Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) President Phillip Fernandes said despite Guyana not being able to compete regularly on the international circuit, he expects the ladies team to be a medal contender at the upcoming Central American & Caribbean (CAC) Games.
Speaking exclusively to Stabroek Sports, Fernandes said: “Unfortunately our Guyanese players cannot afford to compete internationally as regularly as other regional teams and so it is always difficult to accurately measure their progress in relation to the opposition.
“The squad, however, comprises the same core of players who participated in the last CAC games and who have represented Guyana with success since then in three international competitions.
This CAC games I therefore expect a more composed and knowledgeable team and expect better results.”
According to Fernandes “I think this team is a medal contender but in sport one can never risk being too optimistic as Guyana is no longer an unknown entity that can be overlooked. Our ranking now makes us a target and teams will be preparing tactically for their matchups against Guyana”.
“We have conceded the advantage of being the only nation who does not have an artificial pitch on which to train but are accustomed to competing with these odds and hopefully we can overcome them and get a result somewhere in line with our #3 ranking,” he said.
Questioned about the criteria that was used to select the team, he said: “We have a team of seven selectors and used a basis of past and current match performance to select our squad. We have seen many of our players in international competition and know how they perform under pressure”.
He declared “We have tried to duplicate this pressure in local trial matches and also observe local competition matches to determine the value of player’s performances. These factors have narrowed the squad to its current number of 23. Over the next few weeks the players will be observed at training and in warm-up matches in order for the selectors to further break down the squad to the final 16”.
Asked if overseas players were considered for selection and what was the criteria utilized for their selection, the GCC stalwart said: “Yes. International players have been considered for selection. This is done all over the world and it would be to our detriment to exclude Guyanese players because they happen to be overseas at this time. Several of our players are in fact abroad because of hockey scholarships.
“One of the goals of the GHB is the expose our young people to the international game where they can be seen and perhaps be offered scholarship opportunities. We certainly do not want the success of this to work against us by now excluding them from selection.
“We always want to put our best team forward to represent our country. The criteria used for selection has to be based on their most recent performances. All of our overseas players are active in the game and we are in regular contact with them about their programme,” he added.
Quizzed if the ladies can replicate the recent success of their male counterparts, he said that would be difficult.
“It is difficult to compare the two teams as they are competing in different versions of the game. While I cannot diminish the outstanding performance of the male indoor hockey team, many of the top nations in the region like Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Cuba etc. have not developed their indoor programme to the extent that they have done with their outdoor programme.
“The difference in the two versions of the game is quite like football and futsal where the teams of top nations are exclusive and the programs also are separately funded and developed. The women have a huge uphill task to earn a medal even at the Central American level but remain optimistic and hopefully can achieve similar success to the recent men’s team.”
The Guyana female team will participate in the CAC Games to be held in Vera Cruz, Mexico from November 15-23, 2014. The local ladies who are ranked third in the event, have been placed in Pool-B which comprises defending champions Trinidad, the Dominican Republic and Bermuda.
Hosts Mexico head Pool-W which also features, Cuba, Barbados and Jamaica. Guyana will open its campaign against the Dominican Republic on November 15. A bronze medal finish or higher will qualify Guyana for a spot in the 2015 Pan American games slated to be held in Toronto, Canada.
The Guyanese ladies last competed in the 2010 CAC Games in Puerto Rico where they finished in the fifth position after entering as the eighth and final seed.
