Injured national senior men's hockey team standout and most capped player, Kwandwane Browne will serve as an assistant coach to Glen Francis for next month's Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada.
Browne was expected to spear-head the 29th world ranked T&T's "Calypso Stickmen" campaign in Pool A against Argentina, Cuba and USA, but his Olympic Games hopes and T&T chances took a major blow earlier this month when he sustained a torn achilles tendon left leg injury, which forced the 18-year national team veteran, with over 300 appearances to his name, out of the tournament in Canada.
However, having completed his surgery and started his recovery–which will take between six and nine months–Browne, the current England Under-21 assistant coach and coach for National League Premier Division's Canterbury, was selected as part of the T&T technical staff for the upcoming event.
A former Queen's Royal College student, Browne had hinted at the Pan American Games tournament being his last international for T&T as a player, but he may now instead be starting off a new chapter in his career as part of the national coaching set-up.
Having represented T&T at four Commonwealth Games as well as four Pan American Games and three Pan American Cup, Browne, who in 2012/13 won the award for England Hockey High Performance Coach of the Season had his last competitive outing for T&T at the FIH World League Round Two qualifiers in San Diego, California in March.
According to national team administrator, Cindy Martin-Faustin, Browne is a very good motivational person and will be an asset to the technical team and also the players.With regards to the team's preparations Martin-Faustin noted that the road has not been an easy one for the team with the turf at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua only being available for training in May 2015.
She added, "For a team preparing for an international tournament that was a severe blow but the squad persevered."It's difficult when you are expected to play as a professional and your country demands medals but yet your facilities and treatment are not on par. It's very hard to motivate and inspire players after an eight hour day's work, but I must commend all the players for the dedication they have shown to this cause."
As a precautionary measure, Martin-Faustin said that all the players selected for the Pan Am Games have been banned from representing their clubs in the T&T Hockey Board League in order to minimise and protect them from any injuries.She explained "We have to preserve the players for the rigorous days on tour and the toll this takes on their bodies, also taking into consideration rest and recovery. We need them to be at their peak by the tournament and not before it's all part of the coach's plan."
Prior to competing at the Pan American Games, the "Calypso Stickmen" will depart for Mexico next week (June 24) for a tri-nation series involving Cuba and the host.
However, with Australian-based duo, Akim Toussaint and Stefan Mouttet as well as Aidan De Gannes unavailable for the tournament, the trio of Lyndell Byer, Teague Marcano and Jordan Vieira will travel to Mexico with the team, but return home once the tri-nation series is completed and no first choice player picks up an injury.
On July 1, the T&T squad is set to arrive in Toronto for a pre-camp before heading to the Games Village on July 9, ahead of the start of competition from July 15 - 25.At the Games, national goalkeeper Andrey Rocke, is set to mark his 100th international appearance for T&T and Martin-Faustin, on behalf of the local federation, congratulates him for his selfless work.
T&T men Pan Am Games hockey squad
Stefan Mouttet, Akim Toussaint, Dillet Gilkes, Aidan De Gannes, Ishmael Campbell, Darren Cowie, Shaquille Daniel, Solomon Eccles, Kristien Emmanuel, Tariq Marcano, Che Modeste, Kiel Murray, Mickell Pierre, Jordan Reynos, Andrey Rocke, Christopher Scipio.Reserves: Lyndell Byer, Teague Marcano, Jordan Vieira.
Technical staff: Glenn "Fido" Francis (coach), Kwandwane Browne (assistant coach), Kirth Davis (manager), Nicholas Baldeosingh (videographer).