Coaches Have Runs On Board For Cups

WE ARE entering a critical year for Australia's national hockey teams. The Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos are both coming off a developmental year in 2001, and will face their biggest tests since the Sydney Olympics when they compete in world cup tournaments this year.

Midfield Ace Back On Deck For Kookaburras

Daniel Sproule's brief break from the Australian men's team has ended, with the veteran midfielder yesterday included in the squad for the Kookaburras' final tournament before next month's World Cup in Malaysia.

Black And White Dreaming

MY new novel Black Feather White Feather is dedicated to Uncle Bob Smith, Aboriginal Elder, custodian of stories. Uncle Bob has recently left this world to join the spirit world. This is not to suggest that the two worlds do not coexist. It is said of one of the characters in the novel: `It gave him pleasure to read aloud to the currawongs and kookaburras in the surrounding bush. And he reckoned the old people were still there listening as well.'