Sports Talk: Japan tests top way to get season cracking

Colin Batch is the Black Sticks head coach. Photo / APN

As we enter the second season on our new blue turfs, Tauranga Hockey is excited to be hosting another international test series.

The Black Sticks men take on Japan in a three-test series next week - on Wednesday and Thursday at 7pm and the finale on Saturday at 2pm. A great way to showcase our new lighting.

Colin Batch, Black Sticks head coach, is bringing his team into camp on Monday to prepare for the test series and locals are welcome to watch the trainings.

Players will be available for photos and autographs after each practice.

With these tests, we have added another exciting opportunity for three lucky locals to be New Zealand flag bearers. They will lead the Black Sticks out on to the field carrying the national flag.

The auction is on the Hockey NZ website and all proceeds will go to future development of hockey in the community.

We have four teams playing in the National Masters Tournament in Wellington - women's 40, 50 and 55-years teams and men's 50 team.

This shows the longevity in the sport, so dust off that old hockey stick and join in for the winter season.

The 2014 hockey season officially starts with the Premier men's teams this month and the women's teams in April. Reserve-grade club hockey also starts in April and most clubs are now holding musters for new and returning players.

If interested in playing, have a look at the Tauranga Hockey website for club contacts.

The secondary school elite teams start mid-April and the rest of the teams will start after the school holidays.

We are using the first week of the season to run some coach forums for all secondary school reserve (Monday night), intermediate (Friday night) and primary school (Saturday morning) coaches. We believe if we invest in coaches early, the players will benefit and the competition will be stronger.

These opportunities are open to all coaches, whether first-time parent coaches or more seasoned.

More information on the Tauranga Hockey website.

We look forward to seeing a big crowd come out and support the Black Sticks next week, especially our local hero Andy Hayward.