Thu | Sep 28, 2023

Top nations confirmed for Hockey5s qualifiers in Ja

Published:Tuesday | February 21, 2023 | 1:19 AMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer
Members of Jamaica’s female hockey team (at right) pose with the Cayman Islands mixed hockey team during their tour of the Cayman Islands recently.
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Members of Jamaica’s female hockey team (at right) pose with the Cayman Islands mixed hockey team during their tour of the Cayman Islands recently.

Top-ranked nations the United States and Guatemala are among some of the national teams that have been confirmed to take part in the Pan American Confederation Hockey5s World Cup qualifiers which are slated to take place in Jamaica in early June.

In confirming Jamaica as hosts of the qualifiers yesterday, Jamaica Hockey Federation President Fabian Stewart emphasised that the fast-paced tournament will be one to be remembered with the calibre of teams and talent which will be on display at the Mona Hockey Field.

Along with the world number 22 ranked USA team and the 44th-ranked Guatemala side, the men’s section of the qualifiers will also feature Panama, Costa Rica, Paraguay, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and hosts Jamaica.

The women’s tournament is also expected to be a sizzling affair with the Jamaica drawn alongside the 16th-ranked Americans, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Uruguay, the Dominica Republic, Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Hockey5s is a super-fast, highly skilful, short format of the sport that is designed to be adaptable to multiple surfaces.

With the high-tempo action anticipated, Stewart outlined that the teams will be utilising the tournament with a specific plan in place.

“The aim is to get this type of international tournament under their belts so that we can then have the players in a particular mode to go to the Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Games in the Dominica Republic in late June,” Stewart said.

In the meantime, Jamaica’s women’s hockey team recently returned following a three-game tour of the Cayman Islands.

The women’s team battled to a 2-2 draw against the mixed Cayman team before two goalless draws closed out the tour.

National coach Nicole Bradshaw said the tour was a critical one with a number of international assignments on the cards.

“The Cayman trip was fantastic and very valuable as we were able to get a sense of where we are at in our preparation. The style of play which the Caymanians displayed was quite different from us and more in line with what the other teams will play in the CAC Games,” Bradshaw said.