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Pan Am Elite All-Star pays courtesy call on Sport Minister

Jan 24, 2014 Sports

National goalkeeper Alysa Xavier paid a courtesy call on Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony, at his office on Main Street yesterday. Xavier, who is currently on scholarship at the Miami University in Ohio, was accompanied by President of the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) Philip Fernandes and Vice-President Ivor Thompson.
The local hockey star is the lone Guyanese named on the Pan American Elite hockey squad that also features 7-time world player of the year, Argentine Luciana Aymar among other top players within the Pan Am region.
Dr. Anthony applauded Xavier on her achievement and offered words of encouragement, adding that he is hopeful that her selection to the Elite squad will provide inspiration to more females to get involved in not just hockey, but other sports as well.
According to Fernandes, the Pan American Hockey Federation selects an all-star team among players from all of the Americas every two years, based on their performances during the period and she is the first Guyanese to be selected to the Elite All-Star squad in its history, referring to it as a fantastic achievement and one that could only serve to inspire more players from this country to want to excel to attain the honor.
He added that Xavier was selected along with five players from world champions Argentina, three each from the USA and Canada, two from Chile and one each from Mexico and Uruguay.
Fernandes said, “Alysa finds herself in esteemed company and is the only player from the English speaking Caribbean to be selected.This is a significant achievement and is the first time a player from Guyana has ever been selected for this accolade.”
He disclosed, “Alysa begun playing hockey at 13-years-old. She excelled both at goalkeeping and field play, but chose to pursue the former as she was also a keen football player. Being one of those gifted athletes to whom all ball sports seem to come easily, Alysa excelled at hockey goalkeeping, rising rapidly in the ranks to earn her first national selection less than two years later. Since 2007, Alysa has been a fixture in the women’s national hockey team as its first choice goalkeeper and was one of the key players responsible for Guyana’s rise in world ranking over the past few years including a record 20 place jump in 2013.”
The GHB President pointed out that the Guyanese stopper is well known within the Caribbean as one of the top goalkeepers and has won numerous individual awards for goalkeeping than any other active goalkeeper in the English-speaking Caribbean.
“Alysa continues to represent Guyana with distinction in international competition as evidenced by her selection to the 2013 PAHF elite team. The GHB hopes that other young men and women can follow Alysa’s example of maximising their potential through hard work and dedication to the sport or any other pursuit that they love. The Board also wishes to thank the Ministry of Sport and the Guyana Olympic Association for their support, especially throughout the past few years which has enabled the Guyana women’s team and Alysa to showcase their talents on the international stage,” Fernandes stated.
Xavier in brief comments said that she is enjoying the scholarship so far, adding that even though combining studies and playing hockey is “hard”, it is not beyond her capability.

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