The T&T senior Calypso Stickmen men will compete in Group B of the eight-team Pan American Men’s Hockey Cup Tournament against North American foes USA, Canada and Mexico from January 12-23 in Santiago, Chile.
The eight-team competition serves as the region’s qualifier to the 16-team FIH Odisha World Cup to be hosted by India in 2023. The remaining four teams in the Pan Am competition, three-time winners Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru comprise Pool A.
Canada winners in 2009 in Chile and Cuba, on home soil in 2000 are the only other nations to have lifted the men’s Pan Am Cup crown.
The Calypso Stickmen will flick off their campaign against USA on January 13 from 3 pm followed by matches against Mexico on January 15 from 12.45 pm, and Canada, two days later to close out round-robin play.
The top two teams from each pool at the end of round-robin play will advance to the main draw semifinals on January 19, with the finals and third place matches scheduled for two days later with the semifinal winners securing the two Pan American spots to the 16-team FIH Odisha World Cup which will be hosted by India in 2023.
Only last week, the T&T Hockey Board appointed Darren Cowie to the head coaching position of the team with Dwain Quan Chan and Raphael Govia to serve as his assistants.
Cowie takes over the reign from former national goalkeeper Glen “Fido” Francis, 49, who was overlooked for the post ahead of next year’s qualifiers.
He was recently in charge of the Under-21 men’s team which placed fifth at the recent Pan American Championships in Chile said has already flicked off his preparations with the team with screening sessions held last weekend.
Under the guidance of Francis, the national men’s hockey team placed fourth at the last edition of the Pan American Cup in Lancaster, USA in 2017 after a 3-0 loss to host USA in the bronze medal.
Due to their top-six finish in the eight-team competition, T&T secured automatic qualification to next year’s qualifiers. Francis also coached the team which claimed its best-ever bronze medal finish in Brampton, Canada in 2013 with a 3-1 defeat of the Americans in the third-place match.
Four years earlier (2009) in Santiago, Chile, Nicholas “Chico” Govia coached the men’s team to the fifth spot and in 2004, its other participation ended with a 2-1 loss to Chile in the bronze medal clash under David Francois in London, Canada.