Fifth Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival

`I’m looking to make a clean sweep this year’

By Rawle Toney
Regarded as one of the best hockey players in the world, Trinidad and Tobago’s Kwandwane Browne says that he is here aiming to better his last showing and win the tournament.

Browne made his first appearance at the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Championship with Dames Park of Trinidad in 2006 but his chance of adding another achievement to his name was thwarted by the Toronto Galaxy who narrowly defeated them in the finals.

Two years later he returns with Notre Dame and though the team is making its first appearance at the tournament a number of players from the 2006 Dames Park team are included. This time around, Browne told Stabroek Sport in an exclusive interview, it will be a different story.

International hockey star Kwan Browne in action last Thursday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (Lawrence Fanfare photo)
International hockey star Kwan Browne in action last Thursday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (Lawrence Fanfare photo)

His side opened their campaign in emphatic fashion when they scraped past defending champions Everest Hikers 5-4 and then overran another local side Western Dragon 7-3 in their second game.

“The last time I was here I lost in the finals and I was too busy to make the trip again, however this time around things will be a bit different,” the international stick wielder said.
He added that he does not expect to have a walk in the park since the local players have improved the level of their hockey significantly.
“Well, I know that players here are no pushover.  I know Jerry Bell (Everest Hikers striker) since he came to Trinidad and played in our national league and he was very, very impressive, so, based on that I knew that hockey in Guyana had improved very much. None-the-less, I came here to win and that will be my focus throughout the tournament,” Browne said.

Being one the best players in the world everyone is expecting Browne to put up a good performance every night, but he said that he’s used to being under such pressure since he has the same responsibility when leading his country and whichever club in the world he plays for professionally.

Patrons at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last Thursday and Saturday got a chance to see some mesmerizing stick and ball movement by the star player, and they were brought to their feet on many occasions as he orchestrated all of his team’s plays.

It was evident that he couldn’t be marked since on occasions, defenders from the Hikers and Western Dragons teams found him unstoppable.
Browne won his first cap for his country at the tender age of 13-years-old when he was selected on the Trinidad and Tobago under-21 squad.
At 18 he was already playing international hockey.

But Browne, now 31 wasn’t all about hockey as he also excelled academically. He studied at the London Metropolitan University and gained a Bachelor of Law (LLB) Degree and a Masters in European and International Law.

He was also honoured in 2004 by the university for his sporting achievements along with other sports and academic scholars.
At last year’s Pan American Hockey tournament in Brazil, even though Trinidad and Tobago finished fourth, Browne was named the Player of the Tournament. He has played for some of the world’s top hockey clubs in England, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

He is also the Technical Director for Youth Development in the twin-island republic and is also his country’s national captain and coach.