16 November 1999 Lincoln Expands Sports Scholarship Programme to Include Hockey

Hockey Scholarships have been added to Lincoln University's range of sporting scholarships and up to 11 will be awarded annually, covering full tuition fees for degree studies.

The hockey scholarships join similar awards in rugby, cricket and netball introduced at the start of this year. A total of 60 sports scholars have been studying at Lincoln University in 1999.

The new scholarships, offered through an agreement between Lincoln University and Canterbury Hockey Association, will be awarded on the criteria of academic and sporting achievement. Applicants must have University Entrance and the potential to succeed at the highest level in hockey.

The scholarships cover full tuition fees for the minimum time required to complete a degree and they provide access to the Canterbury Hockey Association's development programme.

Continuation of the scholarship is conditional on satisfactory academic and sporting progress. In other words, students must pass all their academic papers as well as perform on the sporting field.

Canterbury Hockey Association is "very excited" at the agreement with Lincoln.

"Words cannot express how delighted Canterbury Hockey is at the establishment of the Hockey Scholarships," says Association Executive Director Mark Duff.

"We look forward to enjoying a long and successful partnership with Lincoln University that is beneficial to both the University and Canterbury Hockey.

"Hockey is arguably the most successful sport in Canterbury over a long period of time and this is certainly the No 1 hockey province in New Zealand. The scholarships will assist Canterbury Hockey as it strives to maintain its outstanding record."

The overall aim of Lincoln University's Sports Scholarship Programme is to enable students to pursue academic study and sports development concurrently.

"Many academically capable students who have sporting potential face a dilemma over their commitments," says the University's External Marketing Manager, Geoff Ormandy.

"The cost of tertiary education, the pressure to succeed academically and the increasing demands that are required for sporting success pose personal management problems for many students.

"There is also increasing agreement that our talented sports people need to augment their sporting involvement with some form of study as a balance to their physical activities and to help them prepare for 'life after sport'.

"Lincoln's Sports Scholarship Programme has been established in response to all of these needs."

Footnote:

Lincoln University has a notable association with hockey –

• Rhodes Scholar Grant Edwards, who went on from Lincoln to Oxford University, was both a provincial and New Zealand hockey representative. He captained the Canterbury Colts, was a regular member of the Canterbury senior side, was a New Zealand U21 representative on two trips to Australia and at the time of winning his Rhodes Scholarship was a member of the NZ Men's Team training squad. While in Britain he captained the Oxford University Hockey Team and played for the Reading club, which during his time there won two English National League titles and were runners-up in the European Hockey Cup. This year he was co-coach of the Wellington men's team which won the New Zealand National Hockey League title. He also coaches the NZ U18 boys' team.

• Current Lincoln University staff member Michelle Turner is both a Canterbury provincial player and a New Zealand women's hockey representative who played at this year's Six Nations Championship in Brisbane.

• Pim Borren who lectures in Economics at Lincoln University is a past Canterbury age group and senior men's representative, past coach of the New Zealand Universities Hockey Team, and current coach of the University Club which includes Canterbury and Lincoln University players.

• The current New Zealand women's hockey captain, Anna Lawrence, is a Lincoln University postgraduate diploma holder and fellow team member Kate Trolove is a Lincoln graduate too.

• Current Lincoln postgraduate student and 1999 University sports ‘Blue’ awardee Andrew Timlin was a member of the New Zealand team to the World Hockey Cup in Holland in 1998 and also to the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. A member of the NZ men's squad since 1996. Member of Canterbury Cavaliers side.

• Lincoln Agricultural Science graduate Scott Hobson was a member of the NZ hockey team at the Barcelona Olympics.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand