Hockey: Health scare for Hager

Coach Mark Hager (foreground) with sport psychologist Rod Corban on Sunday after the Black Sticks women's team won the Hawke's Bay Cup for the first time. Photo / Duncan Brown

Eat, drink lots of fluids and rest was the advice from doctors after Black Sticks women's hockey coach, Mark Hager, had a health scare in Hawke's Bay at the weekend.

Hockey New Zealand officials had rushed Hager to the Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings after he complained of feeling unwell on Saturday night soon after the New Zealand team pipped Australia 3-2 in the second semifinal of the annual eight-team international Hawke's Bay Cup tournament in Hastings.

"He was holding his grandson at the time so he put him down and said he was feeling a little light headed," Hockey NZ high performance director Terry Evans said last night, after the Black Sticks won the Hawke's Bay Cup for the first time in a 3-2 victory over Japan on Sunday.

"He said he was feeling a little unwell in the stomach so we got him to the doctors," he said of the Australian who turns 52 on April 28.

The Queenslander was reluctant to go but was persuaded to do so after the tournament doctor at the Unison Hockey Stadium had recommended he be referred to hospital for a complete medical check up.

"We didn't know our way around too much to take him to [private] doctors so we decided to take him to hospital where they were going to be more thorough," he said, adding it was more a case of "being cautious" than anything else.

At the hospital routine checks were conducted, including blood tests, before he was discharged.

Evans said the team wanted to ensure Hager wasn't carrying any sort of virus that was likely to affect the players.

"There was concern Mark might have had a little flu and that would have posed a storm of issues ... "

Evans said Hager, in the mould of coaches in every other code, had not slept too well on Friday night, got up at 4am to do work pertaining to his semifinal plans and also had skipped breakfast.

Hager and Hockeyroos counterpart Adam Commens especially appeared to be highly strung throughout the week-long tourney which was part of the third annual Hawke's Bay Festival of Hockey.

Evans said the New Zealand coach had followed the advice of the doctors and felt fine the next day.

Hager was at the warm-up routine with his players for the 5.15pm final on Sunday and then appeared again for the ritualistic after-match pep talk as well as the speech and medal ceremony.

His presence at the dugout during the game was minimal as his support staff conducted matters.

He had had a couple of beers with the players after the victory on Sunday night and was feeling much better, he said.

Coaches, especially the Rio Olympic-bound ones from New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and India, were using the Bay tourney as a stepping stone to the big Brazilian stage in August.

The Black Sticks are expected to play in an Aussie series, involving India and Japan, in Darwin from May 30 to June 5 before the Champions Trophy in London from June 18-26.

Maryborough-born Hager is a former field hockey player from Australia who competed in two summer Olympics for his country and won bronze with the Kookaburras at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

He has been coaching the Kiwi women since 2008.

Hager's profile:

Some highlights of Mark Hager's coaching career that included numerous Olympics:

* 2008 Beijing Olympics: Ast coach Australian men (bronze).

* 2009 8 Nations: Coach Australian U21 men (gold).

* 2007 Youth Olympics: Coach Australia (gold).

* 2004 Athens Olympics: Ast coach Australian women (5th).

* 2003 Champions Trophy: Ast coach Australian women (gold).

* 2001 Champions Trophy: Ast coach Australian women (bronze).

* December 2008: Appointed New Zealand women's coach.