HOCKEY: Masters head for England

Peggy Shepherd has been a champion of masters hockey for years now and her enthusiasm for both growing and playing the sport sees her heading to Europe this week.
Shepherd was instrumental in getting the International Masters Tournament out of the Pacific Rim and into Europe for the first time this year and when the tournament gets under way in Birmingham on August 17 she will be one of nine Northland players, in six New Zealand teams, taking to the turf to play.
"Three years ago I was on the New Zealand Masters Hockey Council and we met in Brisbane with the Australian council to talk about trying to widen the net and expand the championships," she said.
The Kamo Primary school teacher said the Australian council was something of a gentlemen's club at the time but since then more women have become involved.
"New Zealand have always had men and women competing together at masters tournaments but the Aussies were mostly separate for years but they have slowly come on board.
"We decided that our two countries would collectively go to either South Africa or to a European country to try to let them see how competitive masters hockey can be and how they would benefit by getting into it," she said.
Hockey is a big thing for Shepherd, and masters hockey is just about as good as it gets.
"We just love to play the Aussies because they're the strongest opposition there is but we'd like to play other teams that are just as strong and that's what this tournament is about - trying to broaden the base."
Her side will play Wales and England at Birmingham as well as the Australians but she said some of the men's divisions - there are three men's age-grades and three women's - have attracted entries from other European countries.
With European hockey arguably the strongest it has ever been, countries as Holland and Germany are ready to start playing more masters hockey, Shepherd believes.
She and husband Steve leave today for a "bit of a tiki tour" through Italy, Switzerland and France before the tournament starts.
"A few of the Northland players are staying on after the tournament for a bit of travel but I don't want to get injured and have a big trip planned afterwards, I'd rather do it the other way around," she said.
Shepherd is joined in the 45+ team by Northland's Marlene Nikora, Raewyn Ritchie and Sheryl Thorne.
Northland's Lorna Drake is in the 40+ women's team, while Linda Adams and Tarannah Vette are in the 35+ team.
Northland's representatives in the the 50+ men's team are Dennis Drake and Barry Thorne, while Max Mathers is the goalie for the 55+ team.