Hockey review 2019 (Part one)…. GHB maintains high level of organisation

Dec 30, 2019 Sports

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By Calvin Chapman
The Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) that is headed by Philip Fernandes continues to be one of the most disciplined sports organisations in Guyana after another productive 2019 and the hockey fraternity can look forward to 2020 being another good year with the Pan Am Challenge and Junior Pan Am Championships being the biggest events on the associations calendar.
The GHB hosted several tournaments from the under-10 to senior level, both outdoor and indoor, with little hiccups with the exception of the unpredictable weather delaying the outdoor development leagues. The GHB framework fosters the training of players to be match officials so there is never a shortage of umpires or table officials, while strict measures remained in place to ensure matches in tournaments to hit off on time.
National mens coach, Robert Fernandes, achieved his level III coaching certification last August during a training course held in Peru, something that will augur well for the GHB as Fernandes prepares his troops for the 2020 Junior Pan American Championships in Santiago, Chile, November-December.
Since 2018, the GHB had put together a 40-member training squad to begin preparation for the 2020 games which Guyana had placed sixth during the 2016 games that was held in Canada, and preparations are sure to be boosted in the coming months with possible warm-up tours to the twin Island republic of Trinidad & Tobago who are regional hockey powerhouses.
Here is a summary of the major tournaments contested locally in 2019.
Farfan & Mendes 1st division
The curtains fell on the 2019 edition of the Farfan & Mendes mens outdoor hockey league on March 17th with the final three matches and although there was still one round of matches to be completed, Bounty GCC were expected to clinch the title and dethrone 2018 champions Pepsi Hikers after defeating them the previous day at their home ground to go ahead of the points standing by one point.
GBTI GCC crowned 2018 womens 1st division champions
The dominance of GBTI GCC womens hockey team was asserted March last after they were crowned champions of the Woodpecker Products womens outdoor league 2019, moments after they crushed B side; Bingo Spartans, 5-0 at their home ground, GCC, on Shivnarine Chanderpaul Drive.
Although Spartans suffered a heavy defeat, the young side showed signs that they will be the team to beat in the not so distant future, a sentiment which is shared by the head of the Guyana Hockey Board, Phillip Fernandes.
Bounty Paper Towel & Solo drink hockey leagues
The Bounty Paper/Quicker Picker Upper Second Division Outdoor Development Hockey male and female leagues concluded in October at St. Stanislaus College (SSC) and one week before the leagues final play the championship had already been decided. GCC The Sequel had 28 points from 11 games with one match to play, while Saints Hockey Club (SHC) Savages were second with 20 points from 10 games in the mens second division.
On the distaff side, Saints women won their first championship after drawing with GCC Bingo Spartans on the penultimate match day to go four points clear of the 2018 Champions GBTI GCC.
The Solo soft drink sponsored girls under-20 development hockey league concluded on September 28th at the SSC ground with favourites Bingo GCC Spartans brushing aside Saints 3-0 in the final league match to confirm their championship status.
The second place Saints couldve upset GCC if they had won that final match by four goals or more but the dominant Spartans side didnt leave any room for error during a typically commanding display of hockey.
Goal difference was the deciding factor to determine the champions of the Solo soft drink under-20 boys outdoor development hockey league after YMCA Old Fort Hockey Club (OFHC) Ballerz edged runners up GCC Pitbulls 2-1 in the final league match.
The win allowed Ballerz to match Pitbulls 19 points and with Ballerz superior goal difference of 22 compared to Pitbulls 12, it was eventually a well-deserved triumph for the OFHC.
GTT National Indoor C/Ship
Pepsi Hikers beat YMCA Old Fort Delta Force 4-3 on October 20th to retain their National Indoor mens first division title in a clash at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) that saw no love lost between the two teams.
On the distaff side in the first division, MVP and leading goal scorer, Marzana Fiedtkou banged in a hat-trick to spearhead GBTI GCC Tigers to a 6-3 victory over GBTI GCC Spice in the final.
Bounty GCC Pitbulls won the mens second division and their star player, Kareem McKenzie was awarded MVP, while Omar Hopkinson of YMCA Old Fort Top Form scored the most goals; 16, and Paul DAndrade was awarded best goalkeeper.
YMCA Old Fort Hot Shots edged Bounty GCC Vintage 10-9 to usurp them as Champions in the over-35 veterans division.
DMW Hockey Festival
The clubs from the twin island republic of Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) had a fruitless campaign in last years Diamond Mineral Water (DMW) International Indoor hockey festival after Guyana swept the competition by winning the over-35, mens open and womens open but the Trinidadians returned this year with vengeance and took top honours in all three divisions when the event concluded on December 1st at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).
Queens Park Cricket Club (QPCC) and Pepsi Hikers featured for the third consecutive year in the mens final and although the partisan Guyanese fans wanted at least one trophy in the bag, QPCC won the match 4-3 on penalties after the game had finished 3-3 after full time.
QPCC prevailed in the Lucozade over-35 division after an enterprising 11-8 win in the final against Bounty GCC Vintage.
The ExxonMobil womens division final was a cliffhanger with T&Ts George United edging 2018 champions GBTI GCC Tigers 5-4.

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