Hockey Taking Root – Full Story
The sport of hockey is growing in Jamaica with many of the high schools in the country participating in competitions. Outside of the schools, the clubs are very active, while the women and men’s national teams take on their international counterparts.
All hockey matches in Jamaica are played at the Mona Hockey Turf, the island’s only astro-turf playing surface that was laid in January 1999. Before 1999 matches were played on grass and on the concrete surface inside the National Arena.
The astro-turf was laid, just a year after the Jamaica Hockey Federation was formed through the amalgamation of the Jamaica Men’s Hockey Association and the Jamaica Women’s Hockey Association on January 31, 1998
The current president is Victor Tomlinson. He is assisted by two vice presidents – Audrey Gaynor and Richard Shaw – both former national players.
Jamaica’s best period in hockey came during the 1970 and 1980s when the country was represented by players such as Carol Cuffley, Meg Cooper and Gail Kerr, Michelle Holt, Myrtle Weir, Sharon Malcolm and Patricia Barber and Audrey Gaynor.