September 13, 2024 • 8 mins
Hundreds of the country's top hockey players are gathering in Palmerston North for the week-long National Hockey Championship starting on Sunday.
Adam Cooper caught up with Wellington men's tier 1 captain Will Zhou, who's also coming off a successful club season captaining WISC to the Wellington men's premier title.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Rogal Grassroots to gold Medals. It's Wellington's Small Sport Breakfast
with Adam Huber Rutherford and Bonn Toyota and King Toyota
on news Talks at twenty seven past eight here on
the ill Sport Breakfast. Hundreds of hockey players from up
and down the country gathering in Parmeston North starting tomorrow
and lasting right up until next Saturday. It is the
twenty twenty four edition of the National Hockey Championship. Provincial
(00:23):
Honors on the line. Wellington have several teams in this
across both the men's and women's separate tiers as well.
But let's chat to the Wellington Tier one men's team there.
Captain is Will Zao, who joins us now Game one
for them against White Katzo tomorrow. Welllling to you Will,
pretty exciting I imagine getting the team together at a
head up to this to Pamey.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, hey, thanks Adams for having me. Yes, I'm looking
to be a pretty good week, A good group of
boys with us gros to the young side. But yeah,
hoping to make our mark.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Yeah, great for you, Will. I guess a fair bit
of momentum at this point of the sea based on
the wonderful season you had as captain of wisk Wellington Indians,
a good good victory this year and a great season overall.
So as a starting point for this coming week, you
must be pretty happy with how things have gone in
twenty twenty four so far.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah. Yeah, definitely had a pretty good start the year
with my club team. Yeah, we basically won everything that
we could win this year. So yeah, again, awesome bunch
of guys, really good group came together well and one
when it sort of mattered the most, which is cool.
And then there's a handful of us that are playing
(01:33):
in the Swonington team as well, so I'm hoping to
sort of bring that chemistry from our club team into
this Blonington team as well.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
It was pretty tight final, wasn't it. So I guess
that indicates sort of there might have been a few
options that selectors for this Wellington team had for this year.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah. Yeah, it was a very tight final between and Indians,
and it's sort of always as a really tight match
when we play those guys, and it's sort of indicative
of the guys that are in that one spot as ours.
A good group of Arson worsk and then a good
group of guards as well.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah, fantastic. What is the biggest challenge I guess getting
everyone together and preparing for such a long and then
busy week like you've got coming up.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah, I'd say the biggest challenge is probably it's the
amount of time we have to build up to this.
We've basically only had our first hit out last weekend
down and Cross Huts against Kennaary and Otago, so yeah,
it's a relatively short lead in time to the campaign
and it's about sort of bringing all these guys together
and trying to get a good team culture and a
(02:33):
good group to play into tournament as well. So it's
probably our biggest challenge is that. But I feel we're
producing pretty well so being as cross that means we
start our first.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Game well yeah, exactly why Kato Sunday afternoon tell us though, Yeah,
what are the indications are, like, how did you go
down south last week and what you feel the strength
of this Wellington team and the National Hockey Championship will
be this week?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah. Yeah, we had a bit of a mixed big
results down across Church for for it being our first
seat out together as a team. We drew with Otago
and then had a not so good game against the
Canterbary kevill lives there a team, and then and then
we ended up having a really tight match against with
Canbary Beavers, the Tier two Canary team. So next bigger results,
(03:18):
but some really good learnings from that tournament. Yeah, hitting
into the first game against way Kido, like I mentioned before,
relatively in experienced side, but we're excited about the challenge
of bringing a young side and I think our strengths
will be just playing some really good team hockey will
make us a bit of a formidable challenge. So I've
(03:42):
hope that that can carry through.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Heading to a big tournament like this. Can you do
much research on the other teams? Is there much information
available about who they have and how they play or
are you kind of just focusing on yourself?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, there's a there's a little bit of an element
of that. You know, there's the occasional match that has
sort of live streams through cameras around the country that
you can sort of look into. But yeah, I guess
the biggest focus for us and probably for a lot
of other teams is just making sure that we build,
you know, all the team stuff that we need to
know getting into tournament week and then if we can
(04:14):
get all that sort of stuff right, we can make
those adjustments when we come to play anyone on the
field day.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Yeah, we've seen obviously the sort of regional and provincial
hockey championships over the years have slightly different formats and
there were some times where it's over a number of weeks.
Now it's sort of all played in one location Palmerston,
North Over over one whole week. As a player, but
what do you make of and you know, how does
it benefit you or or hinder you? I guess having
that whole big long tournament week all in one go.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah, definitely probi and cons are having a week long tournament.
I guess the pros that you can sort of make
adjustments and you can see your team grow from game
to game, which is really cool. Often it's quite difficult
to make those changes when you're only playing weekly. But
then the challenges on the on the foot side are
you know, you're having a a seven games in six
(05:01):
days and can often become a bit of a war
of attrition and often the team that can have before
eighteen at the end of the tournament and still have
a bit of leagues are the ones that the most competitive,
so broad and cons but it's still an enjoyable time
that the whole seven days away.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Yeah, I bet, and you've obviously got white cut of
to kick things off, but I'm sure you've had a
scan around to see the other teams in your pool
and everything. Any any thoughts on who's going to be
set some more of a tougher opponents through the course
of the week.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, definitely. Otago are the reigning champs with back to
back years in the last couple of years, so you know,
there are always a bit of a challenge and they
play a bit of running down hockey, but they're also
view disciplined and structured defensively, so they're at now pool
so we sort of look into target Huxley getting at
a result against them, and then yeah, we played played
(05:52):
Canterbury kept Leves. They are a team as well and
they were pretty sharp. So fortunately they're in the other pool,
but we make the top four across over with him
as well, so yeah, I think that will probably be
one of the favorites. And then North Harbor as well.
There always a pretty good side, so yeah, quite a
few challenging teams in there. But I think, like I
mentioned before, I think if we can just play some
(06:13):
really good team hockey, then you will be formid to ourselves.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, great, and the whole thing that's be pretty fun
to be part of. There's you know, a whole bunch
of men's teams across different tiers, a whole bunch of
women's teams as well, So it's a real gathering of
hundreds of hockey players around the country.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeahs literally and such a small community sport as well,
like you run sort of nosy run at those events
as well. So it's it's a really great opportunity to
catch up with guys that you've played through different age
groups and you know see them at different leagors of
their life as well. So it's always a great time
catching up and seeing those guys for the first time.
And you know what can be years sometimes.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, wonderful. And well you've been evolved across different you know,
sports around Wellington over over the years, tell us just
about you know, looking back on the club year of
hockey and Wellington, there's people pretty happy with you know
the sports and a good space, good player numbers, good
competitive games, across the clubs.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, yeah, I definitely feel like we're hitting in the
right direction. You know, hockey is not one of the
biggest sports, so you know, to see the numbers stay
stable or slightly go it is always awesome. I'm involved
quite a bit with the words and catching program stuff
as well, and they've got really big numbers through their
under thirteen systems and eighteens programs, so you know, it's
(07:26):
really awesome to see how many different goods and stuff
that are keen to get involved and keen to improve themselves.
So yeah, definitely feel the thoughts in a good space.
And I know personally through our club we've been doing
a lot with our community and trying to stay engaged
and connected to those guys and it's added a lot
of value to us as a team as well. So
(07:46):
I think we're in a really good space and we're
just going to make sure we keep pushing it forward.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Great to hear well well always appreciate your time. Good
to catch up and yeah go well flying the Wellington
Colors through the weekend at the National Hockey Championship than
Parmasa North appreciate your.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Time awesome, Thanks so much, Adam.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Cheers well Zow there the captain of the Wellington men's
Tier one team. So they kick off this National Hockey
Championship tomorrow afternoon on the main turf there in Munawa
Tu against y Carto. The Wellington women have the Canterbury
Cats tomorrow night at six forty five. So that's how
the two top tiered Wellington teams will kickstart their campaigns
up there in Parmas the North at the National Hockey Championship.
(08:26):
We'll keep you up to speed as to how those
results go from a Wellington perspective through the week on
our sports news right here on News Talks EDB. For
more from News Talks EDB, listen live on air or online,
and keep our shows with you wherever you go with
our podcasts on IR Radio
Rogal Grassroots to gold Medals. It's Wellington's Small Sport Breakfast
with Adam Huber Rutherford and Bonn Toyota and King Toyota
on news Talks at twenty seven past eight here on
the ill Sport Breakfast. Hundreds of hockey players from up
and down the country gathering in Parmeston North starting tomorrow
and lasting right up until next Saturday. It is the
twenty twenty four edition of the National Hockey Championship. Provincial
(00:23):
Honors on the line. Wellington have several teams in this
across both the men's and women's separate tiers as well.
But let's chat to the Wellington Tier one men's team there.
Captain is Will Zao, who joins us now Game one
for them against White Katzo tomorrow. Welllling to you Will,
pretty exciting I imagine getting the team together at a
head up to this to Pamey.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, hey, thanks Adams for having me. Yes, I'm looking
to be a pretty good week, A good group of
boys with us gros to the young side. But yeah,
hoping to make our mark.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Yeah, great for you, Will. I guess a fair bit
of momentum at this point of the sea based on
the wonderful season you had as captain of wisk Wellington Indians,
a good good victory this year and a great season overall.
So as a starting point for this coming week, you
must be pretty happy with how things have gone in
twenty twenty four so far.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah. Yeah, definitely had a pretty good start the year
with my club team. Yeah, we basically won everything that
we could win this year. So yeah, again, awesome bunch
of guys, really good group came together well and one
when it sort of mattered the most, which is cool.
And then there's a handful of us that are playing
(01:33):
in the Swonington team as well, so I'm hoping to
sort of bring that chemistry from our club team into
this Blonington team as well.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
It was pretty tight final, wasn't it. So I guess
that indicates sort of there might have been a few
options that selectors for this Wellington team had for this year.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah. Yeah, it was a very tight final between and Indians,
and it's sort of always as a really tight match
when we play those guys, and it's sort of indicative
of the guys that are in that one spot as ours.
A good group of Arson worsk and then a good
group of guards as well.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah, fantastic. What is the biggest challenge I guess getting
everyone together and preparing for such a long and then
busy week like you've got coming up.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah, I'd say the biggest challenge is probably it's the
amount of time we have to build up to this.
We've basically only had our first hit out last weekend
down and Cross Huts against Kennaary and Otago, so yeah,
it's a relatively short lead in time to the campaign
and it's about sort of bringing all these guys together
and trying to get a good team culture and a
(02:33):
good group to play into tournament as well. So it's
probably our biggest challenge is that. But I feel we're
producing pretty well so being as cross that means we
start our first.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Game well yeah, exactly why Kato Sunday afternoon tell us though, Yeah,
what are the indications are, like, how did you go
down south last week and what you feel the strength
of this Wellington team and the National Hockey Championship will
be this week?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah. Yeah, we had a bit of a mixed big
results down across Church for for it being our first
seat out together as a team. We drew with Otago
and then had a not so good game against the
Canterbary kevill lives there a team, and then and then
we ended up having a really tight match against with
Canbary Beavers, the Tier two Canary team. So next bigger results,
(03:18):
but some really good learnings from that tournament. Yeah, hitting
into the first game against way Kido, like I mentioned before,
relatively in experienced side, but we're excited about the challenge
of bringing a young side and I think our strengths
will be just playing some really good team hockey will
make us a bit of a formidable challenge. So I've
(03:42):
hope that that can carry through.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Heading to a big tournament like this. Can you do
much research on the other teams? Is there much information
available about who they have and how they play or
are you kind of just focusing on yourself?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yeah, there's a there's a little bit of an element
of that. You know, there's the occasional match that has
sort of live streams through cameras around the country that
you can sort of look into. But yeah, I guess
the biggest focus for us and probably for a lot
of other teams is just making sure that we build,
you know, all the team stuff that we need to
know getting into tournament week and then if we can
(04:14):
get all that sort of stuff right, we can make
those adjustments when we come to play anyone on the
field day.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Yeah, we've seen obviously the sort of regional and provincial
hockey championships over the years have slightly different formats and
there were some times where it's over a number of weeks.
Now it's sort of all played in one location Palmerston,
North Over over one whole week. As a player, but
what do you make of and you know, how does
it benefit you or or hinder you? I guess having
that whole big long tournament week all in one go.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah, definitely probi and cons are having a week long tournament.
I guess the pros that you can sort of make
adjustments and you can see your team grow from game
to game, which is really cool. Often it's quite difficult
to make those changes when you're only playing weekly. But
then the challenges on the on the foot side are
you know, you're having a a seven games in six
(05:01):
days and can often become a bit of a war
of attrition and often the team that can have before
eighteen at the end of the tournament and still have
a bit of leagues are the ones that the most competitive,
so broad and cons but it's still an enjoyable time
that the whole seven days away.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Yeah, I bet, and you've obviously got white cut of
to kick things off, but I'm sure you've had a
scan around to see the other teams in your pool
and everything. Any any thoughts on who's going to be
set some more of a tougher opponents through the course
of the week.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, definitely. Otago are the reigning champs with back to
back years in the last couple of years, so you know,
there are always a bit of a challenge and they
play a bit of running down hockey, but they're also
view disciplined and structured defensively, so they're at now pool
so we sort of look into target Huxley getting at
a result against them, and then yeah, we played played
(05:52):
Canterbury kept Leves. They are a team as well and
they were pretty sharp. So fortunately they're in the other pool,
but we make the top four across over with him
as well, so yeah, I think that will probably be
one of the favorites. And then North Harbor as well.
There always a pretty good side, so yeah, quite a
few challenging teams in there. But I think, like I
mentioned before, I think if we can just play some
(06:13):
really good team hockey, then you will be formid to ourselves.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, great, and the whole thing that's be pretty fun
to be part of. There's you know, a whole bunch
of men's teams across different tiers, a whole bunch of
women's teams as well, So it's a real gathering of
hundreds of hockey players around the country.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeahs literally and such a small community sport as well,
like you run sort of nosy run at those events
as well. So it's it's a really great opportunity to
catch up with guys that you've played through different age
groups and you know see them at different leagors of
their life as well. So it's always a great time
catching up and seeing those guys for the first time.
And you know what can be years sometimes.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, wonderful. And well you've been evolved across different you know,
sports around Wellington over over the years, tell us just
about you know, looking back on the club year of
hockey and Wellington, there's people pretty happy with you know
the sports and a good space, good player numbers, good
competitive games, across the clubs.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, yeah, I definitely feel like we're hitting in the
right direction. You know, hockey is not one of the
biggest sports, so you know, to see the numbers stay
stable or slightly go it is always awesome. I'm involved
quite a bit with the words and catching program stuff
as well, and they've got really big numbers through their
under thirteen systems and eighteens programs, so you know, it's
(07:26):
really awesome to see how many different goods and stuff
that are keen to get involved and keen to improve themselves.
So yeah, definitely feel the thoughts in a good space.
And I know personally through our club we've been doing
a lot with our community and trying to stay engaged
and connected to those guys and it's added a lot
of value to us as a team as well. So
(07:46):
I think we're in a really good space and we're
just going to make sure we keep pushing it forward.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Great to hear well well always appreciate your time. Good
to catch up and yeah go well flying the Wellington
Colors through the weekend at the National Hockey Championship than
Parmasa North appreciate your.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Time awesome, Thanks so much, Adam.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Cheers well Zow there the captain of the Wellington men's
Tier one team. So they kick off this National Hockey
Championship tomorrow afternoon on the main turf there in Munawa
Tu against y Carto. The Wellington women have the Canterbury
Cats tomorrow night at six forty five. So that's how
the two top tiered Wellington teams will kickstart their campaigns
up there in Parmas the North at the National Hockey Championship.
(08:26):
We'll keep you up to speed as to how those
results go from a Wellington perspective through the week on
our sports news right here on News Talks EDB. For
more from News Talks EDB, listen live on air or online,
and keep our shows with you wherever you go with
our podcasts on IR Radio
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