Woodroffe optimistic about Junior Pan Am C/Ship being played

Jul 15, 2020 Sports

It is no surprise that 18-year-old Samuel Woodroffe has a deep passion for hockey after being grown into the sport with his father Damon and sisters, Dacia and Trisha all having represented the Golden Arrowhead in the game, while his sister, Dominique outfits for Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) hockey team.

Woodroffe challenges Devin Munroe (left) of Hikers during the GHB 2nd division outdoor developmental league last season.

Samuel Woodroffe controls the ball for GCC during the GHB outdoor developmental 2nd division league last year.

Samuel began playing at the tender age of five-years and like his family, he has been a member of just one club; GCC, winning almost everything there is to win with the Bourda based team.
In the last two years, Samuel has picked up a number of trophies with GCC including the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) Outdoor Developmental under-19 league (2018), Junior Indoor Championship (October 2019), National Indoor second division championship, and the Farfan & Mendes 1st division outdoor league.
The young Woodroffe, who described himself as a good all-round player, is mainly deployed in defence during competitive matches and the teen has played for every GCC men’s side except the veterans.
His success and youth had earned him a call-up to the senior men’s training squad who were preparing for the Pam Am Challenge Cup. However, the coronavirus pandemic has since forced the postponement of the National Training, while the Pan Am Challenge which was initially scheduled to begin on June 27 and conclude last week in Peru has been postponed, indefinitely.
Samuel shared with this publication that it is really disappointing to not be able to train with the squad and fight for a spot in that international tournament (Pan Am Challenge) but he declared that he must do whatever he can to stay mentally and physically fit.
To this end, the defender maintains a strict exercise regime in the confines of his home so at least he can have some stamina when National Coach Robert Fernandes resumes training with the squad.
Despite the alarming covid-19 infection rates in South America, the former Mae’s Secondary student is rightfully optimistic about the running off of the Pan Am Junior (under-21) championship that is scheduled for April 12-25, 2021 in Santiago, Chile.
He posited that, “I’m confident that Guyana and the world will overcome this deadly virus soon. And, it is very likely that the youth championship will be able to be contested. After of just over three months, we have seen many major sport leagues and competitions returning to play, so in nine months, everything should be back to normal, hopefully.” (Calvin Chapman)