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Men’s and Women’s National Senior Hockey Teams were the first teams to arrive at the Mexican host city on Tuesday night and have already had their first training session on Wednesday afternoon. Men’s Captain Darren Cowie- “Everyone seems to be keen and upbeat despite the long travel (between Trinidad and Veracuez). We’re excited to get on the pitch and get a feel... get the ball rolling. During the first session, the ball pace and intensity was really high. The communication is something we’ve been trying to work on and (one) can actually hear even the younger players being more vociferous... The camaraderie, the intensity and the momentum in the first session was really high”.

The hockey team are preparing for their opening game against Dominican Republic, Sunday 16th, one day after the opening ceremony.

Other teams to have already arrived and settle in include Women’s indoor Volleyball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Canoe/Kayak and Cycling. The reminding teams will be arriving ahead of their scheduled competition dates.

List of T&T teams:

Athletics

Badminton

Basketball

Canoe/Kayak

Cycling

Gymnastics

Hockey

Rifle

Rugby

Football

Sailing

Squash

Swimming

Table Tennis

Target Archery

Volleyball

Water Polo

Dwight Yorke hopes the newly-launched British Airways Tobago Football Legends Challenge will provide a major boost for the country which has struggled to build upon its first-ever qualification for a FIFA World Cup in 2006.

The event, which sees 64 former English Premier League players compete in a six-a-side tournament at stadium in Tobago named after Yorke, will take place from June 15 to 22, 2015.

The former Manchester United, who also played for Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City and Sunderland during his illustrious career, was captain for Trinidad and Tobago's three group stage matches in Germany more than eight years ago.

The 43-year-old was recently quoted as saying that football in the country had since taken "a turn for the worst in many respects" by the Trinidad Guardian Newspaper.

Trinidad and Tobago failed to secure a spot at both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups in South Africa and Brazil respectively, and Yorke believes the success of 2006 led to complacency setting in.

"I think it's the mentality sometimes of our country," Yorke, Tobago's global brand ambassador, told insidethegames here.

"It was mainly our own downfall at the time.

"Our country has a population of 1.3 million people and to qualify for the World Cup was obviously a historical moment.

"I've been fortunate to play at the highest level and as a player, you will not get any higher accolade than representing your country in a World Cup.

"So that was huge and I felt that at that time, instead of embracing it and learning from it, and making sure we continued going in the right direction, I feel that we took our eye off the ball.

"Maybe the players themselves to a certain extent are to blame with that success.

"They didn't embrace it well.

"They took it for granted.

"I always feared the worst because I could see from my own eyes that this was going to go belly up, and it did go belly up."

As well as British Airways, the Football Legends Challenge is also supported by the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association.

Former players from Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool will be joined by All-Star teams formed from the Caribbean and the PFA.

The eighth and final team will come from either Newcastle, Everton, Aston Villa or Leicester.

The legends will also compete in a golf tournament at the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort on June 19, as a prelude to the launch of the Dwight Yorke International Golf Tournament in 2016.

The Resort is home to Tobago's 18-hole Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) designed championship course.

Sky Sports will broadcast the Football Legends Challenge in a 90-minute special.

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Former president of the Trinidad and Tobago Hockey Board, Maureen Craig Rousseau, was elected to the Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation as an ordinary member, securing one of the two positions available for new female members on the Board.
Her election came at the 44th International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Congress, held from October 29 to Sunday in Marrakesh, Morocco.
The Congress was titled the “Hockey Revolution Congress”and the FIH revealed its new ten-year strategy set to deliver a global sport, inspiring the next generation of hockey players. The FIH laid out its goals for the next ten years for hockey based around entertainment, professionalism, image and following.
Craig Rousseau’s vast experience as an administrator has been gained from exposure over the last 30 years, including among them director and vice-president for (Pan American Hockey Federation), with responsibility for the Caribbean over the past 12 years to date.

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The Central American and Caribbean Games have been an integral part of my development as a shot putter. During my early career CAC Games medals were not guaranteed, as I came up against a crew, of world class Cuban throwers. However, these epic battles prepared me for the world stage. I can recall being extremely proud and excited to medal at my first CAC Games in Cartagena Columbia. At this meet I had to better the Olympic standard to medal due to the intense nature of the competition. At the Puerto Rico 2010 Games I also had to produce a big effort to walk away with the win. This year I am excited for the CAC Games, to represent T&T and hopefully inspire the next generation of female throwers.

While the CAC region is not predominantly know for producing female athletes in the throwing events, I believe that there is a lot of untapped talent in the region. I almost missed my calling, and did not really start throwing seriously until I was 18 years old. I came from the small village of Mayaro, where opportunities to throw were scarce. I did not get my chance until I migrated for College, and walked on to the Track and Field Team at Coppin State College. I had no throwing experience, but my collegiate coaches Gorden Rackley and Brian King molded me into a NCAA National Champion. As a result of my NCAA win I was encouraged to train for the 2004 Olympic Games. I moved from the lively urban setting of Baltimore, Maryland to the rural and tranquil town of Blacksburg, Virgina to work with Coach Gregory Jack. Coach Jack not only assisted me in achieving the Olympic Standard, but he accompanied me to my first CAC Games. The Games were very important to us, because as I mentioned earlier my competitors were fierce. At this time I was the only female shot putter from T&T, but I was in the company of our amazing hammer thrower Candice Scott. Together we brought some serious “girl power” to the team. Candice and I pushed each other, expecting only the best. With tons of hard work by my second CAC Games in Puerto Rico I knew I could throw over 19m and possibly win.

I am quite proud of my accomplishments at the last CAC Games, I was coaching myself at the time, and I was ready to throw far. Two thousand and ten was one of my best Track and Field seasons. The CAC Games were also very successful for Team T&T. I remember the team atmosphere being positive, and the medals coming in on a daily basis. I worked extremely hard to prepare for the 2010 Games, but it can not compare to the body of work my coach, Ismael Lopez Mastrapa and I have put in this year. Coach did not take it easy on me as we prep for the final meet of the year. As I look back on my many years as a competitor the CAC level it has never been easy. There has always been something or someone to push me to a new level. Mastrapa and I are aware that this meet falls well outside track season, but as always the CAC Games will be crucial to my success.  

The Central American and Caribbean Games team led by Annette Knott Chef de Mission can boast as being one of the strongest female contingents to participate in a multi sport Games representing the red, white and black
With 97 Female athletes from a contingent of 200 Athletes and a number of female officials on both the medical team and technical staff these Games will feel the full power of the T & T Women.
The female athletes include the Soca Princesses who will leave Ecuador on what we hope will be a successful journey to travel to the CAC games to revenge their defeat with Mexico.
Women will be represented in Five team sports, Football, Rugby ,Hockey,Volleyball both Indoor and Beach and Basketball.
Our medal prospects are boosted by the participation of Cleopatra Borel who will defend her CAC title along with Ayanna Alexander who also won Gold in CAC in 2010.

There are a few first in the young female members of the team, with open water swimming being represented for the first time by the two young David sisters, Syriah and Sania. Kelly Ann Arriandale is the first female sailor to compete at the CAC Games.

In the Team Sports Women's Hockey will also defend their title .

Mrs Knott who has arrived in Veracruz ahead of the team is optimistic that the women will produce their best at the Games that will inspire the team to have the best performances in 2014.  We must believe and have faith in our Athletes.

22^ND CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN GAMES, VERACRUZ 2014

TEAM LIST

Admin:                                 4

Medical:                               12

Athletes:                             197

Managers/Coaches:       59

Total:                                    272

The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee(TTOC) has selected 200 athletes to compete at the XXII Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) 2014 to be held in Veracruz, Mexico from the 14 – 30th November.

The delegation will be led by Chef de Mission Annette Knott, the Secretary General of the TTOC with Wendell Labastide as the Assistant Chef de Mission.

19 Sports including 9 team sports qualified for the CAC Games included in the team list are CAC 2010 Gold medal winners and defending champions George Bovell, Cleopatra Borel, Roger Daniel and the women’s hockey team. At the 2010 CAC Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico T&T was represented by 235 athletes in 24 sports and returned with a record medal haul OF 34 medals( 9 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze)

Olympic medalists Emmanuel Callender will be strong contenders for CAC Gold.  Sailor Andrew Lewis is keen to make a good showing in his quest to qualify for the Rio Olympics

The Trinidad and Tobago (TTO) team of 200 athletes includes the female Soca Warriors.

Team TTO will be based in 4 cities in the State of Veracruz with Athletics, Cycling, Archery, and Badminton in the City of Xalapa
Cordoba will be the home to Volleyball
Tuxpan will host Canoe/kayak
All the other TTO team sports will be in Veracruz

For a some Sports the CAC Games is the qualifier for Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. The CAC Games is an essential step on the pathway to the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Team TTO will be represented at the CAC Games by:

Aquatics, Swimming, Marathon Open Water Swimming and Water Polo.
This is the first time Trinidad and Tobago will be represented in Open Water swimming by 4 young swimmers

Archery

Athletics

Boxing

Badminton

Basketball, The women’s basketball team is the first team to represent Trinidad and Tobago basketball at the CAC Games

Cycling,  Includes experienced veteran cyclist Emile Abraham

Canoe/Kayak

Football Women’s team

Judo

Gymnastics

Hockey Men and Women’s teams the Women are the defending Champions

Rugby Men and Women a first time appearance for the Women

Sailing

Shooting

Squash

Table Tennis, Dexter St Louis once again wearing the RED WHITE and BLACK

Taekwondo

Volleyball Indoor both men and women and Beach Volleyball both Men and Women

The full list of Athletes will be released on the 7th November.

FORMER TRINIDAD and Tobago defender Brent Sancho is calling for greater support for the national women’s team, as they prepare for their 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification CONCACAF-CONMEBOL playoff against Ecuador, on November 8 (in Ecuador) and December 2 (in TT).

The winner of the two-leg playoff will progress to the Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Trinidad and Tobago failed to gain automatic qualification on Sunday, when they fell to a 4-2 defeat, in extra-time, by Mexico in the third-place playoff of the CONCACAF Women’s Championships at the PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, United States.

According to Sancho, in a telephone interview yesterday, “I think, first and foremost, we failed these women, with the preparation that they had, not just the (US) $500 fiasco but even before that. I think we failed them miserably, in terms of making sure that everything was in place for their preparation to be successful.

“I think it’s imperative that we, not just the governing body but also Government and corporate Trinidad and Tobago give priority to these bunch of girls (for them to qualify) to the World Cup by making sure that we give them every single thing needed to assist with their qualification,” he added. “I don’t think we should leave any stone unturned to make sure that we put all that we need to be put in place, and we don’t spare any expense.”

Sancho was a member of the “Soca Warriors” team, under the guidance of Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker, that qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

But the national women squad, dubbed the Soca Princesses, will have to play the first leg of the playoff at altitude in Quito, Ecuador.

Asked about the altitude factor, Sancho replied, “from my experience playing the sport, it’s always a difficult proposition for any team. I’ve seen World Champions and all struggle to play at altitude. Our CONCACAF neighbours Mexico have consistently used it to their advantage.”

He continued, “scientifically, there are procedures that are available to at least give yourself a fighting chance when it comes to altitude. I think that is the realm that we need to go down.”

TT women coach Randy Waldrum was unable to maintain consistency in the starting line-up, as injuries took its toll, with midfielders Tasha St Louis, Karyn Forbes, Ayanna Russell and Janine Francois all spending time on the treatment table.

Sancho, currently the managing director of local club Central FC, noted, “I feel that we can’t leave any stone unturned. I know for a fact there are many players that have Trinidad parentage that play in the US, and here as well. I think we really need to go out there and scratch the surface, and see if we can get players that are of the calibre that could give us that added impetus to push the team forward.”

He added, “when you look at the adversity that this team had throughout the campaign, not just the off-the-field fiasco but the injuries, we need to go out there and probably the players that are within our reach, we need to get them here and make sure they are part of the programme.

“We need to get a pool of players ready, fit and available, to make sure that qualification is our number one goal,” he ended.

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