An Athletic Problem.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 April 1913, Page 2

An Athletic Problem.

A XI) A .SUGGESTED SOLUTION. .Not only in hockey, but in most athletic games, when teams iind tliey havo no chance of winning the championship, they lose interest and play no more matches. Certainly there are some brilliant exceptions —the Shannon Football Club to wit

-but the rule is decidedly the othor way. With a view to altering this disability, a Shannon enthusiast, Mr J. Bovis. lias submitted a scheme to the Horowhenua Hockey Association whereby interest in the game may lie maintained amongst teams that suffer reverses in the first round. Tt provides for a grading of tho teams after the first round into A and B grades. The first round under this new .scheme would he played as usual, and by then there would lie some of the teams with no chanco (under the present conditions). Mr Bovis's scheme is that the four leading teams should be put into the A grade, to play off for the championship of tho A grado, while the rest of the teams would be put into the B. Grade. They iilso would play oil', and the winners of the A and B grades respectively would have a tussle by way of a championship final. That would give a team that had practically no chance at first a final say in matters—for every sportsman knows the variations in "form." Of course all teams would start oil' scratch again at the beginning of tho second round. This we feel sure would be a helpful scheme if adopted—one that would stimulate interest and enhance competition.