By Rawle Toney

Guyana’s national under-21 hockey team will depart these shores today for Trinidad and Tobago to participate in the 2008 Pan-American Hockey Championship which will be played in the island’s capital, Port-of-Spain from Friday 17 to Sunday, October 26.

Ten teams will compete in this year’s championships including power houses, USA, Canada and Argentina.

Guyana’s National Junior Hockey Team that will be participating at the Junior Pan-American Hockey championships.

The other teams are Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Barbados and host Trinidad and Tobago.

Guyana will be grouped with Barbados, Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Canada and will open their quest for glory tomorrow at 10am against the Canadians in a Group B encounter.

Guyana’s team at this year’s championship will feature Michael Phillip,  Steven Xavier, Leonard George, Kevin Fogenay, Shaquille Assanah, Peter Michael De Groot, Zach Gonzalves, Orin Mayers, Shackon Gill, Trevon Smith, Calto Wilson, Eric Hing, Amarnauth Ramjee, Jason Benn and Al Fredericks. Rawle Davson is the coach and Ivor Thompson the manager.
Leading up to the tournament, the young team participated in the just concluded Banks DIH Night Hockey Tournament, under the name Shakatans.

The team failed to win any game in the tournament.

Guyana has been struggling in recent times at these championships and from the outcome of these teams most recent matches, it is evident a vast improvement is needed.