With the team scheduled to depart local shores today, the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB), the local governing body, officially announced their 11 member women’s squad which will compete at the Indoor Pan Am Cup (IPAC) from June 25th-27th in Pennsylvania, USA. According to a release from the GHB, the female team, which features five players from the previous IPAC held in Guyana in 2017, comprises: Abosaide Cadogan, Alysa Xavier, Gabriella Xavier, Ashley DeGroot, Trisha Woodroffe, Sarah Klautky, Madison Fernandes, Aliyah Gordon, Clayza Bobb, Marzana Fiedtkou and Makeda Harding. Only five members, Alysa Xavier, Gabriella Xavier, Woodroffe, Gordon and Fiedtkou have returned from the previous IPAC staged for the first time in Guyana in 2017. In terms of the management team, GHB President Philip Fernandes will once again serve in his capacity as coach, with Princessa Wilkie the Team Manager. Guyana will open their campaign against defending champion and host nation USA, who are ranked 12th globally, on Friday at 11:30am. Then will then battle 16th ranked Argentina later that evening from 6:00pm. The Guyanese, who sit 31st in the ranking, will continue their campaign against 18th positioned Canada Saturday at 11:30am and 22nd ranked Uruguay at 6:00pm. The winner of this year’s IPAC secured the spot to represent the Americas in the next Indoor World Cup scheduled for Belgium in 2022.
“With training being suspended for most of 2020, the ladies resumed training under strict Covid-19 social distancing measures earlier this year and have been working hard to make up for lost time. Of course, all countries participating would have experiences various levels of disruption and so Guyana will not be the only participant needing to prepare a team in short time”, the release stated.
Meanwhile, Coach Fernandes disclosed that his excited about the quality of the team, as can it be considered amongst the most talented squad assembled in recent years, adding, “It was a challenge to get the young players to understand systems and team attack and defence concepts in such a short time as there is no substitute for experience. But these girls have the skills and hockey intelligence to be competitive.”
According to Fernandes, while he does not place a limit on the team’s potential, he considers toppling any of the four powerhouse nations to be considered a success.
