After a four-year hiatus from international hockey, mainly due to the COVID 19 pandemic, Guyana’s Junior and Senior Men will be taking on Barbados in a four-match test series from December 8-11 at the Wildey Hockey Turf in Barbados.
Both teams are preparing for the Junior Pan American Championship scheduled for April 2023 in Barbados and the CAC Games in June/July 2023.
Guyana’s contingent is scheduled to depart on Wednesday and will have two training sessions to adapt to the artificial turf prior to the series.
The Under-21 matches are scheduled for 13:30h and the Senior matches at 15:30h on all four days.
Team Guyana comprises 29 players- 18 Under-21 players and 11 seniors, with eight of the juniors pulling double duty on both the junior and senior teams.
This new look squad includes only four players with international experience, namely national captain Robert France, midfield maestro Jamarj Assanah, Meshach Sargeant and defensive stalwart Kareem McKenzie.
Although inexperienced, the new members of the squad are not short on talent, with much expected from the likes of Shaquon Favorite, Shakeem Fausette, Warren Williams, Samuel Woodroffe and Paul D’Andrade.
The team will be managed by former national Women’s captain Marisha Fernandes and coached by John Abrahams and Robert Fernandes.
Commenting on his expectations for the series Fernandes stated, “We’re excited to see how this new group adapts to international competition. We have a very talented, hard working group of youngsters who possess a high hockey IQ, the only thing we’re short of is international experience.”
“I view this series as an opportunity to see where we are in our preparation for the Junior Pan Ams and the CAC Games next year. It also gives us an opportunity to experiment with different systems, formations and personnel to see what works and what doesn’t. I expect us to give a good account of ourselves, but the main purpose of this series is to learn and get better for next year.”
Under-21 National Team: Baraka Garnett, Darious Alleyne, Donnel Alleyne, Frederico Cush, Jabari Lovell, Javid Hussain, Leroy Geer, Nkhruma Hutson, Oshazay Savory, Quinn Tobin, Raoul Whittaker, Samuel Woodroffe, Shakeem Fausette, Shaquon Favorite, Simeon Moore, Tahrea Garnett, Vladimir Woodroffe and Warren Williams.
Senior National Team: Deheron Wilkinson, Dominic Alleyne, Frederico Cush, Jamarj Assanah, Kareem Mc Kenzie, Meshach Sargeant, Oshazay Savory, Paul D’Andrade, Raoul Whittaker, Robert France, Samuel Woodroffe, Shaka Gill, Shakeem Fausette, Shaquon Favorite, Shomere Garnett, Tahrea Garnett, Tivesarid Garnett, Troy Hodge and Warren Williams.
