These 28 players form the national training squad, while ten youngsters were selected to form the developmental squad of potential future national prospects.
Carl Ince is again charged with the task of coaching the national squad while Lydia Fraser will continue her invaluable work with the developmental squad.
Guyana holds the record of winning 16 overall Caribbean team championships, which is more than the rest of the Caribbean combined. They have won the overall team title for the past five years, with the girls taking home the team title for the past four consecutive years and boys claim top honours for the past two years.
The Guyanese team created history again last year when they won all three team titles for the second consecutive year, a feat that was never before achieved.
Selectors believe that this year’s squad is well balanced with the majority of players named having already tasted Caribbean competition.
The girl’s team is especially strong with the Jeffrey twins (Keisha and Kayla), and the likes of Ashley Khalil, Mary Fung-A-Fat and Victoria Arjoon forming the core of the team that has been terrific over the past few years.
They have won a stunning ten individual Caribbean titles between them and are joined by newcomers Taylor Fernandes and Larissa Wiltshire who, although never making the national squad, were able to compete in the individual category at the Caribbean Championships last year.
On the boys side the vastly experienced quartet of Alexander Arjoon, Oliver Downes, Deje Dias and Jason-Ray Khalil along with the up and coming Nyron Joseph have been regulars on the national team for the past five years.
They are joined by newcomers Ben Mekdeci, Patrick Fraser and Alec Melville in the under-13 category, while Joven Benn has also been rewarded for his outstanding performances at the recently-concluded KRAFT Junior Tournament.
Overseas-based players Jean-Claude Jeffrey and the Marcus brothers, Shem Steven and Shandon have also been included in the squad.
The complete girls squad includes U13-Larissa Wiltshire and Taylor Fernandes, U15-Victoria Arjoon, Akeila Wiltshire and Gabrielle Fraser, U17-Mary Fung-A-Fat, Ashley DeGroot and Kristina Cheeks, U19–Keisha Jeffrey, Ashley Khalil, Kayla Jeffrey and Alysa Xavier.
The boys squad consists of U13-Ben Mekdeci, Patrick Fraser, Alec Melville and Shandon Marcus, U15-Nyron Joseph, Jean-Claude Jeffrey, Shem Marcus and Steven Marcus, U17-Jason Ray Khalil, Steven Xavier, Abhishek Singh and Ryan DaSilva, U19-Alexander Arjoon, Oliver Downes, Deje Dias and Joven Benn.
Alexandra Phang, Savannah Mendes, Rebecca Low, Lydia Alphonso, Mathew Phang, Alexander Cheeks, Travis Whitehead, John Phang, Andre Griffith and Benjamin Griffith are the ten players who make up the developmental squad.
Meanwhile, these players are asked to attend a meeting at the Georgetown Club today at 6:00pm.
