THE coaching staff of the country’s men U21 hockey squad led by Robert Fernandes has announced the squad for the upcoming Pan American Hockey Federation Junior Challenge set for Barbados from march 8-16th.
The squad is made up of Darious Alleyne, Donnel Alleyne, Shaquon Favorite, Grant Fernandes, Baraka Garnett, Anthony Harry, Javid Hussain, Jabari Lovell, Robert Marcus, Simeon Moore, Yonnick Norton, Shane Sargeant, Nkosi Saul, Quinn Tobin, Vladimir Woodroffe and Daniel Woolford.
The Standby Players are Clay Bobb and Navid Hussain.
The Challenge is the regional qualifier for the second ever Junior Pan American Games Scheduled for 9th to 22nd August in Paraguay.

Head coach Robert Fernandes says the selection of the squad is testament to the benefits of the sports in schools’ programme and the growth produced from it.

“Twelve out of the 16 boys selected were introduced to hockey through schools’ programme, we have six of the boys from Multi who were introduced to hockey through the program in 2017 run by Ivor Thompson, we have five of them from saints who learn hockey at the saints after school programme and you have one from St Joseph.”

He said schools’ programmes, run by Ivor Thompson and John Abraham at North Ruimveldt Multilateral and St Joseph High respectively have done well in growing the cadre of players.

Coach Robert says they have to play well from the get-go in this competition.

‘It is a little different from the Pan American championship because the top five teams as well as the host country for the Pan American games are not at this tournament, it’s the qualifying tournament for the pan American games, so it means we are one of the higher ranked teams in this competition, we have to change our mindset and be a lot more aggressive and stamp our authority in these matches early because only the top two teams will qualify.”

Along with Coach Fernandes will be assistant coaches John Abraham, Shane Samuels and Tivesarid Garnett.
The men’s category sees a single-pool competition featuring the likes of Brazil, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Venezuela and the local outfit.

The schedule sees Guyana play Guatemala in their opener then Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Brazil and completes the pool round against Barbados.