Jamaica preparing to seal spot at Pan Am Games

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

Jamaica's senior women's hockey team is set to play Caribbean neighbours Cuba in a three-match series next month to decide the final qualifier for the 2011 Pan American Games, which will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The matches will be played at the Mona hockey field on October 28, 30 and 31, starting 4 p.m. each day and Victor Tomlinson, president of the Jamaica Hockey Federation (JHF), said they are expecting a very tough series from the Cubans, but his players are very optimistic that they can defeat them.

"The team is pretty confident because having lost out in the medal round the last Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC), they are now ready to redeem themselves and to show that they are one of the top teams in the region," said Tomlinson, in an interview with The Gleaner yesterday.

"We have selected our best squad for training and we want to do well because it is a place in the Pan Am Games that will be at stake and this will mean a lot for us if we were to qualify for it," Tomlinson said.

The JHF president noted that the squad has been working very hard under the guidance of their head coach, Dr Michelle Holt, who has been putting them through their paces over the past couple of weeks in training.

Preparation going well

"We will definitely be ready by the time this series comes up because our preparations have began and things have been going well so far," said Tomlinson.

"The Cubans have always been a top regional team because of their performances in the CAC Games and also in the Pan Am Games. They are always very competitive and we're expecting a very tough series from them."

He also noted that it would be a massive boost for the women's programme, and Jamaica's hockey in general, if they can beat the Cubans and qualify for the Pan Am Games next year.

"We will be able to pull more people to the sport and also it would help to get more sponsors for the programme," Tomlinson said.

"We want our supporters to come out and rally behind us, to help us to push towards the Pan Am Games because we need the support of everyone out there," Tomlinson urged.