WITH just over three months remaining before the National Under- 21 women’s hockey team wing out to Trinidad and Tobago to participate in the Pan American Junior Championships, the unit is taking its preparation to another level.Chronicle Sport sought a comment from one of the coaches, Shane Samuels, who said preprations are moving along smoothly with the unit as the date for their championships draws closer.
He noted that, “We actually want to try to get them up there five days in advance to get the players acclimatised and to get them ready for the pitch they are going to be using (Astro turf), because we don’t have one.”
The trip which will cost $8M inclusive of airline tickets and accommodation, will cover the 21-member team to the twin-island republic.
Meanwhile, he noted that there are several fund-raising initiatives aimed at generating proceeds for the the event billed for the end of march.
In an invited comment, GHB president Phillip Fernandes explained that the team is now on the front burner for the sport.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for us. This might be the first time that Guyana may be sending a junior women’s team to the Pan Am (Pan American Championships) and it is good because it will further develop the women’s game, because the juniors will one day become seniors.”
He contended, “This crop is likely to be the one that is to sustain the senior women’s programme, which has been successful in recent times.”
He noted that the championships are being held in Trinidad and Tobago, one of the more cost-effective destinations to travel to and from and as such, the board believes that it would be rewarding to attend the event.
This event is a qualifier for the Junior hockey World Cup.
Even though this tournament is usually dominated by the larger hockey- playing nations such as Argentina, Chile, the U.S. and Canada, we are very confident that the young talent Guyana has to offer will create some upsets in the tournament.
Apart from the four countries listed above, this tournament will see the likes of Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda, Venezuela, Mexico and Uruguay.
The 30-member squad is currently training four days a week in preparation for the tournament.
The girls are as follows: Nicole Eastman, Rebecca Xavier, Latacia Chung, Owinter Henry, Bushani Kaladeen, Romichelle Brummell, Aliyah Abel, Dacia Woodroffe, Shonnett Freeman, Caroline Deane, Sarafina Phillips, Aliyah Gordon, Nicolette LaRose, Anesa Permaul, Michelle Mohabir, Minosodia Culpepper, Macaela Harding, Makeda Harding, Kellyann Latchman, Maryann Murray, Candacy Glen, Aleah Cummings, Judy Looknauth, Chavin Medas, Annalisa Singh, Tiffany Higgins, Veronique Sampson, Atteya Ally, Dominique Woodroffe and overseas based Guyanese Marzana Fiedtkou.
Even though the team will be new to the international stage, a few of the ladies already have experience on the international hockey scene.
Marzana plays hockey for her college team, Aliyah Gordon made the last senior national women’s team that faced Argentina, and quite a few girls have been to T&T to play club hockey.
