Hockey: Kayla trains with Europe's finest

Black Sticks striker Kayla Sharland returns from Germany today, after a whistle-stop trip which departed from the script completely but could still reap big benefits for her team. Sharland was in Europe for several weeks at the invitation of German national coach Markus Weise to play for his club Mannheim in the national club league.

But the Manawatu 19-year-old only ended up playing one game after tweaking a hamstring in practice.

While that was a setback for both sides, Sharland was still able to take part in training sessions orchestrated by the world's leading women's hockey coach, and extra tuition in the one skill in which female players are lagging well behind men - the drag flick.

The drag flick has become a vital part of the men's game and is now their key penalty corner scoring weapon.

It first came onto the scene a couple of years ago, when the likes of Pakistan's Sohail Abbas lined up to flick the ball, rather than hit it as had been the tradition. Goalkeepers were shell-shocked. Abbas now holds the world record for most number of international goals, at 268.

Balls that are flicked or pushed do not have to hit the bottom backboard of the goal, despite travelling as fast as a hit ball, and conversion rates were high. Goalkeepers have since learned to defend the technique better but top flickers still have a major influence on the outcome of games.

The same development has not occurred in the women's game as they lack the power but coaches around the world are continuing to develop their most promising players. Sharland, a former New Zealand Secondary Schools touch rep, has a strong physique and is New Zealand's leading option.

The chance to work with the Germans was extremely valuable. Germany won the women's gold medal at last year's Athens Olympics and has always been known as one of the leading countries technically.

Sharland had one-on-one coaching with Weise as well as his leading player, Fanny Rinne, who was one of five players nominated for 2004 World Hockey International Player of the Year.

Rinne holds Germany's key centre-half position and is also a leading penalty corner taker. She is adding the drag flick to her arsenal and worked with Sharland on the difficult skill which so few women have mastered effectively.

"She does everything for their corners," said Sharland, who stayed with Rinne's parents during her visit.

"She flicks, she scoops, she lobs, she hits. It was really good watching the way she trains and looking at her skills. I knew she was good but I didn't know how good."

Such strong co-operation between world rivals is not common across all sports but New Zealand and Germany developed a good rapport last year after treading almost identical paths internationally, beginning with the Olympic qualifying tournament in Auckland.

Sharland has now moved to Canterbury to train with national coach Ian Rutledge. And she may get the chance to see how far she has come during the five test Black Sticks vs USA series which starts next Saturday in Wellington.

While there is still some healing to be done on her hamstring, she is confident she will be fit to play.

The Black Sticks team named has a strong base of experience, with 11 Olympians, and also includes three new caps.

They are Waikato defender Clarissa Eshuis (18), defender Jane Maley (24) and striker Lizzie Ryan (19), both from Canterbury.

The series is being played as preparation for the Champions Challenge Tournament in Virginia Beach, USA, from July 8-16. The tournament for teams ranked 7th-12th in the world will be contested by England, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and the host USA.

USA are ranked 12th in the world, well behind New Zealand's sixth ranking.

Their last meeting was at the July 2003 Champions Challenge in Italy - a game the Black Sticks took out 2-0.

USA went into a dormant phase last year after failing to qualify for the Olympics at the Auckland qualifying tournament. But they have recently appointed a new Australian coach, Lee Bodimeade, a 1992 Olympic silver medallist who is aiming to guide them back into the world's top 10.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY