Picking up sticks week after next

HOCKEY

THE district’s senior hockey players have started training again as they prepare for their semifinals, which have been scheduled now to be played the week after next.

Poverty Bay Hockey operations manager Louise Teneti said that providing the district remained at Covid Alert Level 2 through next week, the semifinals would run from September 20 to 23.

“We will play one game a night across the four nights on the Hain Farming Turf,” she said.

“This is because so many of our committee members are also players, umpires and so on.

“Also, we have to sanitise between games and manage capacity numbers of 100 inside the turf fenced area between games.

“This was agreed as the best way forward at this alert level, as it helps with the wellbeing of our small volunteer base.

“We are only on contingency plans at the moment. We are looking for Alert Level 1 for our finals.

“If this is not the case, the committee will need to review what happens next after the semis, and how to proceed forward.

“Our aim is to have senior finals hockey finished by October 2.”

The schedule for the four semifinal nights will be —

On Monday, September 20, probably at 6.30pm, YMP will play Gisborne Boys’ High in the senior men’s A Grade.

On Tuesday night, it will be Waituhi versus Te Aowera in the women’s B Grade.

Lytton Old Boys Masters play YMP B on the Wednesday night in the men’s B Grade.

On the Thursday night (September 23) GMC Green will meet Amber Dental Gisborne Girls’ High School.

LOB NZ Fruits and the YMP women have already advanced through to the men’s and women’s A Grade grand finals.

The Waituhi men and Paikea have already advanced to the men’s and women’s B Grade grand finals.