Four hockey officials selected for CAC Games qualifier

THE Trinidad and Tobago Hockey Board (TTHB) will be represented by four officials at the Pan American Hockey Federation’s (PAHF) Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games qualifier which flicks off from April 13 to 17 in Bermuda.

Presiding over the tournament’s operations are Nataki Aki-Bua and Susan Gomes, who will be taking the reins as technical delegate and umpires’ manager respectively.

Ronnie Chandler, an upcoming official from Tobago, was appointed as technical official while experienced umpire Ayanna McClean was a late addition to the roster of umpires for this tournament.

A statement from the hockey board on Tuesday said this will be Akii-Bua's first tournament at the helm.

“She brings with her a vast wealth of experience having served as the assistant technical delegate at the 2018 Youth Pan American Championships, and most recently as a technical officer at the 2022 Pan Am Cup, the region's Hockey World Cup qualifier.”

Akii-Bua has served as a judge in over 70 matches, and as the technical officer in over 50.

Additionally, Gomes, a former national player turned umpire, has been serving as an umpires’ manager since 2013.

The TTHB statement continued, “With Gomes having been the umpires’ manager at the last two CAC Games, and over 150 matches under her belt, the team of umpires will be in good hands as this is their opportunity to make their case to be appointed for the CAC Games in 2023.”

Meanwhile, Chandler, who represented TT at the 2017 Pan American Indoor Cup and was appointed to the 2021 Pan American Challenge, was on track to attend the event, but due to unforeseen circumstances, was unable to take up the appointment.

Veteran umpire McClean however, was selected owing to the unavailability of one of the appointed umpires.

McClean will be the most experienced umpire at the event and this will be her first tournament in the Caribbean region in almost ten years.

Along with these four TT officials, Yael Jagbir, a Trinidadian national who pursued her degree in physiotherapy in Jamaica and currently practices her craft there, will also be in action at the CAC qualifier.

Jagbir has been selected as the physiotherapist for the Jamaican contingent competing at the event. She has been working with the team for several years, including at the last CAC Games held in 2018.

Yael is no stranger to working with elite athletes, as she has worked with Jamaican track athletes, Ronald Levey and SherickaJackson during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.