CONTACT IN HOCKEY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 June 1938, Page 6

CONTACT IN HOCKEY

NEED FOR STRICT CONTROL. OBSERVATIONS BY PROFESSOR JAGAT NATH. The importance of good game control in hockey was emphasised by the manager of the Prince of Mandavar’s Indian hockey team, Professor Jagat Nath, speaking at a reception to the team by the Wairarapa Men’s Hockey Association on Saturday afternoon.

The Professor said he was pleased to know that the standard of hockey in New Zealand had risen as a result of the visits of, previous teams. He felt, however, that there was still room for greater improvement. A great deal depended on the way in which the game was controlled by the umpires. "The supervision of the game is as important as the game itself,” he continued. Hockey was essentially a game of non-contact. The umpires should watch that point even more closely that such trivialities as sticks in clear mid-field and other cases where the complexion of the game was not altered.

“Here I see not only contact, but a little more than that,” he continued. There could be no’ further improvement in the standard of play in New Zealand until the umpires became a little more careful and watchful. The Professor suggested that, in order to have instantaneous control of the game, the New Zealand umpire should keep the whistle in his mouth and not in his hand. The whistle, however, should not be used too often, at that would tend to slow up the game, which was essentially a fast one. The Professor expressed the hope that the advice offered would be considered by hockey associations throughout New Zealand and would prove helpful to them.