President of the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB), Philip Fernandes has related that one of the main issues he will be raising with the Director of Sport, Christopher Jones when they meet to discuss the direction hockey is heading in 2017 will be that of the potential hosting of an international tournament.
Philip articulated that while there is the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival, which has been in existence for over a decade, it has attracted teams for other countries across the region and North America, but the fact remains that they are club teams.
Guyana Hockey Board President, Philip Fernandes
Based on this, Fernandes related that Guyana has the talent to produce a spectacular team that can represent the country and therefore would like to have and indoor tournament hosted by Guyana and attracting countries.
“We also want discuss the possibility of Guyana hosting an international indoor tournament. We do host the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Club Tournament but we are talking about something with national teams from all the Americas; you know Argentina, Canada and USA as well.” Fernandes stated.
The GHB President noted that the indoor facility at the National Gymnasium is a good surface and has the potential of holding a huge crowd and judging of the success of the local tournaments over the past year, Fernandes is confident that this tournament can attract crowds from both local and overseas, adding to tourism in the country.
Guyana has performed exceptionally well in 2016 and the immediate years following that. The local clubs are now experienced and have the reputation of competing with international teams.
In the Diamond Mineral Water Festival, Pepsi Hikers, who are the dominant male team snatch the title with a win over Queens Park Cricket Club, while the Pizza Hut GCC ladies made it to the finals but went down to Toronto Toros.
Pepsi Hikers are currently playing in Trinidad and Tobago while Fernandes has plans of sending a team to the Pan-American games later in the year.
