V.U.C. and Tournament

V.U.C. Tournament teams have remained for many years an enigma to their supporters. They have, to misquote Ken Phillips (Spike, 1954), scaled their Everests in one year and explored their Mindanao deeps in the next. But never, as far as can be ascertained, has any team descended so low as that which represented Victoria at the 1957 Easter Tournament. Our team scored six points (made up as follows: Cricket, 3 1/2; tennis and boxing, 1; rowing, 1/2) compared to the 44 1/2 points gained by the winners, Otago University.

We have quite a record at winning the wooden spoon at Easter, and, no doubt, there are many apologists who have defended their home team against the verbal onslaughts of fellow students from other colleges and other days. I trust that I may be excused if I use this space to reiterate two of the arguments offered in the past by our Easter Tournament teams and examine their validity.

Probably the favourite is "it's just the bottom point of a cycle, next year will see us at the top." It must be obvious by now that this procrastinating argument has never, and will never, bear any fruit. Can supporters of this theory explain away, without reference to Toynbee, a cycle that has continually brought Victoria to the bottom? The second popular excuse is "lack of adequate facilities""—one which is an old favourite of the Athletic Club. No one would doubt that this College has been singularly unfortunate in not having a training ground of its own, but will the new Te Aro Park prove to be the panacea of all their ills? We cannot say page 47 at this stage what measure of success may be attained by our athletes in the future"—but I believe that something more is necessary in all our sports clubs if they are to climb up out of the depths into which many of them have foundered in the past"—and not only climb out, but slay out.

It is probably a truism to state that no sports club, or for that matter any organised body at all, can operate successfully unless it can satisfactorily comply with two main necessities"—support from club members and a leavening of that indescribable element, club spirit. The question may well be asked, how many sports clubs at Victoria have either of these in any large measure? Some have the first but not the second and others vice versa, but in practically every case it is from a small bunch of club stalwarts that the support and spirit comes. Club support is founded, to a large degree, on the numerical strength of the club and on the extent to which every individual is encouraged to give his best to the club, both in performance and in a co-operative capacity. Every club must first set out on an active plan of recruitment. Does your club publicise its activities so as to bring them to the notice of new students? Do you make personal contacts with intending students, informing them of the opportunities that exist inside your club and the university sporting community in general? Have you made any concrete arrangements in the past for specialised training by reputable and recognised coaches? These are all important points; having members is obviously the first requirement for having a club; having many members, all sharing in the activity of the club, would then be the lead to a greater corporate life. Linked very closely with the numerical strength of the club must be the feeling of belonging held by every member. In at least one major sports club in this College there is evidence that there is some kind of social distinction between senior and junior players. The elders drink and mix together while the newer and younger members are forced to make their own social life. How can any club achieve the important elements of a corporate existence, feelings of mutual support and a vibrant club spirit while such conditions prevail? I would urge that all officers give greater care to the organisation of social activities in which all club members can participate.

I would never claim that the points made above will win the Tournament for Victoria next year or in any year. But the ingredients of personal ability and experience, hard training and fitness, good coaching and wise personal discipline, added to the firm basis of numerical strength and a club spirit, would produce a far more palatable mixture than the burnt offerings of the past.