Page 4

BRILLIANT HOCKEY AT N.Z. WOMEN'S TOURNEY

Les. M.

Murphy) (

REVELATION TO YOUNG WELLINGTON PLAYERS }

(Special — From

WELLINGTON, This Day. ] It is many years since; Welling- ] ton has been honoured. with a New ^ Zealand women's hockey tourna- i ment— the previous was in 1918— i arid the Wellington Women's ( Hockey Association is to be complimented on taking to itself the 1 arduous task of conducting this ■ year's tournament. The expense of controlling such a tournament, with over 300 players attending is heavy, but the association is prepared to meet any loss incurred so long as the tournament is' going to be to the advantage of - women's hockey in the capital city. -There is no qiiestioning the fact that the tourney, which concludes tomorrow, has- already had a big bearing on the ambitious young player — in fact adherents to another women's popular winter sport have been flocking to the Basin Reserve to learn all they can from experienced teams in action. Their interest has been such that Wellington can expect an influx of new players and clubs next season. Since the tournament opened last Saturday the hockey displayed has been nothing short of brilliant, this being particularly so with such experienced sides as Auckland, Canterbury, Wellington, Otago, Taranaki and Rangiiikei. All these teams who have been giving outstanding performances, have opened the eyes of- the Wellington public as to hockey being a scientific and most desirable outdoor winter sport for yohng women and girls. As a result of this tournament Wellington ,is sure to greatly benefit on the playing field. I know that a strong effort has been made in the Horowhenua district to revive women's hockey, and I met some of the game's staunchest diehards from Levin and Otaki attending the tournament. I am hopeful that they will meet with much better results in their attempt at revivhl next year. Gasped at Tricky Stickplay Students from various colleges swelled the attendance at the Basin Reserve yesterday when

Auckland A, joint holder of the K | Cup with Otago, and Taranaki fl met. The girls gasped at the bril- j ] liance of the stickplay on both I sides. The snappy circle work of l • the Auckland forwards -and tricky | passing movements of the Tara- 1 ( naki team were a revelation to ; ; these young students who were i , all highly impressed with the mag- 1 • nificent exhibition of the game. i: Finals Tomorrow With the semi-finals being play-i; ed this afternoon the final wKl take place at the Basin Reserve tomorrow afternoon, when women's hockey of the highest standard should be witnessed. The Welling- j ton team, the forwards of which j ,have been giving magnificent dis- | pl.ays of the short-passing attack- j ing movements, greatly improved; as the- tournament advanced and | is not without reasonably good i prospects of reaching the final.