T&T senior women’s hockey team has a confirmed departure date, Wednesday (September 22), to compete at the 2021 Pan American Challenge Cup at the Villa Maria del Triunfo Pan American Complex, Lima, Peru from September 25 to October 2.
By confirming the team’s departure, the source said it has put to rest any uncertainty surrounding the team’s travel to the four-team tournament which will include Brazil, Paraguay and host Peru with a return date set for the first week of October, most likely October 5.
Before confirmation of the team’s travel itinerary, some members of the players' staff were also worried about getting the time from their respective jobs to represent T&T as letters from the T&T Hockey Board (TTHB) to their employers informing them of their team selection and request for time off were slow in coming.
However, those issues have now been sorted out with the national players and technical staff due to travel from Piarco to Panama City and then onto Peru via Copa Airlines.
Head coach Anthony “Bumper” Marcano, who returned to the country on Thursday after being away for a short time, will conduct his final training session with his players from 7 am to 10 am Sunday, continuing from Saturday, at the St James Police Barracks Hockey Ground, having trained under the supervision of assistant coach Natalie Nieves in his absence.
However, for the tournament in Peru, Nieves will not be making the trip and will be replaced by the former national player and current assistant coach at Long Island University, Ellis Chance.
Following the training sessions, the players are set to undergo their mandatory coronavirus PCR Testing at T&T Defence Force Headquarters, Chaguaramas on Monday, ahead of their travel two days later.
For the tournament, the senior women’s team will be without the services of the USA-based quartet of Olton sisters Samantha, Kaitlyn and Saarah as well as Felicia King, all of Long Island University (LIU).
However, the Olton family will still be represented in the team by another sister, Amie, 25, (40 caps) who has been appointed co-captain alongside Teresa Lezama (34).
There will still be some siblings in the travelling party though as uncapped senior team Sampson sisters, 18-year-old goalkeeper Sarah Sampson, 23-year-old Kyona Sampson and 21-year-old Naomi Sampson have been named in the squad along with De Freitas-sisters, Savannah (25) and Shaniah (21), who have 19 and nine senior team appearances, respectively.
The squad will be captained by the experienced Lezama, who has 32 caps to her name and also features 28-year-old Brittney Hingh (63 caps), 32-year-old Avion Ashton (47 caps), and 23-year-old Brianna Govia who has played 39 matches to date.
At the end of the four-team round-robin series, the top team will meet fourth, and second faces third in two semifinals from which the winners will contest the tournament final as well as qualify to next year’s Women's Pan Am Cup from January 20-30.
T&T team: Arresia Sandy, Sarah Sampson, Kyona Sampson, Avion Ashton, Naomi Sampson, Teresa Lezama, Shaniah De Freitas, Brianna Govia, Amanda George, Brittney Hingh, Giann Sealy, Zene Henry, Nicole Whiteman, Daniella Martin, Mia Otero, Danielle Cabralis, Amie Olton, Gabrielle Thompson, Savannah De Freitas.
Technical staff: Anthony Marcano (coach), Christabella George-Ford (manager), Ellis Chance (assistant coach), Jude Mc Knight (doctor), Kevin Mac Intyre (physiotherapist), Dennora George (physical trainer/nutrition/rehabilitation therapist)
Schedule
September 26:
Brazil vs Paraguay, 9 am
Peru vs T&T, 12 noon
September 28:
T&T vs Paraguay, 9 am
Brazil vs Peru, 12 noon
September 29:
T&T vs Brazil, 9 am
Peru vs Paraguay, 1 pm
October 1:
Semifinals:
First Round Robin vs Fourth Round-Robin, 10 am
Third Round Robin vs Second Round Robin, 12 noon
October 2:
Third place: Semifinal Losers, 10 am
Final: Semifinal winners, 2 pm.
