KEY POINTS:
Boot camp beckons for New Zealand's Olympic women's hockey hopefuls.
In a move to freshen up preparations for Beijing, Black Sticks coach Kevin Towns will take his squad of Games candidates to the Waiouru Army camp on May 26 for three days.
The women's squad has had monthly
camps since January 14. Towns recognised the need to inject a bit of variety into the regime and so the squad will take a break from a nine-day stint in Auckland to do something completely different.
He picked up the idea from Spanish men's coach Maurits Hendricks, who did something similar with his squad and espoused the benefits.
"I was extremely keen for the women to go along," Towns said. "I outlined goals I'd like for the women to come out of this, which is essentially testing them in small groups and, in the end result, as a team."
The men's Black Sticks were keen on taking up the opportunity, which came through talks between Hockey New Zealand's marketing arm and the Army. However their time was squeezed by the Azlan Shah tournament now on in Malaysia and a forthcoming tour to Europe.
Towns was coy about specifics for the two full days the squad will have under the guidance of Army instructors, but said there would be a mix of physical work with mental aspects involving problem solving.
"They will be working on pretty strenuous activities. They'll certainly be testing and rewarding," Towns added.
He has a squad of 20, to be whittled down to a final 16 around June 30. First, there is a trip to Beijing for the seventh-ranked New Zealand and a four-nation tournament with hosts China, Japan and Spain, ranked fifth, sixth and eighth respectively. It is a chance to get a taste of the facilities for the Olympics, and a final chance to sort out the remaining places.
Towns estimates he has settled on about 13 of his 16 spots, with question marks remaining primarily over midfield options and the forward mix.
He is also awaiting confirmation that squads for the Games will include two goalkeepers as usual. There are murmurings out of Europe that a late change is in the wind, which would mean teams having one keeper in the squad, thus opening an extra outfield spot.
There would be provision for another keeper to join the squad if the original pick is injured. It is a swings and roundabout scenario - good in that it allows another outfield player to enlarge playing and tactical options; but tough on the second choice goalkeeper.
Hockey has a regulation wherein squads of 16 cannot change once named, even to replace injured players. Teams have until the managers meeting immediately before the tournament to confirm their squad.
Towns hopes to find out sooner rather than later if the change is to go ahead. Black Sticks men's coach Shane McLeod will be in Europe and making inquiries, as will HNZ.
Towns' gut feeling is the change could happen.
"We often find whispers out of Europe suddenly, magically come true," Towns said. Coming so close to finalising Games squads, it would be far from ideal timing.