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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 30, No. 7. 1967.

Clubs confidently anticipating Winter Tournament

page 12

Clubs confidently anticipating Winter Tournament

Few would dispute that winter has taken up residence in the Capital. If the weather does not provide sufficient indication, the sporting scene surely must. While some codes are just commencing inter-club competition the majority are either licking their wounds or rejoicing as they review successes in the competitions to date. Many are already looking ahead with confidence to Winter Tournament at Auckland.

In this, and successive issues of Salient, the state of affairs of the competitive aspect of Victorian Winter Sports Clubs will be reported.

Table Tennis

Victoria is represented in the town table tennis competi-tion by 13 teams spread throughout the grades. This is five less than last year and reflects the decreasing numbers playing the sport at University. However, Victoria is still one of the numerically strongest clubs in Wellington.

Predicted as this year's winners of the 'A' Grade competition, the team of Harrison Waterhouse, Barry Cross and Peter Hall are in top form.

Waterhouse has recently returned from the World Championships in Sweden where he represented New Zealand. To date he is unbeaten in Wellington interclub play. Cross represented Wellington last season and Hall is new to the club from the Taranaki district.

University table tennis teams are subject to disad-vantages not met by the town clubs. The club necessarily opens later and there is only one night a week (Tuesday) available for organised play in the gymnasium.

Women's Indoor Basketball

Women's Indoor Basketball is benefiting from an unprecedented increase in membership. With competition within the club for positions, in the team and the arrival: of new uniforms, club spirit is high.

Winter tournament is viewed with enthusiasm. For the first time it seems as though there will be an excess of players from which to select the team to carry the colours to Auckland.

For the first time in many years, three teams have been entered in the Wellington Competition. At the start of the season it was hoped to see the 'A' team promoted to the 'A' Grade in the interclub competition. This was not to be, for although not lacking player potential, the grading games were held before Varsity teams were properly organised.

Selection of the 'A' and 'B' teams was difficult because of the talent offering. With only one game lost each it is expected that these two teams will finish the season well placed among the leaders in their respective competitions. The third team which is comprised of first season players started the season a little shakily but is gaining confidence with every game.

Sue Jackson, Lorraine Le Petit and Ros Digby have been selected for this season's Wellington 'B' Grade representative team. Sue and Lorraine have played in the NZU team at previous tournaments.

Miniature Rifles

The 1967 season started well for the Miniature Rifle Club. It has welcomed 37 new members and although interclub competition has not yet started has already been represented in Wellington teams.

Preparations are under way for the impending interclub season and for the Winter tournament in August. Although only third at tournament last year, Victoria won the Whitcombe and Caldwell trophy for the top club in Wellington competition during 1966.

They qualified for this honour by winning the 'B' and 'C' grade club competitions and running a close second in the 'A' grade after losing on decimals in the 'shoot-off.' Individually members were well placed in the Wellington championship and other North Island fixtures.

Representation was even gained in the North Island Ladies' team. This past record and the present membership augur well for 1967 successes.

Women's Outdoor Basketball

Fielding two teams in the Wellington club competition, the Women's Outdoor Basketball club are this year represented in the Senior Reserve and the Fourth grade. These are both one grade higher than has been played in previous years.

In the Senior Reserve Grade, Victoria has won only one game despite the fact that they are playing better basketball than in previous years. The Fourth grade are unbeaten and must be candidates for top honours.

Of the three players selected for the Under-20 trial. Ruth Reynolds went on to play for the representative team. The club also hopes to have several of its players in the trials for the Senior Reserve Representative team.

Although individual players deserve praise for their performances, credit must largely be given to the club coach. This is her first season of coaching.

Men's Indoor Basketball

Hopes are high within the Men's Indoor Basketball Club for improvement on last season's performances in club competition. Three teams have this year been entered in the competition.

The 'A' team reached the finals of the annual interclub tournament run by the Marist Hutt Valley club in April. In the local competition only two teams have proved superior, Marist and Tech. The remaining four teams, including Varsity, are of an even standard and these provide the main interest in the competition. Victoria are hopeful of taking third place this year against the wooden spoon of last season. It is still even possible that they may upset one of the top teams.

On their present form, the 'B' team seem likely to run out winners of their grade in the club competition. The prospects for the 'C' team are not so bright. Although those who play regularly are showing improvement with every game, their performances as a team are suffering because of a shortage of regular players.

For the 'A' team Bruce Ramsay has been scoring consistently and has also proved a reliable ball-hawker in the team's zone defence tactics. Kevin Elliott is showing the benefit of the experience he gained as a member of last year's Wellington 'B' representative team. The skilful ball-handling of Jonathon Fox will be sorely missed by this team. He has returned to the United States.

Unless more experienced players make themselves available for selection in the Winter Tournament team, the club will be unable to approach tournament with confidence. An NZU team selected at tournament will probably travel to Australia to compete in the Australian Universities' tournament next May.