Notre Dame’s Kwandwane Browne and Kristin Thompson of Paragon will represent the T&T Hockey Board at the 2011 First Citizens Sports Foundation awards. This after the duo were named as the T&THB’s top players of the year at its annual end of season awards function held at the VIP Lounge, Hasely Crawford Stadium, on Sunday. The England-based Browne, who was voted to the Pan American Elite Team last month for a third straight time after an outstanding campaign, beat out competition from the four other “Top Five” players in Aidan De Gannes (Notre Dame), last year’s winner Darren Cowie (QPCC), Akim Toussaint (Paragon) and Dwain Quan Chan (Petrotrin). While Browne, who plies his trade in England with Canterbury Hockey Club, was a shoe-in for the men’s top award, Thompson as the choice for the women’s Player of the Year came as a surprise to many. A joint top-scorer in the National Indoor and Super Indoor competitions, Thompson, a regular on the national women’s squad, got the nod ahead of Shandy Carib Magnolias trio Kelli O’Brien, Michelle Leotaud and Stacey Siu Butt as well as national goalkeeper Petal Derry of Harvard Maritime Checkers.

However, the talk of the afternoon was the snubbing of Notre Dame national duo and cousins, Curlyne Wynn and Belgium-based Blair Wynne for at least a “Top Five” consideration after helping their clubs to three domestic titles while enjoying a good year in national colours. There was more surprises to come on the night when Petrotrin (men) and Malvern (women) walked away with the Team of the Year accolades ahead of Queen’s Park and Notre Dame respectively. In addition to the individual awards, the top five players in both the men and women category will be honoured while Queen’s Park CC (men) and Notre Dame (women) are front runners for the Club of the Year accolade.

Honour roll
Players of the Year & First Citizens Sports Foundation nominess:
Men: Kwandwane Browne (Notre Dame/Canterbury (UK)
Women: Kristin Thompson (Paragon)

Top Five Players of the Year:
Men: Aidan De Gannes (Notre Dame), Darren Cowie (QPCC), Kwandwane Browne (Notre Dame/Canterbury), Akim Toussaint (Paragon), Dwain Quan Chan (Petrotrin)
Women: Kelli O’Brien (SC Magnolias), Petal Derry (HM Checkers), Michelle Leotaud (SC Magnolias), Kristin Thompson (Paragon), Stacey Siu Butt (SC Magnolias)

Opening Day Tournament:
Men: Corona Fatima
Women: Paragon

Outdoor League winners:
Men’s Championship Div: 1. Petrotrin; 2. Paragon; 3. Defence Force
Most Goals: Aidan De Gannes (Notre Dame), Akim Toussaint (Paragon), Wayne Legerton (Petrotrin), Dominic Young (QPCC)
Women’s Championship Div: 1. Malvern; 2. SC Magnolias; 3. Paragon
Most Goals: Stacey Siu Butt (SC Magnolias), 23 goals

Trinity Men: 1. QPCC; 2. Notre Dame; 3. Paragon
Most Goals: Dominic Young (QPCC) - 10 goals
Trinity Women: 1. SC Magnolias; 2. Ventures; 3. Malvern
Most Goals: Gayle Ann Nieves (SC Magnolias), 13 goals

Under-19 Men: 1. Corona Fatima; 2. Shape; 3. Notre Dame
Most Goals: Andrew Vieira (Corona Fatima), 23 goals
Under-19 Women: 1. SC Magnolias; 2. Notre Dame; 2. Paragon.
Most Goals: Brianna Govia (SC Magnolias), 17 goals

Mixed Veterans: 1. QPCC; 2 Malvern; 3. Carib
Most Goals: Gary Griffith (QPCC), 15 goals
Indoor:
Men: 1. QPCC; 2. Petrotrin; 3. Notre Dame; 4. Paragon
Most Goals: Atiba Whittington (Petrotrin), 15 goals
Best Goalkeeper: Reiza Hosein (QPCC)
Most Valuable Player: Jerry Bell (QPCC)
Women: 1. Notre Dame; 2. Maritime Harvard Checkers; 3. Paragon; 4. Ventures.
Most Goals: Kristin Thompson (Paragon) - 10 goals
Best Goalkeeper: Sarayah-U Plaza (Ventures)
Most Valuable Player: Cuelyne Wynn (Notre Dame)
Veterans: 1. QPCC; 2. Notre Dame; 3. Carib
Most Goals: Raphael Govia (QPCC)
Best Goalkeeper: Hayden Francois
Most Valuable Player: Raphael Govia (QPCC)

Under-21 Division:
Girls: 1. SC Magnolias; 2. Notre Dame; 3. Paragon
Most Goals: Brianna Govia (SC Magnolias)/Elise Olton (SC Magnolias)
Boys: 1. QPCC; 2. Notre Dame; 3. Malvern
Most Goals: Danil Trancoso (Notre Dame)/Evan-Piers Farrell (QPCC)

Super Indoor:
Men: 1. QPCC; 2. Petrotrin; 3. Paragon; 4. Notre Dame
Most Goals: Shawn Lee Quay (QPCC)/Dominic Young (QPCC) & Cogie Butler (Paragon)/Akim Toussaint (Paragon)
Best Goalkeeper: Reiza Hosein (QPCC)
Most Valuable Player: Jerry Bell (QPCC)
Women: 1. Notre Dame; 2. Paragon; 3. Ventures; 4. Harvard Maritime Checkers
Most Goals: Kristin Thompson (Paragon)/Blair Wynne (Notre Dame) - 5
Most Valuable Player: Curlyne Wynn (Notre Dame)
Best Goalkeeper: Sarayah-U Plaza (Ventures)

Team of the Year:
Men: Petrotrin
Women: Malvern

Special awards: Best Media Coverage , Nigel Simon (Guardian Media Limited)

By Nigel Simon

Source: www.guardian.co.tt