Hockey Wanganui chief executive Kylie Penn discusses the rise in junior hockey in the region
Junior hockey is huge in Whanganui and growing annually as youngsters flock to the weekday matches at two venues.
Hockey Wanganui operations manager Kylie Penn the programme originally started with after school matches at Gonville Domain, but numbers grew so rapidly other venues had to be found.
"The Fun Sticks(Year 1 & 2) and Mini Sticks (Y3 & 4) played at Wanganui City College on Wednesdays after school, but with a 31 percent increase in Fun Sticks numbers we were forced to send the Mini Sticks to play at Gonville Domain alongside the Kiwi Sticks (Y5 & 6)," Penn said.
"And on Monday after school the under-13 Kwik Sticks play at Gonville. It's extremely popular. We now have 20 teams playing at City College and a total of 41 at Gonville every Wednesday. I've been very fortunate to have former Black Stick and member of the 1976 Olympic gold medal-winning side Les Wilson give his time helping out on Wednesdays at City College."
Yesterday afternoon and early evening marked finals day for all three age groups at both Gonville and City College, while the Whanganui Intermediate School Magnets won the Kwik Sticks under-13 final on Monday night. The Magnets beat the White Sticks, a composite side with no affiliation to any school.
