Is it time the Black Sticks were paid?

[Chief Stipe]

The Black Sticks both womens and mens teams had great success at the recent Commonwealth Games.  The women especially where they came away with the Gold medal after thrashing Australia in the final.

A friend of mine has a daughter in the women's team and it was extra special when my 12 year old hockey playing daughter got to meet her and wear the Gold medal.

Unlike our Rugby players of both sex's hockey gets very little funding even though their athletes are essentially full time.  For example two weeks after getting back from the Games the Black Sticks went into an eight week training camp.  Not a camp where they meet after work but a full day camp every day for 8 weeks.  They are preparing for the upcoming tri-series and the world cup.

As netball declines and hockey surges I hope that funding shifts as well.  My daughter used to play both netball and hockey but had to make a choice this year between the two.  She chose hockey for the reasons that she didn't have to be six feet tall to be competitive and the game was a lot simpler in terms of rules.  The latter have been enlightening to me as I never realised until she started playing that there was no off-side rule!

Great watching a fast paced game with very little whistle blowing! 

[mumbles]

Kids having to make sporting choices at a young age.Basketball and Rugby are 2 that come to mind.

The trouble is that the netball and rugby seasons encroach on all other sports and now that hockey and basketball are all year sports the problems begin.

Was a time that if you didn't play rugger then you had to wear many adjectives that were thrown your way.

[Chief Stipe]

The hockey girls are overseas again for two big competitions.  I hope their good form continues.