CDO Gill Gemming visited Honiara in late September, with the main aim of working with the Games Organising Committee (GOC), to ensure that all the requirements to run a successful event would be sorted. 

The GOC had appointed Competition Managers for each sport and although Gill had been communicating regularly with Jefferson Izoma it was great to meet him face to face.

It was an intense 3 days connecting with all the different teams: accommodation, transport, catering, venue, ceremonies.

Jefferson had organised 20 volunteers to come in for training, the majority of whom had never witnessed a hockey match. The training day coincided with the national team's training so, with consultation with the coaches and SIHF, it was decided to run a 'test' event which served to both try out the venue and facilities such as the grandstand as well as an opportunity for the volunteers to view the venue and watch the mens and womens matches to give them practical examples of the type of roles that volunteers do.

Gill worked with a group of technical officials during the games as 4 local officials have been appointed to be trainee officials so that after the Games SIHF have a qualified group of officials to oversee competitions.

The 2 biggest issues identified during the test event were, firstly the lack of shade, and secondly the transfer of grass from the warm up area and concrete dust onto the new surface.

The GOC had a surplus of gazebos which were booked to provide shade over the technical and players benches as well as some to be placed on the grass near the changing rooms to allow teams to rest in the shade between games. SIHF president Winki Yee decided he would create water baths to enable the athletes to wash their shoes before going onto the turf.