THE private and public sector 2015 Unity Hockey Games was held with three different tournaments at the St. Stanislaus College Ground on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown, last Sunday afternoon.

Kenisha Willa, a member of the Hikers Hockey Club, told this publication that three games were played during the event which was sponsored by John Fernandes Insurance and organised by the Guyana Hockey Board.

She said that the John Fernandes 2nd Development Hockey for males started first and then the first ever Women’s Outdoor League Hockey was staged for the Woodpecker Outdoor Women’s League.

Wills added that two male tournaments were staged before the female game was played at the location with a good turnout.

Highlighting some challenges in the sport, Wills told this publication that in Guyana there is no hockey facility, leaving the local players at a disadvantage when they have to compete in international tournaments in which those players have a synthetic hockey field.

She explained that the local players only have experience on a natural surface in hockey and so they face a challenge because they have never practiced on a synthetic field before.

Wills added that the international players have an advantage over them but nevertheless the men’s team placed third last April in an international tournament.

She said that internationally hockey is a female dominated sport but in Guyana there are more male players than females.
By Michel Outridge