Hockey: Making scoring a Shaw thing

By TERRY MADDAFORD

In any other sport Hayden Shaw would be an instantly-recognisable superstar.

But hockey - apart from the glamour days when the women had their time in the sun and on the front covers of magazines - remains one of those second-tier sports struggling for profile.

Shaw is doing his best to change that.

In scoring at least a goal a game (including five hat-tricks) in 15 consecutive internationals up to and including the third test against Canada in Napier on Wednesday night, Shaw rates with the best batsmen who score runs seemingly at will or try-scoring rugby players.

But hockey is not fashionable, even if Shaw's amazing record should be headline-grabbing stuff.

While proud of his goal-scoring deeds and the role it is playing in a mini-revival of New Zealand men's hockey, Shaw maintains an "aw shucks" attitude, preferring to praise team-mates who set up the opportunities for him to score with his lethal drag flick at penalty corners.

"I'm only the finishing touch," says 22-year-old Shaw, who has already put a big red circle around the most important date in his sporting career.

"My 24th birthday is the same day as next year's Olympic final. That's where I want to be."

Even at the cost of a nice cricket contract with Canterbury next summer.

"I spoke to [Canterbury coach] Michael Sharpe and explained the situation about hockey and the Olympics. He totally understands and they have put it on hold until the 2004-05 season.

"The big things in cases like this is communication. I like to be honest," says Shaw, who has played first-class and one-day cricket for Canterbury fashioning a useful record as a medium-fast bowler. Indeed, his build suggests he is more suited to cricket than hockey.

"I have given a commitment to hockey and the Olympics. Coach Kevin Towns and chief executive Ramesh Patel know that.

"They are also aware that after the Olympic campaign I want to step back and re-evaluate where I'm going."

In his first 17 games for New Zealand, Shaw scored five times. Then the floodgates opened. He is now recognised as one of the best in the world.

It is no fluke.

"I flick 60 balls a day at home," says Shaw. The ball whistles into the goal at around 115km/h "faster than I bowl" giving opposition goalkeepers little time to react.

"I watch a lot of videos of games against teams we play. I look to see which is the goalkeeper's weak side. I'm fortunate I can flick into all four corners.

"I don't see the goalie or opposing players when I come up for a penalty corner. I pick my spot and go for it."

It is an energy sapping role.

"We try and give him a break five minutes before or after halftime which gives him a 15-minute rest," Towns says.

"Most teams look at a conversion rate of between 25-30 per cent, but against Canada in the first test we scored 75 per cent, which is huge by any standard."

For Shaw the challenge is to maintain this great scoring run. At the same time he is keen to improve his general play.

"I want to be a lot better in the field. We have classy players like Phil Burrows and Ryan Archibald, guys I have played a lot of hockey with and against.

"I would like to get my game to a level like that."

Shaw, who rates New Zealand's 7-1 win over Pakistan at last year's Commonwealth Games as the most memorable of his career and the goal he scored four minutes from time to beat Canada 3-2 at the same tournament as his most memorable goal, has taken to the roads in an effort to increase his fitness.

"When I was at New Zealand Cricket's Academy I was no great runner," he says.

"Now I have come to enjoy and can appreciate the benefits from being fitter."

Inside Track

* Name: Hayden Shaw

* Born: August 31 1980, Christchurch

* Educated: Shirley Boys' High.

* Height: 1.93m

* Weight: 100kg

* International debut: v Australia, Kuala Lumpur 2002

* Internationals: 31

* Goals: 29

* National league team: Canterbury

* First class cricket matches: 8 (for Canterbury), 16 wickets, best 5-84.

* One-day cricket matches: 8 (for Canterbury), 12 wickets, best 5-14.