WOMEN'S HOCKEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 23

WOMEN'S HOCKEY

ENGLISH TEAM'S VISIT

CHANCES OF SUCCESS

GENERAL NOTES

(By "Circle.")

It is now definite that a team of English players, of international calibre will be visiting the Dominion next year, and followers of the game in this country should see some first-class hockey, as the English players this year are the acknowledged champions of the world, and the New Zealanders, judging by their performance against the Australians, who performed well at the international contests, should at all events be capable of extending the tourists.

Of the two last international commitments entered into by the N.Z.W.H.A.,

the first, the tour of Australia, was a decided success, and besides giving the Dominion players the opportunity of meeting the leading teams of the Commonwealth, it demonstrated that the New Zealanders could more than hold their own in international company, and were developing the game along the right lines. The second venture, the invitation to the Fijian team to visit New Zealand, was not so successful, through a variety of reasons. Perhaps the most important of these was that the team was invited here before definite information had been received as to its capabilities, and the. performance of the team was not up to expectations, the games not being of a sufficiently high standard to draw the public to the grounds. Several associations lost heavily through the tour, and this no doubt would tend to make them more cautious in regard to future invitations, but the definite assurance has been given that the English team to visit this country next year will be of international standard, and this will allay the fears of the minor associations. The English visit will benefit hockey in the Dominion to a considerable extent, and the lessons to be gained by players, umpires, and controlling bodies should be many. New Uniforms Needed. C.O.G, this.season set a good precedent when they discarded their old uniforms for a neater, more serviceable style of dress, and a team that would do well to follow their example is Toa. Last Saturday four senior A teams were seen at Kilbirnie —C.0.G., T.0.G.2, Hutt Valley, and Toa, The three first-named teams all appeared on the field neatly and uniformly attired, but the same could not be said of the Maori team, whose appearance on the field left much to be desired. Ran Ring's Round Them. College Old Girls gave a fine display at Kilbirnie last Saturday, and the Hutt Valley side was badly puzzled. Misses I. Pickering, H. McLellan, and H. Morris, the three C.O.G. scorers, all gave good performances, but it was as a team that C.O.G. were so outstanding. Tho neat and accurate passing of the forwards, and especially the clever anticipation of their opponents' movements, were of a kind not often seen on a Wellington hockey field. One Hutt Valley player who made a determined effort to stop the C.O.G. onslaught was Miss M. Smith, and but for her spirited play the score would probably have been higher than it was. Two T.O.G. Forwards. Misses S. Jackson and G. Home are the life-blood of the T.O.G. 2 forward line, and besides being among the most consistent scorers of their side they have an excellent understanding of the game, their combined tactics often resulting in a gain of much valuable territory to their side. Last Saturday against Toa Miss Home seemed to

have lost a little of her quickness in the circle, but nevertheless scored one of her team's three goals. Hockey Official Honoured. The inclusion of Miss Kate Ogilvie in the Coronation honours list was of special interest to women hockey players throughout Australia, who know Miss Ogilvie as one of the keenest hockey officials and coaches the game has known. Mjss Ogilvie received the M.B.E. in recognition of work done as secretary of the .Rachel Forster Hospital for Women. As a coach she has few equals, and on the occasion of her visits overseas she has never failed to attend.. any hockey camps or international conferences. She has been a vice-president of the International Women's Hockey Association 3ince 1933. Examination for Umpires. The New Zealand Association has decided to hold its theoretical and practical examinations for umpires early in the season. There will be about five entrants from ■ Wellington