HOCKEY HAPPENINGS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 264, 1 July 1932, Page 2

HOCKEY HAPPENINGS

"Sticks.") v }

TEAM .COMBINATION well Ka'OWN player writes AD.V1CE TO ladies' club. ihe "roll-in" rule.

(Notcs by

The boisiorous: weather conditions prsvalilaiT tist Saturday pTevented r.iiy po=sibiliiy of the ladies' hockey iviateh.es belag ecntinujd, and in conso'qatnoe last week's fixtures will be deeided tc-morrow. The postponeir.ent was unfortunate, as the neeessity kas arisen of putiing forward thec. conua-.-ncomont of the Wairua-a-Rangi Cup games stiil another week, thus efaiiging mo-t tcams to go without niatthes ior two playing days. To-morrow's games will decide the wiixivvi* of the Robertson Cup for the pry. o:vt eca.-on and a good game should be witness id between Taniwha and fei::in:rceks3, who are both equal hi poims for ihe trophy. The first game, vhich will serve as a curtainrahirs to ihe main match of the afternoon, will be between Arawa and Hinemoa and both sides should perioriii veoll. A wek-ome reappoaranee for ths Arawa : : Je will be made by Miss Frauei? ILtohell, who has returned frora Y«*eilint;tan. 'This player is well krcvn to Rotorua hockey followers as a hau of outstanding capabilities, atiu hcr prorienea should prove of great bcneiit to her i'ormer teani. The ' Ztcli-iii." i rrlant poinfc in the rules of Le.kty the correct interpretation oi' i :iiin Ihe ball into play after it Li.o ero sed the r.ide-line. When a ti 11 pa.nes wnoiiy over the sidc-line iz is i\(j u iuto piay by liand by a plujer oi ihe oppoidte team to that VvhU-.h : it out of play. Any player may r»iil the ball in, but the usual pk-ceiuro is tn dmegate this dutyto the 0ui.si.i2 hak, aeeording to the side oi ihe i". id 011 v.Iueh it goes out. The bi-.ll niust be rolled in along t'ue ground and it is not allowed to be tiiiovn cr bounecd. The latest in Lerprt t-". i .011.3 of the rules allow the p]-,y lO so roil in tne* ball that at ih f tir.u it I cave s her hand it is iv ■...wi oi.: ihe jnvund, Lut it niust be nc.ved tu: t tise bait niust not cover a oi. tance n vaov> tliun a yard froxn ih s; de-dne bafore it touches the giound. Tiil.s rulr does not allow a pl v«.r t » si.md erert and deliver the ti ii ii'p Ligh, and every endeavour rurril be made to ensure that the ball la t.vUx.lly rolled. .hxkewi.e tae ball niust not be roli'ee. i:i i: umnner that will cause it to buunee and thcre are very few reascus for an exeeption being allowed fc. • a L- 'euch ef ihis naiurc. It sometimeri hanpcns, iiow:ver, that the fv a:s that thiek or the ground inrii.A ihe slde-line Ihat rough that the ball is mudvimtentiy made to bounce and in sueh ea.-as the referee is the

sole judg: oi tue iacc. When rolling the ball in, the feet and sdii-Ls of both tiie roller-in and Ihe rcmam.ng momLers of both teams mimi be lchind the r.ide-line and five \ri'vls line r. .-pectivciy, but play ei s may cioss Ihe iive yards line immediaiely after ihe ball has left the Land of the player rolling it in. Any hroaeli of this rale by the player rolling It in giiv.i the roll-in to the other riiile, and if the meinbers of the opib,s!ny; v-'do commlt a breach, the roll\a rhali be Laken again by the same team. More rtrategy may be imparted into the mana -r ef rolling in the ball than i . .* .• I plavers seepi to realise, the hall being in uallr rolled in in such a manner that ihe opposing side know immsdiately ihe dlrection whieh it will take. It is a good practice to roll-in the ball in the opposite direction to vhich the roller-in is looking and toLecome e.dept at this it is advisable to adou't a backhand throw in order that the ball may be sent forward or backward as desired. Team Combination. i The follcwing commsnts of Mr. A. Strattoa, selector to the Yvr ellington Ladies' Hockey Association, are of inferest fo players and should be helpful.to them in improving the play of their team. Mr. Stratton writes. '"Most oi the ladies' teams appear to play the game without any idea of a pian. Thcre is no team plan or tactics. The players merely chase the ball endcavouring to get a hit at it. The baeks are fully oecupied in stcpping the opponents' attacks and the forwmds are individually wholly ccncern7"1 in getLing ths ball upfleld. With si. tcaras games resolve themselves ini.> mamly a scramble for the ball. They are not sp'-ectacular; there is not mueh pleasure for the players themselves, and hard knoclcs are frequent. Tcams niust eonsider some style of play, or at least some general idea of a pian or method in their play. ."it may perhaps put these teams on the right lines if they will realise that the bcst form of defence is attaclc. Ha'ves should give up the idea that ihey are defenders and concentrald on baekiug up their forwards and fe rling them aceurately with the ball— they can stiil rnark the opposing forwards at any time by placing themselves in line between the ball and the forward they wish to mark. TTrllbaeks are not helping in an attack Ly merely slogging tlio ball up the field. They can keep further up'field than the general idea of their place, and should direet their hits so that the ball is reseived by one of their own players. A wild * clearing hit generally moans giving the- ball to an opponent. The secret of keeping on the attack is retaining possession of the ball. Fullbacks should not be satisfied unless they clear the ball to one of their own players ' (sometimes to the other fullback is a good move). By "keeping near your oWn players it is -generally easier to pass to ^hem. Haives should know just where their

i forwards are, and keeping near them, should pass quickly to one that is un- j marked. Forwards must assist by ■ keeping in touch with the haives when they have dropped baek, When the forwards have got the ball they should endeavour to keep it and not . hit it ahead.- Always try to pass the j ball to one of your own players, not necessarily the nearest one, but place it where one of your players can pick it up. By glancing at your opponents | you soon learn to notice the gaps in j the defence. In short, dor't play the j game .with the idea that you must stop your opponents from scoririg. It doesnt matter what they score so long as you score more. Concentrate on attack and endeavour to keep the ball with your own players. You may not attain success for some time, but you will at least develop a mueh more enjoyable game and one that quickly lends itself to improvement.'