Hockey: Canada series brings career full circle

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Suzie Pearce first picked up a hockey stick as a seven-year-old at a Northland country school "in the middle of nowhere."

On Monday night she will become New Zealand's most-capped women's player when the Black Sticks play Canada in Palmerston North in the first of four tests.

It has been a terrific journey for the 28-year-old, who played her first international a decade ago - against Canada.

Only men's stalwarts Umesh Parag (178) and Simon Towns (171) have played more games for their country.

The occasion is not lost on Pearce, who will go one ahead of the now-retired Anna Lawrence.

"It is very special and something I'm looking forward to," Pearce said. "My parents had planned to come to watch the last three tests against Canada, but when I reminded them about the record they said they would come to them all."



Pearce comes from a hockey-playing family. At one time, when she was playing in the national league for Wellington, younger sister Karen was representing Otago and older sister Nicola was playing for Waikato.

The three sisters and their brother are all products of the Northland hockey machine.



Pearce's age-grade colleagues included Toni Mason, Jenny Shepherd, Sandy Bennett and Leisen Jobe, all of whom have turned out for New Zealand.

Pearce, who now lives in Wellington, observes that if ever a State of Origin-type series was played, Northland would certainly be among the strongest teams.

The landmark year of her career was 1993, when she went to Otago University. From captaining the New Zealand under-18 side she was selected to try out for the national team.

She turned 18 at the trials and was handed the best birthday present of all - a trip with the New Zealand team to the United States.

It was one of the more tumultuous times in New Zealand women's hockey, coming after the disaster of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

There was a major rebuilding process after Barcelona. Some of the new faces - including Helen Clarke, Bennett, Lawrence, Mandy Smith, Kate Trolove and Kylie Foy - formed the core of the national side for almost a decade.



Pearce has played all her international hockey under just two coaches, Paul Ackerley and Jan Borren.

The series against Canada will provide her with her first experience under new coach, Australian Ian Rutledge.

"I'm quite excited. We have new players coming through after the trials and he will have to shape their skills. We have been through a period where we achieved a lot.

"But now it is about now," Pearce said. "After the World Cup there has been a certain amount of grittiness from the players who want to prove that our ranking is not just a legacy of what had been achieved by the previous team."



Pearce is looking forward to playing a settled role.

"Under Paul Ackerley I turned out in every position under the sun, often playing five minutes in four different positions, then coming off. It wasn't great.

"Under Jan Borren I played solely at inside-left. I would not have played five minutes in any other position in the whole time he was coach. Now I'm not sure what to expect.

"I have spent a couple of hours with Ian. He is keen to develop our game and bring in some different concepts, but I have to wonder whether you can teach an old dog new tricks.

"I get the feeling I'm going to enjoy playing under Ian. Sometimes I felt we were getting an information overload from Jan."

Asked whether she would reach 200 internationals, Pearce said she was not thinking in terms of the number of games.

Her focus was on playing at a second Olympics. "To represent New Zealand at Athens would be something special. That's incentive enough to keep going."

Inside track

Name: Suzie Pearce.

Born: April 10, 1975, Whangarei.

First test: v Canada, Philadelphia, 1993.

Internationals: 164.

Goals scored: "Don't know."

National league team: Wellington.

Position: Midfield.