Hockey – Mission for development
The Jamaica Hockey Federation is now on a mission to further develop the sport and expose players to a series of high-level competition before the end of 2011.
The local association is targeting three international competitions to fulfil its expectations this year. Those tournaments are the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF) Caribbean Cup in early July in the Dominican Republic; the Pan American Challenge Cup from July 30 to August 7 in Brazil; and the PAHF Club Championships, which Jamaica will host at the end of the year.
The country has a poor history at the Club Championships except in 1999 when St Andrew Hockey Club took second place in the women’s competition at the first tournament, which was held in Jamaica from September 19 to 25. Club Atletico Universitario of Argentina won the women’s tournament.
Raiders United, the top men’s club in Jamaica, finished seventh in the men’s tournament which was won by Club Ciudad, also of Argentina. Raiders United also represented Jamaica in the 2000 edition held in Trinidad and Tobago and finished last and the 2001 edition in Barbados when the team was sixth.
St Andrew Hockey Club was also the top women’s club in Jamaica in 2001 and could only finish fifth at the Club Championship to Andino Club de Mendoza of Argentina.
At the 2007 PAHF Caribbean Hockey Cup held in Trinidad from November 7-11, Jamaica won the silver medal in the women’s competition after losing 2-1 to hosts Trinidad in the final. And in the men’s competition, Jamaica finished fourth. Trinidad and Tobago also won the men’s gold medal.