The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Limited sponsored National Indoor Hockey championships will bully off at 6pm tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
According to a press release from the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) the competition is expected to end on Sunday following a break Friday night to facilitate the monthly ProAm boxing card.
On week-days matches will commence from 6pm and 5pm on Saturday.
On Sunday matches will commence from 4pm.
This tournament is the leading indoor competition for local teams and promises to be highly competitive.
With the national men’s and women’s teams having recently competed abroad, some of the high quality skills picked up by the players are expected to be on display as the tournament unfolds.
National players Reon Branford and Robert France, who made their debuts in August at the Pan American Club Championships in Caracas, Venezuela, will be on show.
With a whopping seven national players in their male first-division team, the Hikers will start as favourites for the men’s competition.
The 2007 champions Old Fort will be looking to reclaim bragging rights and will rely on strikers Aderemi and Ascofu Simon and the stability of coach/player Chris Low Koan.
GCC’s Orland Semple and Kevin Spencer will be sure to give the crowd something magical and the skilful duo along with the relentless defence of Dwayne Scott will make their side a strong contender for honours.
Western Dragons usually bring their up-tempo style of play which results in high-scoring affairs.
They will be led once again by Rayon Branford.
On the female side, defending champions GCC Tigers will get strong competition as they attempt to hold onto their title for another year. Strikers Sonia Jardine and Kerensa Fernandes are returning to a team that also will be strengthened this year by the addition of national players Trisha Woodroffe and Ulrica Sutherland.
For Hikers female side, the presence of the former national captain Maria Munroe is expected to give the team an edge while players like Marisha Rodrigues and Cora Towler will lead the team’s performance with support from Michaela Harding.
And having been a major threat for the past two years, this just might be the year for the Spartans, and having Fiedtkou and the Xavier sisters, this just might be their tournament.
This year’s tournament will once again feature the over-35 category with former nationals like Gavin Hope, Damon Woodroffe, Dexter Wyles and Timothy McIntosh on show, along with the under-19 competition showcasing the youthful talent of recent under-21 MVP Andrew Stewart, Stephen Xavier and Aryody Branford among others.
