Black Sticks defender Andy Hayward felt the selection cold shoulder four years ago before Beijing so knew exactly what his discarded teammates were going through yesterday as the team for the London Olympics was made public.
The former Tauranga Boys' College student was a predictable selection in New Zealand's most experienced men's team but said it was an eerie feeling turning up to training yesterday morning to find a quarter of the squad not there.
"I missed out on the final cut for Beijing so I'm on the opposite side of the coin this time, knowing full well how it feels for the guys who've missed out," Hayward said yesterday.
"There were a few faces I've gotten used to not there so it's a tough day.
"Some good mates have made it and for other good mates it would have been the worst day of the year."
Mt Maunganui goalkeeper Hamish McGregor was celebrating, despite missing the 16-player cut. He and midfielder Arun Panchia will both head to London with the team but will be based outside the Olympic village. If one of the 16 Olympic team members is injured, either Panchia or McGregor will be called on as a permanent replacement for the injured player.
Former Tauranga Boys' College player and teacher Steve Graham has been the Black Sticks' back-up 'keeper to No1 Kyle Pontifex but McGregor was preferred.
Even still, Hayward's selection brings Tauranga Boys' representation in London to six, with Hayward lining up in the opening ceremony alongside rower Mahe Drysdale, BMX rider Kurt Pickard, slalom kayaker Mike Dawson and yachties Peter Burling and Jason Saunders. Decathlete Brent Newdick is still qualifying and should make it seven - a remarkable return for the school.
Hayward, who moved to Christchurch to study engineering when he left Tauranga Boys', said he owes plenty to his formative years in the city.
"To have so many going to the Olympics from one school is a great achievement, and even though I moved away and eventually played for Canterbury (he has since returned to play for Midlands), every summer I'd come back and Tauranga hockey people were so supportive. My coaches at Tauranga Boys' were Wayne Gribble and Logan Gemming and Gill Gemming took us one year as well and taught me a lot about hockey growing up with the Hatch Cup and under-15 side."
The London team includes four three-time Olympians and nine players who will make their second appearance at the Games. Three of the team - striker Phil Burrows, midfielder Ryan Archibald, and defender and captain Dean Couzins - have also amassed more 250 caps for their country, while defender Blair Hopping is just one off that mark.
Couzins, Burrows, Hopping and goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex will be at their third Olympics while Archibald would also be in that group had he not missed Athens with injury.
Hayward, the side's specialist drag flicker, said that experience would be huge as they built on their success at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia a week ago.
"Personnel-wise, it's very similar to the team we had in Delhi, only everyone is two years more experienced," he said. "Instead of 50 caps, guys have got 70 or 80 and even I've played something like 128 internationals. It must have been one of (coach Shane McLeod's) toughest selections."
The Black Sticks had kept most of their penalty corner powder dry in Malaysia, and with the top four-ranked nations not there, the result would be meaningless by the time they got to London anyway.
"Still, we've taken some confidence away from winning it and not playing as well as we could have. We've got more to give."
The Black Sticks, ranked seventh in the world, will head to Cairns on Sunday for a three-test series against world No1 Australia before departing for Europe on July 6 for Olympic warm-up.
Yesterday's selection brought the New Zealand Olympic team to 115, with another 70 to be added before the Games open on July 27.