Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival returns on Thursday!

On Thursday December 1st, the Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival will bully-off for the sixteenth time. Born from the idea of Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira, who upon visiting Guyana in 2003, met with the Guyana Hockey Board and encouraged them to stage an annual international hockey festival. Reds being a huge proponent of sports tourism thought that the Guyanese sporting bodies needed to do more to attract foreign athletes to our shores. The Guyana Hockey Board took up the challenge and secured the volunteer services of former national hockey players, Troy Hugh Peters, to be the Tournament Coordinator.

Sarah Klautky in action at the 2019 edition of the Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival

Eighteen years later, the Festival has grown into one of the premiere indoor hockey events in the region and attracts top club teams and players from the Pan American region. While over the years the festival has had its challenges and missed years due to renovations at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in 2012 and then again during the restrictive covid-19 times.

This year the mighty Queens Park men’s contingent returns to compete in the men’s veteran over 35s and the Guinness Masters over 45s divisions. The over 35s will be the first foreign side on show as they take on the Antonio’s Hickers at 19:30hrs on the opening night.

Trinidad Police makes their debut this year with a large male and female contingent. The TT Police men will be on show for the final match of the evening on Thursday as they take on the recent GTT National Indoor Champions, Bounty GCC. The police ladies similarly will face local national champs the GBTI GCC Tigers in the TLC ladies division at 20:10hrs

The tournament will feature 18 teams which includes 6 foreign teams. In addition, four players from Canada and two from the USA will be on show as guest players among the local sides, adding to the international flare of the festival.

Diamond Mineral Water has been the mainstay of the festival and has been the title sponsor since its inception in 2004. Local freight-forwarding company, TLC Guyana Inc, which is the sponsor of the women’s division is new to the sport locally while Guinness, more popular with football, has been the welcome sponsor of the Masters division.

All matches are being player at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and begin at 18:00 hrs on Thursday 1st December, 15:00hrs on December 2nd, 13:00hrs on December 3rd and 11:00 hrs on the final day of December 4th.

Guyana Olympic Association to host ‘Virtual Fitness’ event as part of Olympic Day activities

In the continuation of their Olympic Day 2020 activities, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) will be hosting a ‘Virtual Fitness’ event, the first of its kind on Thursday (July 9) at 6:30pm.

Although Olympic Day was on June 23, the GOA has a number of virtual activities planned; however this event which has never been tried before in the sports fraternity takes precedence and all athletes and sports associations are invited.

Dr. Karen Pilgrim who is the Caribbean Director of the Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) and Vice President of the GOA told The 592 Dugout; “Although we have had several virtual meetings, this will be our first attempt at a public event so we’re hoping it works”.

Dr. Karen Pilgrim

She explained; “The intention is to have a half-hour of Jazzercise; If you’re not familiar with that, It’s basically a fun aerobic and strength training programme.  This will be followed by about 15 minutes of strength training and no equipment is needed for either section”.

Quizzed about the move behind the event, Dr Pilgrim revealed that the GOA Executive discussed several ideas and agreed on a few events which will be carried out by the Olympic body.

Jazzercise is a dance fitness franchise company founded by Judi Sheppard Missett in 1969 and headquartered in Carlsbad, California, United States. The company currently has over 8,300 franchisees worldwide in 32 countries.

It combines dance-based cardio with strength training and stretching to sculpt, tone and lengthen muscles for maximum fat burn. Choreographed to today’s hottest music, Jazzercise is a fusion of jazz dance, resistance training, pilates, yoga, and kickboxing.

The ‘Virtual Fitness’ event which starts at 6:30pm via Zoom will be facilitated by trainers from ‘Guyana Jazzercise’ and ‘Spartan Fitness’.

The Login information is as follows:

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5082882516…

Meeting ID: 508 288 2516

Password: 1GPxZh

Persons are encouraged to sign in at 6:15pm and all are invited.

Titans Table Tennis Club planning for Life after Covid-19

• Dick urges National Federations to unite & improve policies

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the world throughout without discretion and has brought sports to a standstill. While in certain parts of the world professional football and motorsports have resumed behind closed doors and under specific conditions, it is unclear when it would be safe for sports in Guyana to make a return.

However, despite this uncertainty, Guyana’s leading table tennis institution, the Titans Table Tennis Club is remaining proactive in its plans for the future. Known for their almost factory-like production of top junior athletes, The Titans family has been putting their time during lockdown to good use.

In an exclusive interview, Titans’ President and Head Coach Dwain Dick, told The 592 Dugout that the younger athletes have been given a much needed break.

Dick opined; “I think the uncertainty of our return to normalcy is the biggest concern. Sports have been a big part of our lives as coaches, players, and even parents, thus, the pandemic has forced us to alter our schedules and our lives to some extent. It’s challenging, but we are all trying to cope, by focusing and prioritizing our areas that were somewhat a bit neglected because of table tennis. The younger athletes now have more time to rest and place emphasis on academics”.

Titans Head Coach Dwain Dick addressing his charges before a training session.

Despite there not being any guidance from the relevant sports authorities, the Titans administration has been busy looking ahead to when it is finally safe to resume operations.

To this end, Dick revealed; “We are presently drafting a set of safety protocols for the return of our senior (adult) and elite junior players as a trial. This would include temperature tests, wearing of masks, playing areas limited to only coaches and specific number of players, handling of equipment and a few other things that would have to be adhered to”.

Looking at the impact of the lockdown and it’s ripple effects, both negative and positive, the outspoken Titans President explained; “Our full time coaches were forced more or less to take up part time employment outside of sports so we are all trying to adjust. It is taking a financial toll on us as we still would have had some overheads but we are trying to cushion those expenses through our academic arm, the TTTC Virtual Learning Academy”.

He further revealed; “It’s an online platform where we offer students, student/athletes, and adults tutoring in subjects that propel them towards careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)”.

He continued; “Since the inception of Titans I was offering CSEC Mathematics to club members with phenomenal success. It is just that this period has given us the opportunity to think and plan ahead a bit more seriously or in other terms, has forced us to consider opportunities in the present”.

Quizzed about plans for when the club can finally resume their operations, Dick revealed; “There are no immediate plans for tournaments but we are in the process of drafting our elite junior program, which hopefully we will be able to implement. It’s a junior program that will see us moving away from the recreational aspect into the professional (elite) realm”.

Dick who was a former national player appealed to everyone to be; “more responsible and cautious. As we put ourselves at risk, we also put others at risk too”.

In closing he encouraged the various national federations to; “Collaborate whether it’s virtually and use this period to strengthen and improve their policies etc, so that when sports resumes we can see them operating at the highest standards. They can use this time to communicate their vision and become more efficient and effective, as well as see ways how to improve athletes performances and how best to support athletes”.

“To the parents, emotional support provides the biggest benefits to young athletes, so continue to be that support. To my fellow coaches, adapt, and find ways to stay relevant. This time will pass”.

Dick further urged; “To the players, stay positive, there will be more chances and opportunities in the future. To become a great athlete it requires tremendous amounts of dedication, discipline, desire and effort. Stand up and face the present challenges. Stay positive, remember it’s not about a one time trip, it’s about self development, being the best that you can be”.