GTT National Indoor Hockey Tournament…

Oct 26, 2016, Sports, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....r-hockey-tournament/

By Rawle Welch

In five days time, hockey fans will be provided with a sample of what is in store for them in this year’s Diamond Mineral Water Festival when the GTT National Indoor Tournament commences, at the National Gymnasium.
The Diamond Mineral Water Festival is the biggest and most eagerly anticipated event on the Guyana Hockey Board calendar, but the GTT National Indoor is where teams try to assert their dominance over each other and at the same time build confidence for the Festival which follows shortly after.
The sport of hockey has once again enjoyed a busy year, one in which a number of young stars have emerged and it will be interesting to see how they perform leading up to the year ending Festival which is usually graced by the presence of teams from the Caribbean and North America.
These teams are stacked with players of great talent and quality and local teams love to pit their skills against the visitors, a yardstick they use to measure the standard of play here in Guyana and their own ability as well.
PEPSI Hikers were the men’s 1st Division champion back in the inaugural GTT tournament and enters this year’s edition as the two-time defending champions, while also being the most dominant team this year which makes them the hunted.
The club boasts one of the best win records in regional competition and will once again be led by stalwarts Devin Munroe and Captain Robert France, but there are a group of young players who believe they are on the crest of taking that mantle from the senior players.
Players such as Aroydy Bransford, Jamaarj Assanah, Randy Hope and Andrew Stewart have been in prolific form this season and must be determined to continue their fine run.
Their toughest competition is likely to come from the record championship holders, Bounty GCC with seven trophies to their name, and three-time winners, Old Fort.
GCC’s dynamic duo of Kevin Spencer and Orland Semple makes their club always a threat in this competitionand their chances of winning has been bolstered by the encouraging improvement of young player such as Eric Hing, Kareem McKenzie and Daniel Hooper.
Another team that possess the talent to run riot over opposing teams is Old Fort, but that is once they play as a unit and not as individuals.
The crafty Aderemi Simon and Jason De Santos are the lynchpins for their success, but youngsters such as Omar Hopkinson and Jael Gaskin are evoking much chatter with their skilful play.
Saints HC national players Hilton Chester, Paramanand Dindial and Ato Green along with junior national squad goalkeepers, Michael Hing and Rahim Oliver, for Team 2020 are the more notable names being on show for the men’s competition.
On the distaff side, Pizza Hut GCC have won ten championship victories to date and while the other teams have improved immensely over the past two years, they still start as favourites to win a record eleven titles.
Ulrica Sutherland a product from the first ever champions, Western Dragons, is now part of the Pizza Hut GCC team and a formidable player as well and combined with the likes of productive strikers Sonia Jardine and Kerensa Fernandes it is difficult to pinpoint an opponent to beat them.
Hikers ladies will be led by recent Lucozade MVP, Marisha Fernandes with fellow national Maria Munroe and the exciting young talent of Nicole Eastman in support.
The Old Fort Shooting Stars have been improving with each outing and have grown into genuine contenders for the tournament mostly through the pace and skill of Minsodia Culpepper and athleticism of goalkeeper Sarafina Phillips.
The Spartans are a young side eager to improve on their recent outings and feature the new emerging talent of strikers Sarah Klautky and Abosaide Cadogan.
The mere fact that the country’s best stickmen and women will be showcasing their skills makes it a must see for sporting fans.
Matches begin from 17:00hrs and competition runs until the evening of Saturday, November 5.