Ice hockey established

Discontent With the type of ice hockey played by existing Wellington teams has caused three players, experienced at the game and studying at Victoria, to attempt to establish an Ice Hockey Club within the University. They are confident that within three weeks of coaching they will be able to get an enthusiastic student, who has never skated on ice before, to the standard required for play in the Wellington competition.

Anton Kavac, Anthony Lewis and Claude Bobillier have all had overseas experience at the game and feel that the four teams in the Wellington competition place too much emphasis on individual play rather than on constructive teamwork. A student team would have the advantage of sharing an outside common interest and should with little trouble be capable of developing a combination that the four other teams in the Wellington competition would be unable to match.

Before coming to New Zealand, Anton played for Yugoslavia's junior national team. Twenty-two-year-old Claude was a top Swiss forward and before leaving his native country played for the famous Zurich Grasshoppers. Anthony Lewis gained his experience playing for the top Hillfield College side in Ontario, Canada. Anton and Claude have been playing ice hockey since late childhood and all three are highly rated in the Wellington competition.

Although equipment for the game can be expensive. Anton is sure that with "hired skates and initative in the making of their own equipment, a student team could become established at a very low initial Once the basic skills were mastered, two to three practices a week, including a session from eight to ten Saturday mornings would be sufficient time devoted to training.

Besides Wellington, when the competition is in its third year, the sport has a keen following in Christchurch: Interest in the sport is also growing to Other centres.