Hockey players make waves on flooded turf

YES, hockey is a winter sport.

Yes, synthetic hockey pitches are supposed to be kept wet.

Yes, we need the rain.

But no, nobody enjoys playing in the conditions that the Boyup Brook Women’s Hockey team faced on Sunday July 19 when they took on Marist at the Bunbury Hockey Stadium.

Bunbury had received a considerable amount of rain throughout the day and when the teams took to the field at 4.30pm, the rain momentarily ceased. 

As it started again the downpour continued for the remainder of the match, making playing conditions extremely difficult as the turf flooded and air pockets raised patches of the turf.

The ball rarely moved more than one metre at a time and the only way to move it was to either keep the ball on the end of the stick, creating waves through the water or lift the ball into the air. 

The game was remarkably high scoring considering the conditions. The Bandits were first to score through Tara Reid and went into half time with a 1-0 lead. However Marist came back in the second half with three goals, including one from a penalty corner after the final siren to win 3-1. 

The umpires named Jodi Nield, Tara Reid and Sian Wheatley as the best players for the Boyup side.