Tuesday 13 June 2023, Balmain, Couva
The national men’s and women’s hockey teams were welcomed home Monday night after performing creditably at the Hockey 5s Pan Am Cup in Jamaica. The women, who placed 4th, just missed out on qualification for the inaugural World Cup, while the men earned their berth by placing 2nd in the hemispheric tournament, beating Caribbean neighbours Jamaica as well as Panama, Paraguay, Guatemala and Costa Rica. The stickmen only faltered against gold medal winners USA in a penalty shootout. Team TTO (M) was the highest scoring team of the tournament with 48 goals, while Teague Marcano earned most goals (17) and the tournament MVP award.
On behalf of Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe and acting Minister of Sport Randall Mitchell, Patrice Charles, Deputy Director of Physical Education and Sport congratulated both teams. He heralded the teams for their performances on the field of play, and for delivering on the expectations of the government and people of Trinidad and Tobago. Charles also praised the Trinidad and Tobago Hockey Board (TTHB) for its efforts in raising the standard and profile of the sport and reiterated the commitment of his Ministry and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT) to supporting the vision and objectives of both national teams.
In a similar vein, TTHB President Roger St Rose congratulated the teams’ efforts and pledged the support of the NGB executive to continue rebuilding the men’s and women’s programs to their former glory and help the athletes succeed at the highest level.
Men’s Head Coach Darren Cowie was high in praise of both teams, saying that although they would be disappointed with their placing, they demonstrated a tremendous passion when stepping onto the field of play to represent Trinidad and Tobago. Focusing on his charges, Cowie said the coaching staff was proud of the maturity they showed during the Hockey 5s tournament, adding that it was excellent preparation for the hockey competition at the CAC Games. Looking ahead to Oman, where the Hockey 5s World Cup will be held in 2024, Cowie said the team is excited for the challenge of playing against the best hockey squads in the world.
Team captain Akim Toussaint, a long-time servant of the game, thanked his teammates and the public, who would have tuned in to the livestream of the games, for their support. Toussaint explained that the Hockey 5s format suited the Trinbago players since it relies heavily on skill and speed. While Toussaint excited for the World Cup, he said the team are now focusing on preparations for the traditional format (11 a side) at the CAC Games, which is a qualifier for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.
The CAC Games will be held in San Salvador, El Salvador from 23 June – 8 July 2023 while the Pan Am Games takes place from 20 October – 5 November 2023 in Santiago, Chile.
