Answer Please

Is there something wrong in the football club? I hear complaints on every side. Recently at a Wednesday night practice, for a club of 60 or more members, 9 turned up. How many know the names of every member in their own team? Is anything done to tell them who their team-mates are? (Compare the procedure in Weir and the Hockey and Harrier Club.) Do the men get together at all off the field?

I am told that if a man who has played for Otago happens to be in town some Saturday he is given a game, but at the expense of regular V.U.C. men.

What is the attitude of a Varsity sports club—to win the local competition or to develop a good club by giving all V.U.C. students a chance to learn the game under good coaching? Are we to teach our own students to play together, to improve and, when they merit it, give them a place in the leading team automatically—or are we to choose our players on their reputations—what they have done in the past, or on what they have done in general work for the club?

At one match last year the senior team had five emergencies—none of whom, as it happened, were needed, while the juniors played short. Is the club run so that the senior team wins [unclear: matches] as often as possible? Should it not be run so that every team gets equal consideration? Every member pays the same Stud. Ass. fee—does he pay it to add to the honour and glory of the senior team at the expense of the others?

For two Saturdays running the juniors have finished their game with 13 players. Last week there was one emergency, while on some occasions they have just had the 15 players when they went on the field. The same week as the football club had 9 at a practice the hockey club had between 40 and 50 present. A soccer club was formed last year—the athletic and harrier clubs are stronger than they have been for years. If other clubs have a good spirit what is the matter with what was, in the old days, our strongest club?

—Enquirer.

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