THE Hikers Hockey team moved one step closer to its ultimate goal of being the first independent hockey club in the country to own and operate its own hockey facility. The team, which has a rich history of being one of the top hockey teams in the country, was originally known as The Animals when former national player Andy Goveia, along with some of his friends formed it in the mid-80s.
The team’s original home was the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club, where the animals struggled in their early years against the more established teams. In the early 90s Goveia convinced the membership of the Everest Cricket Club to establish a hockey section and the team moved to the club and duly changed its name to the Everest Hikers.
In 1995 the Everest Hikers added a ladies’ team to its growing membership and that signalled the beginning of the club’s rise to become one of the most outstanding local and Caribbean club teams. In 2008 the team’s membership made the decision to become an independent body and moved from Everest and amended its name to Hikers Hockey Club.
On Saturday, May 8 2010, the Hikers Hockey Club became a newly constituted, independent body when members held their inaugural annual general meeting at the DYC in Subryanville. Thirty-nine members were on hand to witness this historic step in the team’s long and proud history.
The membership heard reports by acting president Devin Munroe, senior coach Timothy McIntosh and junior coach Robert Fernandes before electing its first executive committee.
The newly elected executive committee includes; President – Devin Munroe, Vice President – Rene Edwards, Secretary – Gail Harding, Treasurer – Avonda James, Assistant  Secretary/Treasurer  – Jonelle Webster, Coaches Coordinator – Timothy McIntosh, Social Events Coordinator – Marisha Rodrigues, Junior and Community Development Coordinator – Robert Fernandes and Junior Representatives – Michael Harding and Anton Duke.
The committee’s first order of business will be to secure the facilities needed for the club to implement its many social and developmental programmes. Hikers are the defending first and second division league champions as well as the four-time winners and defending champions of the Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Tournament.
Hikers men’s team is the only Caribbean club side to win the Barbados International Indoor, The Ventures International Indoor of Trinidad, as well as the Diamond International Indoor, making it one of the best men’s sides in the Caribbean.