PRESIDENT of the Guyana Hockey Board and Women’s head coach, Phillip Fernandes, says that he was more excited than ever about the prospect of a home for the sport.
“Right now, I feel we are closer than ever and simply because, the Minister of Sport and I have had several conversations but, even more importantly, the President mentioned it in his speech at the Saints event, the idea is to be in collaboration with the Hockey Board, if there is an artificial surface at Saints that the hockey board will also have some input or guidance about its installation and usage,” Fernandes said.

Last year his Excellency President Irfaan Ali gave the sport a lifeline when he announced an initiative in partnership with Saint Stanislaus College that will see the school – with support from their partners and private sector – developing an artificial surface for the sport at a plot of land at Durban Park.
Fernandes said that Saints’ Hockey Club is a key member of the hockey fraternity and boasts one of the biggest nurseries; hence it would a good move to have them take the lead on the project.
“Saints is a very important part of the hockey board, it’s a vibrant club for us and we think it would be fantastic for the game and I’m optimistic, cautiously a bit, but I’m optimistic because I think there has been some conviction recently,” he added.

The GHB head said that while 2024 was a good year for them on the international scene, the increase cricket activity and unavailability of national gymnasium and grounds have severely hampered the domestic season.
“We were still able to run off some junior tournament during the year, because we have been able to use smaller spaces for the younger age groups, under 10’s, under 13’s and so on. Our senior season was quite disruptive because of the lack of facilities. Part of the year the weather was tough to deal with, once rain starts to fall, all the cricket grounds are then out of commission and certainly hockey will not be able to play on those.”

He said that makes the case for an artificial surface even stronger, adding, “This further enforces the need for a hockey home, …. if we try to do it with a grass field, the maintenance is heavy and the result is still not what is needed for top quality hockey. We desperately need an artificial pitch. It would require maintenance and a pitch to last at least 15 years no matter rain, or shine or any weather”.

The country’s master’s team took silver at the World Masters Competition in Canada and the women collected bronze at the Pan American Challenge Series in Bermuda last year.