Hockey: Dumped captain takes it on chin

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Anna Lawrence does not believe she deserved to be dropped as captain of the New Zealand hockey team just six weeks out from the Olympics.

After five years in the job, 28-year-old Lawrence was yesterday replaced as team leader by Auckland lawyer Kylie Foy.

New Zealand coach Jan Borren said Lawrence had been struggling to handle the captaincy and her on-field form, so he wanted her "selfishly" to concentrate on her own play for Sydney.

But Lawrence, one of New Zealand's top goalscorers, does not agree that her game was suffering from the extra responsibility.

"I'm really disappointed because I thought I could still lead the team," she said. "Everyone goes through troughs and peaks, and I really couldn't put any drop in my form down to any one thing.

"I don't think it's about too much responsibility or distractions.

"But I accept Jan's decision, and I'm just going to keep working on being in the best form I possibly can be for Sydney."

Lawrence, who has played 132 tests for New Zealand and is the chief penalty corner striker, said the decision had not come as a shock.

"We've been sharing the captaincy around the team since we've been playing in the Wellington men's club league in the past few weeks, and our last tour to Australia was the first time I wasn't involved in the management group.

"The closer it got to Sydney, I guess the more anxious we were getting about it."

Borren said he had been considering taking the captaincy off Lawrence's shoulders since he became coach in December 1998.

"Her form has been inconsistent over the past 15 months. I think the captaincy was somewhat of a distraction for her.

"So I have tried to take some of that burden away from her," he said.

"And there are some signs in her hockey lately that show that she is welcoming not having that pressure.

"She has to be playing at her best because she's a key person in this team."

Borren admitted yesterday that he would rather not have a captain at all.

But pressure from New Zealand Hockey and the Olympic committee forced him to put one name forward.

"To be honest, in my experience if you have to rely on an individual, it can be detrimental. Just look at the All Blacks at the World Cup last year," Borren said.

"Since I started, I've told the team I want them to start making decisions for themselves, not rely on someone sitting on the sideline or one individual on the field."

Like Lawrence, Foy is a survivor from New Zealand's last Olympic hockey appearance, in Barcelona in 1992.

The successful Auckland captain said yesterday that it was a privilege and an honour to lead the New Zealand team.

"But basically there are 10 or 11 people in this team who all have got good leadership," she said.

"It just happens to be me wearing the hat this time."

Lawrence said she supported Foy's captaincy.

"She will do a fantastic job. We are good mates and we've been through a lot together."

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