WITH a view of having an evenly balanced team to compete in this year’s Under-21 Pan American Youth Hockey Championships, the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) has shortlisted a squad of 57 young men to begin preparations. The squad is one of the most evenly balanced in recent memory, with 29 players coming from the clubs’ structure, while the other 28 are selected from the GHB’s schools programmes.
Two years ago, the GHB partnered with several clubs to reintroduce hockey into various schools and the initiative has more than doubled the amount of junior hockey players in Guyana.
Three players – Eric Hing, Steven Xavier and Jamarj Assanah, who represented Guyana at the last Pan American Junior championships in 2008 – have been named and will bring a wealth of experience to this young but talented side.
The players will spend the first few months focusing on individual skills and fitness, while at the same time gaining some match experience by competing in both the National first and second division leagues.
The players named below are asked to attend a meeting at the GCC pavilion tomorrow at 18:30hrs and they are: Stephen Xavier, Brian Gomes, Nicholas Yearwood, Mark Sargeant, Matthew Xavier, Alex Fiedtkou, Eric Hing, Meshach Pierre, Aroydy Branford, Ryan Primo, Jamarj Assanah, Andrew Stewart, Antonio Pemberton, Leon Bacchus, Michael Harding, Travon Younge, Cove Bowman, Dennis Basdeo, Justin Gomes, Nickoli Cox, Antonio Seeanon, Khalid Gajraj, Kevin Hamilton, Mortimer Stewart, Jonathan Singh, Micha Hartman, Stephon King, Timothy Baker, Selwyn McIntosh, Kaleel Smith, Mark Fraser, Fitzroy Leitch, Jamal Robinson, Richard Helligar, Shamar Pemberton, Christopher Swami, Kevin Melville, Eric Joseph, Kurt Thomas, David Williams, Kieron Campbell, Anton Duke, Osafo Timmerman, Leroy Carrol, Leroy Jack, Yonnick Peters, Kevin Edwards, Shamar Mittelholzer, Taise Seepaul, Devon Scott, Kwesi Lewis, Marlon Roberts, Hilton Chester, Parmanand Dindial, Alston Alleyne, Suleiman Abaulla and Akeem Daley.