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Hockey

The Hockey Club has entered upon its fifth year in a very promising way, the large increase in the number of playing members enabling four teams to be entered for Championship matches—one for the senior, one for the junior and two for the third-class championship. The IIIA Team is up to junior standard and it was a pity that the team could not be entered for that class, but owing to scarcity of grounds the association had to arrange the teams so that two stood out each Saturday, and the most convenient way of doing so was to have an odd number of entries for the junior and third-class competitions, thus having one bye each Saturday in each competition.

This year the Club is arrayed in its new jerseys of green with the College Coat of Arms worked in gold on the left breast. The 1st XI has lost the services of several of last year's men. H. W. King has gone over to the footballers, and is there acquitting himself as an ex-hockeyite should. G. S. Prouse is still a gentlemen at large in the Old Country, and R. Hope is showing Harvard students how the noble game of Hockey is played by New Zealanders. Though our losses were great, the new bloods, Skelly, Gower, Watson, Furby and Oram, have certainly added life to the team, and now that feeling which the team experienced last year that it was fighting against great odds has entirely disappeared, and though sometimes beaten the team is playing with a "life" it never had before.

This improvement in our battle spirit may no doubt be due to a variety of causes, but we are inclined to think that the approaching completion of the College walls, on which silver challenge shields will show to advantage, has induced a strenuous desire on the part of the youthful hockeyist to win immortality by gaining the championship. Whatever the cause may be it is gratifying to know that there is this year a substantial improvement in the standard of College hockey.

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The following notes—extracts from an article by an enthusiastic follower of the game—may prove of interest; we regret that space forbids us quoting at length.

"The Seniors have been strengthened this year in all departments. Amongst the additions is Skelly, a safe and willing man whose defence is hard and sure, while his aggressive play is vigorous. Gower, a last year's B team man, is one of the most promising of the younger members. Oram, although one of the youngest players in the team, already shows that he has an aptitude for the game which will, unless he is careful, one day place him among the 'Reps.' Furby, who was promoted this year, has been developing those qualities which, in a back, delight the hearts of anxious forwards, although he still lacks that decision and confidence which only comes with experience.

"The Juniors are slowly but steadily acquiring that feeling of being a machine which is absolutely essential to success. The Third Class A team contains much raw material of the best, and there is little doubt that the team will move up a class 'en bloc' next year. The B's suffer in being the youngest team and in having to serve as feeders to the others. They are unfortunate also in having to put up with the bad grounds, but as the future of College hockey depends to a large extent upon them, we would urge on them not to be discouraged."

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1st Eleven.

• V.C. v. Karori. Drawn, 3—3. Dixon (2) and Beere scored for College.
• V.C. v. Waiwetu. Won, 3—2. Prouse (3) scored for college.
• V.C. v. United. Lost, 2—1. Beere scored for College.
• V.C. v. Wellington. Draw, 4—4. Beere (2), Gower and Oram successfully placed the ball between the posts.

Junior Team.

• V.C. v. Welling. Lost, 3—2. Bee and Wilde scored. A fairly even game, in winch we showed spasmodic splashes of brilliancy.
• V.C. v. Thorndon. Lost, 5—3. Our goals were obtained by Wilde, Bee and Willis.page 29
• V.C. v. Karori. Won, 1—0. At last we have struck true form. Everyone played well and Willis notched the solitary goal. This is the first time the junior team has ever beaten Karori.

Team III A.

• V.C. v. United. Won, 5—2. The scorers were Lee (1), Macalister (1), Macmorran (2) and Oram (1). These four forwards all did well. The team played with very fair combination considering that it was the first match of the season.
• V.C. v. V.C. IIIB. Won, 14—0. The decisive victory was largely due to the superiority of the IIIA forwards, all of whom scored. Oram worked particularly well. IIIB played a man short.
• V.C. v. Karori. Won, 2—1. The most even match so far. Mackenzie and Macmorran scored.

Team III B.

• This team comprises a large proportion of new players, and, so far, has not had a win. However, their combination is improving and it is hoped that a better record will be shown at the end of the season. The following are results of matches played: —
• V.C. v. Wellington. Lost, 5—1. This being the first game of the season the play was not of a very scientific order, the Wellington team proving superior. Smith scored for the College team.
• V.C. v. V.C. IIIA. Lost, 14—0. Our A team proved too strong and the B's men unable to defend their goal against the forward rushes of the A's headed by Oram.
• V.C. v. Thorndon. Lost, 6—0. The game was played at Waiwetu, and was a hard fight from beginning to end. The College team played with 10 men and showed a marked improvement on their previous displays.