SOMERVILLE HOCKEY PLAYER GAINS N.Z. REP. HONOURS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 97, 15 July 1927, Page 10

SOMERVILLE HOCKEY PLAYER GAINS N.Z. REP. HONOURS

G. S. COLE’S CAREER G. S. Cole, who has been selected to tour Australia with the Dominion hockey team, is one of the most brilliant halfbacks in the country, and is one of Somerville’s crack men. Cole first learned hockey at Grafton School, and with Clive Watts was chosen for the schoolboy representatives. Early in his hockey career he was fortunate in being coached by Messrs. L. H. Norton and C. Johns, who set his course right for big hockey. While attending a secondary school. Cole entered Somerville Club, and played a modest fifth grade for a start. But his promotion was rapid. The following season the promising young player jumped to third grade where he made good at once. It was not long afterward that he crossed sticks with senior graders. It was in 1924 that Cole first wielded a representative stick. The occasion was Auckland’s pilgrimage to Christchurch in quest of the Dominion Tournament Shield. In 1926 he was fortunate enough to play for the Navy in a practice match against the famous Indian Army hockey team on its arrival in Auckland, and by his quickness for learning Cole succeeded in acquiring several new methods of play. He represented Auckland against the Indians at the Domain on July 3, 1926. He was also chosen as reserve halfback for the New Zealand representatives in the second test match. Cole was also set down as reserve for the third test, and received his chance when K. Perrin was injured and had to retire some ten minutes after the commencement of play.