Hockey: Community posting 'great asset'

Hawke's Bay Hockey community manager Andrea Cullen, of Auckland. PHOTO/Warren Buckland

Talk about perfect timing for Aucklander Andrea Cullen to take on the role of Hawke's Bay Hockey's community manager.

Boosting numbers at grassroots level is one of Cullen's priorities and numbers in the code nationwide are likely to rise big-time after the Black Sticks men and women strut their stuff at next year's Olympic Games in Rio. However Cullen, who has been in the job for two weeks, won't be sitting around waiting for the Olympics before ticking off the increasing numbers column on her things-to-do list.

A former Southern Districts club player in Auckland - where she worked as the operations manager at Kolmar, a multisport complex in Papatoetoe - she has a number of strategies to implement in the Bay. One is a "Make a Comeback" campaign aimed at getting former players, coaches, managers, umpires and other volunteers involved in the game, and another is reintroducing a business house league at the code's Park Island headquarters.

"There is so much untapped talent here in the Bay. I want to engage the community at all levels and all ages ... I want to liven the culture," the 32-year-old said.

A versatile player who began playing hockey while at Papakura High School, Cullen has already been approached by a Hawke's Bay club but has yet to commit.

"You never know ... I might end up entering a Comeback XI in the senior comp."

Cullen is one of four sisters who all play the game and her mother, Edna Rehutai, played in Manawatu.

She was equally good at coaching - particularly at secondary school level - as well as managing and administration. Cullen is a former manager of the New Zealand Maori under-21 women's team and is keen to get involved with the Hawke's Bay-based Takitimu Maori hockey teams.

During her time in Auckland Cullen had a lot to do with one of the Bay's most famous stars, Tina Bell-Kake, who has been heavily involved with Tamaki Makaurau Maori teams.

Cullen will helm the Bay's rep programme as well as the secondary school and senior competitions. In addition to April's Festival of Hockey tourneys, the Bay will host a national under-15 boys event and a national secondary schoolgirls event next year.

When quizzed on the major differences between hockey in the Bay and Auckland, Cullen was quick to reply: "Obviously Auckland hockey is a beast in terms of population. Down here there are lots of people prepared to help."

Cullen shouldn't have any problem enlisting support and delegating tasks. Providing she is here for the long haul the code should benefit and it should only be a matter of time before all Bay rep teams, not just one or two, are ranked where they should be ... among the top four in the country.