Hockey: Dollars & scents gifted

Co-captain Kayla Sharland has praised Owen Glenn's generosity. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Kiwi billionaire and philanthropist Owen Glenn is behind a $1 million donation to hockey - and has already given the national women's team French perfume, taken them to a day spa and offered dinner in Paris.

Glenn was the man at the centre of a political party funding row in 2008 - when it was alleged he gained a national honour after donating $500,000 to the Labour party in the last election plus a $100,000 interest-free loan.

Now Glenn, a hockey enthusiast after 20 years playing the game at school and club level, is weighing in with $1 million for the Hockey Foundation, provided other donors match it with what he describes as a 'hand-up, not hand-out' approach. He has already been at the forefront of incentivising the New Zealand women's team who won a bronze medal at the Champion's Trophy in the Netherlands - the first medal by a Black Sticks team (men or women) at that tournament.

"I'm a believer in the importance of sport and what it teaches young people," Glenn told the Herald on Sunday from the Bahamas. "The Black Sticks are strengthening and I'm thrilled to be able to help them foster and develop hockey at the elite and age group level. Winning and having role models to aspire to is vital to the sport. However, support also has to continue from hockey's grassroots where they offer blood, sweat and tears to get ownership of the sporting landscape."

Glenn shouted the New Zealand women French perfume from Amsterdam's opulent shopping districts when they beat Australia 3-2 in pool play. The fragrant packages were delivered as promised. If they had beaten the Netherlands, Glenn would have paid for dinner in Paris as a post-tournament treat. They drew 0-0 but it was substantial motivation - no other team could manage a draw against the eventual champions.

"I wanted to do something special for the team and make them feel like they were ladies," Glenn says.

Co-captain Kayla Sharland says of Glenn's generosity: "I met Owen just before our Argentina series [earlier in the year]. We had lunch then he visited us in Holland and presented us with the perfume. He's a good guy, looking to invest in the sport's development which probably hasn't been done to the same extent in the past, particularly at under-18 and under-21 level internationally. That investment will develop sides for years, especially getting young players exposed to a wider variety of international teams than just Australia."

Goalkeeper Bianca Russell almost got the team a free feed in Paris by maintaining a clean sheet with several saves against the Dutch, but the forwards couldn't oblige with any goals. She says Glenn's backing is invaluable. "Owen came over, watched our games, took us out to dinner and was an interesting guy to meet. We couldn't believe the perfume. We walked into the hotel one day and here were these little gifts - then we were sent off to a day spa in the middle of a trying week.

"More importantly he's helping support the next generation of players. It enables Hockey New Zealand to run the sport as a proper business."

The Hockey Foundation wants long term sustainable funding to develop the sport nationwide. It aims to have $2m - including Glenn's $1m - to work with from 2013. Donations total $210,000 so far.

Glenn played hockey in his youth and has followed the Black Sticks, attending the Delhi Commonwealth Games last year where the New Zealand men and women won medals. He has also tagged a separate $100,000 a year for three years to age-group talent development. He intends to catch up with the men's team when they play the Four Nations in London this week.

The women's team has moved from 12th (and last) at the Beijing Olympics to medal contenders at London next year under new coach and former Australian international Mark Hager. Their world ranking has moved up a place this month to sixth.

"There was a big exodus after the 2008 disappointment, including plenty of senior players," Russell says. "Mark's taken the core of the team and fostered us, providing a wealth of background knowledge - because he's been there [Hager competed at two Olympics, winning bronze in 1996]."