This gallery contains 26 photos.
Some of the pictures from the last game of College Hockey for #2 Daughter – Federation Cup 2012 – Carterton – there is a YouTube too, just because I discovered how to do that ! The movie has the sequence … Continue reading
Next week my daughter will be playing for her College team at the 2012 Federation Cup Secondary School Tournament in Carterton. It will be for her, and many others, the final schools tournament they get to play in. Of course there is always faint hope of age grade representative teams, and other honours, but this one is a final hurrah before she embarks into the real world!
Rangitoto College are this year seeded #6 based on the 2011 tournament results. The Federation Cup is for the top schools Hockey teams, and is pretty mercenary, the bottom 4 teams drop out of the tournament the following year, and the top four teams from the Marie Fry Trophy Secondary School Tournament are added, this year: St Hilda’s Collegiate , Craighead Diocesan, Christchurch Girls High, and Gisborne Girls High. The Schools that now play in the tournament below -The Marie Fry Trophy Secondary School Tournament – are : Westlake Girls High, Hillcrest High School, Tauranga Girls College, and Nelson College for Girls, and they go in as the top 4 seeds for that.
The Federation Cup is played in a tournament format of 16 Team 4 teams per pool, and then Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals.
In recent years, since they qualified after the 2007 Marie Fry Trophy Tournament, Rangitoto College have finished 8th (2008), 4th (2009), 2nd (2010), and 6th (2011).
This year then the seeding and pools look like this
| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D |
| Wairarapa College | Diocesan School | St Cuthbert’s College | St Matthew’s Collegiate |
| Whangarei Girls’ High | St Margarets’ College | Rangitoto College | Rangi Ruru Girls |
| Epsom Girls Grammar | Kristin School | Villa Maria College | Palmerston North Girls |
| Gisborne Girls High | Christchurch Girls High | Craighead Diocesan | St Hilda’s Collegiate |
And seedings
| Team | Division Seeding |
| Wairarapa College | 1 |
| Diocesan School | 2 |
| St Cuthbert’s College | 3 |
| St Matthew’s Collegiate | 4 |
| Rangi Ruru Girls | 5 |
| Rangitoto College | 6 |
| St Margaret’s College | 7 |
| Whangarei Girls’ High | 8 |
| Epsom Girls Grammar | 9 |
| Kristin School | 10 |
| Villa Maria College | 11 |
| Palmerston North Girls | 12 |
| St Hilda’s Collegiate | 13 |
| Craighead Diocesan | 14 |
| Christchurch Girls High | 15 |
| Gisborne Girls High | 16 |
And for me? A Few days in Carterton where there is plenty of Wine to drink ! oh and I’m urged to consider these activities whilst there, inbetween games:
All of which could happen.
It’s down to the final few games of College hockey for Ms17 (MS18 in 37 days she informs me), and last night was the final of the local secondary schools tournament.
I’d forgotten how intensely competitive Ms17 is, her not playing grade or club Hockey this year has meant that I’ve not seen her play since the pre-season ANZAC tournament thing a few months back.
Last night, having lost 4-0 MS17 arrived in the clubroom clearly very upset. At a point midway int he second half, the coach had changed the on field formation taking off one of the ‘inner’ (and captain) and a ‘striker’. Now either this didn’t register with MS17 (who plays at ‘back’) or wasn’t communicated very well on field. It did lead to some dis-array as the opposition made a bit of hay and mayhem as positionally the team were all set up wrong.
She says that after the game she approached the coach, Dave, and says she said that “it would have been nice to know about the changes” and had received not the reply she expected along the lines of ”get over it”. Which is where, it seems, she loses composure.
In the clubroom she tells us that although she really enjoys the school hockey she hasn’t gotten over the fact that Dave, the coach, and age grade selector, had told her in the past that “she wasn’t fit” and that “she couldn’t hit a ball” and that her “grade level opportunities were limited.” Coupled with the fact that he’s chosen s strange combination of co-captains, one of whom is clearly not a teams player makes Ms17 a bit tetchy. That the co-captains are picked at age Grade level might be why they are co-captains, and that MS17 chose not to trial for the teams may also be the reason.
It’s clear though that there is a lack of something in the relationship that MS17 expects with the coach/selector, and it’s clear that she lacks the tools to be able to deal with and get the answers / feedback / input that she’s looking for. It’s all very challenging.
I’ve no idea how to fix this, but I’ll work at it though.
I care about my children a lot, and whilst by no means the best parent I think that between me and MrsPubyah we did an okay job.
Currently #1 son is looking for a full time job. His motivation is increasing as his desire to leave home and move in with his girlfriend increases. But it’s not an easy ride, and he seems to lack a get-up-an-go that perhaps I’d like him to have. Now this isn’t to say that he isn’t truing I’m sure he is, it’s just that he’d rather slope off to his room and play online games in the evening than try a conversation.
#1 daughter is a totally new frustration. Having given away top grade hockey because “she didn’t like it” was given a chance to go do some top grade umpiring for the National U18 tournament. This means that she needs to put some top work in umpiring the top grade hockey that she gave away. Frustratingly she doesn’t get that she can’t keep passing up opportunity, they sometimes don’t knock again.
She also doesn’t get that you have to commit to people if that’s what they expect.
She also doesn’t get that she has certain things like a fully insured car and petrol based on her past activity level. Also a pretty expensive gym membership. And she wants to go to the ball, and needs a ball gown, and no doubt shoes, handbag, makeup and all sorts.
She also has an idea that she wants an 18th birthday party.
There are some things that I can accept, that after a lot of hockey you need a rest, but to forgo being with high performing people at a time that you need motivation in your life isn’t a good idea. We support her not playing hockey, it’s the right thing to do, but I’m struggling with supporting her lifestyle choices at the moment, particularly as she’s prevaricating and making it difficult for her and others to organize around.
Just frustrating. It’s not my life to live, but if I had had the opportunity and exposure that she’s had to things then I’m pretty sure I would have enjoyed them. And I’d hate to look back on my life and wonder what would have been if I hadn’t given it all up.
This gallery contains 9 photos.
I wrote about the saga of the School Uniform blazers. These are just a few of the picture I took of MissPdubyah at the St Cuthbert‘s ANZAC Hockey Festival which is a secondary schools pre-season 3 day event, attracting visiting … Continue reading
Rangitoto Hockey
Every year there is a pre-season Inter-College “tournament” at St. Cuthberts College in Remuera. It’s called the Anzac tournament and is by invitation only.
Rangitoto College are the only public school to be invited to participate.
There is a traditional festival dinner held on the first evening of the two day event. Rangitoto College girls broke with tradition a few years a go and dressed “formally” in school uniform for the dinner, and in subsequent years this has become the norm.
This year however having changed school uniform through the year to some new fancy affair the 1st XI Hockey Girls won’t be able to wear a school blazer as the school “pool” of blazers is short the number they need.
Blazers are an optional item of school wear and they are not in common usage other than at formal events and occasion and the school rents them for use for events.
Daughter is besides herself. She feels that not being able to dress up for the festival dinner is a poor signal from the school in a couple of areas. Firstly she thinks that this is an indication of the “worth” of the Hockey team to the School.
The team is in the premier grade, and has won or been in Intercity and National Finals consistently for many years.
Secondly she feels that being able to dress up to represent the college carries with it more kudos and mana among what you could consider a list of élite private schools. She has pride in spades
So she wrote a letter to the head of sports, her coach, and a couple of other teachers in the school. All for the cause. Like I said to her “If you do nothing you get nothing”
I hope something comes of it, she thinks it’s important enough, I hope the school does too.
5th of April update
Having presented her letter to he Dean and her Tutor, as well as the HOD Sports blazers became available. She’s not taking any credit for it of course, but I told her she should even if she doesn’t believe it 
My activist daughter, who knew!
Well it seems I lost the good fight to Keep daughter into playing Hockey this year. Having had all the advantages, support, encouragement and backing of many people, having had access to some of the best mentors and role models, and playing with some of the finest élite players we have in the best team for the best club, it seems isn’t enough. I tried.
At 17 it’s come down to a battle of wills.
Miss does not want to play club hockey this year. We already agreed that the representative competitions weren’t going to be a feature, it still seems to be about favouritism and who knows who, who’s the coach and who’s the manager, I’m not saying that the daughters of the various “officials” get picked, it might be the other way around, that it’s accidental that the players are picked then oh can mum or dad be the coach/manager/etc.
Anyway we long ago decided that it wasn’t fair or proper to insist on Miss participating in a short season of representative grade hockey, and frankly it’s a cheaper option. She has played for various A grade and occasional B grade teams over many years, and this year enough is enough, there wasn’t going to be enough excitement in it. Besides which it could encroach on earning opportunities and a part-time job
School Hockey is fine, we’re down with that, and I think she was hoping to be captain of the 1st XI this year, secretly if not openly. It may come to pass, she has a reasonable chance, but then it’s down to the coach. And the coach is the same one that coaches the rep team. We’ll see how that plays out.
But club hockey is another thing altogether. She played for the championship winning team last year, as probably the youngest team member, alongside a couple of very good current and ex black-stick and junior black-stick players, acquitted herself well, scored a couple of goals and generally seemed to enjoy it.
This year though after the summer break it seems that the fun isn’t there any more.
And this is where, as a parent, it gets tough. I think we’ve been pretty fair and even in pushing and insisting on sports and achievements. Not to the point of forcing her to play, but making sure that we supported and encouraged where possible and supported the decisions that she wanted to make. It’s cost us a fair bit of money too, it’s not cheap, kit, travel, turf fees, club fees , physio visits, gym memberships etc.
With age and experience I’d prefer that she continued, at least for this year, at least untill she went to University, or got a job, and then I’d be happy to let it go. Accept that adulthood and decision-making has arrived and needs to be respected. I’ve even suggested that she start the season and then decide.
On reflection though this would be quitting, and I’ve never let my children quit half way through a team commitment.
So I have a quandary, give up and let go, or push because that’s what I’d like to see happen.
I may have covered this already. But daughter shows a surprisingly good aptitude for field hockey. She’s been playing years and has gathered a fair number of player of the day’s, player of the year, most improved, and best team member awards. Some of them against ‘international’ teams (that’s other school teams on the world tour) but still hey they chose it not me.
She’s also a farily well thought of umpire and has picked up a number of age grade awards and medals and is a New Zealand grade umpire, and she umpires at a high level.
So fair to say we think her achievements are pretty cool, and that we pretty proud of her.
This year was rather difficult however, she wasn’t picked in the Under 18A team, the reason given was fitness, which turned out to be pretty accurate, but she did get to go umpire the same tournament as the youngest umpire. Yeah we’re proud.
The U18 team did go on to win the tournament, despite being a player short through injury – daughter having pulled out from the “b” team wasn’t considered as a replacement.
And as with all age grade sporting codes it’s come down to not what you do it’s who you know. There was some very contentious decisions to take average ability players into a U21 team, and there is a very clique-like “elite” sports clinic that is by invitation only.
There is also currently a “Senior” squad that is made up of “up and coming” players again by invitation only, and daughter although made aware of the team invitation (she was copied by email), wasn’t invited.
Seems she’s offside with at least one of the selectors.
But we’ve always said that it’s her choice to play or chose to play or not, and that we’d support her decisions and actions.
Today though the “Senior” squad finds itself a bit short and they’ve come cap-in-hand to get her to play against a Queensland team. And this is where it gets interesting since I’d like her to play to prove a point and to have some fun, and she is saying no.
It’s not easy living your life vicariously!
I had a tanty rage at an umpire last night. They were bad to the point of worthless, with poor decisions and even worse interaction with the players. Arrogant and inept the worst kind.
Anyway it ended up as two idiots arguing as I kindly and politly told him he was inept, and being arrogant and stupid he reacted badly, and this is an umpire who’s fair, impartial and accurate.
So I’m not proud and I’ve been fretting on it since.
In my poor defence I have to say that I had a lot of support for my sentiments if not my actions.
I’ve been grounded for a week 
