Hockey: Body has sights on world record

Organisers  (from left) Megan van Dyk, Jenny McDonald and Adam Walker are putting together a...
Organisers (from left) Megan van Dyk, Jenny McDonald and Adam Walker are putting together a world record attempt for the most players to play in a hockey match. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.

How many players can take part in a hockey game? Otago Hockey hopes at least 135.

It is hoping to set a world record on April 15 for most players in an exhibition match at the McMillan Hockey Centre in Dunedin next month.

Kingston Grammar School in Surrey, England, holds the record (134), set October 2013.

Dunedin club King's United president Adam Walker, who is helping organise the record attempt, said it was being staged to raise money towards two digital scoreboards.

Each scoreboard is worth about $7000, and Otago Hockey needs them to stage the national under-21 championships in May.

"The driver is to get enough money from this fundraiser for one of the scoreboards,'' Walker said.

"While we're hoping to get funding for both of the electronic scoreboards, but if we can raise enough funds for one, then that will ease the funding we need.''

Otago Hockey is looking for people aged 7 and over to take part in the record attempt, in which players will be on the turf for 10 minutes before being replaced by someone else.

However, for a player to count towards the record, he or she must touch the ball at least once.

The match, on April 15, will last as long as it takes to break the record, with the first few hours dedicated to younger children and intermediate to high school pupils.

Club players and the rest of the bunch will then follow.

Walker said a few dozen people had already registered for the record attempt, including Dunedin city councillors Jinty MacTavish, Andrew Noone and Mike Lord.

Former women's Black Sticks player Jenny McDonald, who played for the national team from 1971 to 1986, is also on board.

Walker also hopes to sign up a couple of Highlanders to take part.

Each person will pay $20 to register, with half of it going towards the fundraising cause.

The other half will buy them a T-shirt.

But anyone interested only has until the end of the month to register, as organisers need to send a detailed application to Guinness World Records.

"It's got to be pre-documented and sent to Guinness,'' Otago Hockey treasurer Megan van Dyk said.

"It's got to be filmed. Every entry and exit has to be filmed - the whole game has to be filmed. We also have to have at least two independent observers and each group of 50 players has to be marshalled by an independent steward.

"We can only have up to 5% of total numbers as no-shows. If we have more than that, the whole attempt is void. The rules are quite stringent.''

Van Dyk said Otago Hockey board member Shirley Gillett was the brains behind the idea and had wanted to attempt to break the record "for years and years''.

In addition to raising money through the registration fee, organisers are attempting to secure sponsorship for the record attempt.

Raffles and food trucks will also help raise money on the day.

"It has the potential to have the turf buzzing, and that's what we are hoping for,'' Walker said.

Anyone interested can register on the Otago Hockey website.

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