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HOCKEY, 1952 RETROSPECT The main objectives of our inevitably short Hockey season are to give boys some idea of the game before they leave School, and to enable as many boys as possible to enjoy their hockey. Despite a blank fortnight, due to frost and a little snow, we can reasonably claim to have attained our aim. When we come to consider the play of the teams which represented the School, there are some facts which are very clear. The School team created one record, which may be unique, in that the same team played in every match. Changes were contemplated on occasions, but none was ever made. This is not altogether an enviable distinction, since it might well imply a lack of talent; but the team did very largely choose itself; and the last fortnight, to which reference has already been made, deprived us of the very games in which experiments might have been made. Faced with matches against other Schools without sufficient time to prepare, it was thought best to try to weld the selected side into a team rather than chop and change it. As a fact we never quite reached our objective. We started off well enough, and early in the term the team looked more like a team than for several years past. Then came the fortnight's break, and we missed two matches we sorely needed, especially that against Styx, and we never really recovered. The team never "clicked". On some days the defence looked safe and well-organised, with backs and halves having a good understanding, only to find the forwards quite out of touch. On other days the reverse happened. The team was never all at its best together. They could play good hockey, but far too often failed to reach their own best standard. The failings of the side were clear enough. They seldom hit the ball hard enough : and that was due, in part at least, to an inability to get the ball under control quickly; and a habit, which persisted through every disaster which it caused, of giving the ball at least one entirely unnecessary tap, so losing valuable time. The second eleven had only three matches—two were cancelled— and though energetically led by Rigg, had only one success—against Bootham School—to their credit. It is said that the secret of golf is "a youth spent golf club in
hand". The same might be said of hockey : and those who will be back at School next year are strongly advised to get as much hockey practice as they can before term begins. Greater proficiency means
greater enjoyment.
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