Cash injection gives Black Sticks added balance
Black Sticks men’s coach Darren Smith says the new cash injection for Hockey New Zealand means his players can stop living off the smell of an oily rag.
The Black Sticks will receive a $4 million dollar cash injection from the government and Kiwi businessman Sir Owen Glenn.
The men and women’s teams will receive the much-needed funding boost of $2 million a year starting next month.
Glenn will donate $1 million per annum for two years while the government through High Performance Sport New Zealand will match the figure bringing the overall boost to $4 million.
Black Sticks men’s coach Darren Smith says the injection allows his players a level of comfortable living, something they have never really had.
Smith said the funding will change a lot for his side, including the hours they train, the amount of work they will have to do outside hockey and hopefully their performance. ‘‘It means a better balance between work and study. We had some happy men at training the day after that email went out,’’ he said.
Twenty-five players from Smith’s team will now be on contract, meaning each will get a retainer and match fees on top when they are selected to play. The Black Sticks women will also have 25 contracted players.
‘‘It’s just the way sport is going and I think it is fantastic. If you are a Black Stick and you do a bit of work . . . we hope you can live comfortably and if you are doing study you can start to live a bit more comfortably and that’s all we want.
‘‘They have been living off the smell of an oily rag and, yes we are happy to do that, we are Kiwi. But it’s a massive step forward.’’
Smith was a Black Stick between 1995 and 2006. He was not paid to play the sport and says the new financial incentive will help with balance in the players’ lives.
The team are with Smith for 130 days of the year, which in the past has basically been free labour.
‘‘Unless you are giving someone 100k you have got to allow them to balance or otherwise you end up going through a sporting career, where they are not allowed to save enough to buy a house. We have to be smart here.’’
The funding is to help the Black Sticks in their leadup to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic campaigns.
Meanwhile, Hockey New Zealand confirmed Black Sticks women’s coach Mark Hager will be part of the selection process to pick the women’s team.
Hager’s position is under review following claims that he created a negative environment within the side. The review is due to be released by HNZ at the end of next month.