Mon 8 Feb, 2010
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Glynis Peters (in Barbados)
11-19-2001 2:17 pm
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A spectator's view
Life can be so simple: to hold fast to the vow not to have another plate of chips and hot sauce and eat that apple in your back pack, or to just let it go, join the queue and the crowd at the Sir Garfield Sobers Astroturf snack bar and settle down for more great hockey with a Banks beer?
I wanted to be at the pitch to support our Canadian Team, Brampton, and stuck with them through to the Bronze Medal match on Saturday. They were so disappointed and I felt badly for them, but they have a great opportunity to come back next year with all the experience they have just gained. Georgetown Cricket Club (Guyana) was a very, very good team. How can they play so well on turf when they don?t even have one in their country? The answer: cricket pitches are flat and smooth and apparently they travel extensively to matches and tournaments. Phenomenal skills!
Tony Von Ondarza, the President of the Pan Am Hockey Federation, stood talking to the Georgetown Manager. They played against each other many years ago. Now the Manager?s four sons are all playing on the GCC team! Hockey family. The ties that bind.
Do the Argentinean women have a full time victory choreographer? Is there any limit to their inventiveness on the pitch after they win?! I remembered their team in Sydney where it was hard to tell if they had just won or lost the Final! The spirit is infectious, the crowd laughs and smiles with them.
For the men?s final the stands are full and lively. The Uruguayan women, most of them with their newly braided hair, sing, dance and yell encouragement to Guyana. The crowd knows the game and there is a collective sigh of appreciation for a good move? and there are plenty! GCC score first and there is a sense of satisfaction. We are in for a good show, settle in, get another Banks and revel in this Caribbean hockey festival atmosphere. The crowd banters and while there is general laughter over another joke about someone?s ?cone-like? performance (a universal hockey dig), I catch someone, yet again, saying ?yea, I read that on PlanetFieldHockey?. Wow, it is part of international hockey culture now? and referred to often in the stands by players from different teams, as though it has been around forever. I smile ? great job Hari, great job Andrew !!!
At half time I chat with Sharnipal, the Coach/Manager/Head of Delegation, in fact the sole support for the Brampton team. He buys me a drink. We watch as GCC and Argentina take to the pitch again. There is absolutely no shame in losing to these teams, they are worthy opponents! But with a stronger bench and perhaps a bit more support staff, our Canadian boys can challenge next year.
It would be nice to see a Canadian women?s team here, always good to see Canada fully represented. A great international experience, a different style of hockey. The event is growing in stature and rumor is that it will take place on the new Pan Am Games pitch in Santa Domingo next year.
GCC fight to the very, very end but Argentina is just more experienced. The men?s celebration is slightly less exuberant but before long they are also dancing and forming an archway for Guyana to pass through.
I don?t know who thought of this Pan Am club championship but ?hats off?. It is always a positive move, in my humble opinion, to support the club program. There are many players who may never be on their national team, but this event gives them a chance to play in a sanctioned international event, against an 18 year old member of Argentina?s national junior team or a 37 year old former national team player. A wide age range, varied experience, various stages in careers, different levels of ambition, but I think a shared growing awareness of the potential for this event and an understanding that the level will continue to rise.
The medals are given out, the speeches made, the lights dimmed and we try to leave but the Argentinean teams want one more photo to be taken and e-mailed immediately to their media. Yan obliges and then we head home for him to upload results and photos to the PAHF web site.
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Yan Huckendubler
11-19-2001 2:23 pm
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Brampton will learn from the experience
I read somewhere else on PFH that somebody was making fun of Brampton for losing to a team coming from a country ?where there is not even an Astroturf to train on?. Allow me to disabuse you of this error in judgement: first the cricket grounds in Guyana are renowned throughout the world and probably worth any Astroturf for training; second, wherever they train, the players from Georgetown can trap a ball, avoid an opponent and pass the ball on a dime and in a split second. Not only can they do it when they have space and time, they can also do it under pressure and they can do it on the run. They are all extremely fit and strong (the power of their penalty corner strike is frightening!) and some of their forwards are fast (I mean ?FAST?), even carrying the ball.
They have a well-organized team and their mental strength is up to par: not too many teams would muster the resources to come back from a 0-3 deficit against the Argentinean team (pool game) and score 3 goals in the last 10 minutes to tie the game! In the Final, they stunned a clearly superior Argentinean team with a spectacular first half goal and were still holding them to a 1-1 tie at half time.
The Pan American Club Championship started slowly in 1999 and was poorly attended last year. It has now clearly reached a higher level with the participation of the South American teams (Argentina, Uruguay) and it will improve again when the USA, Mexico and possibly Cuba decide to step in.
The reality is that a talented core of 11 players might be enough to take you through the preliminary round but is not enough any more in the final stages of such a high level competition. Of the 8 teams reaching the semi-finals (men and women), Brampton was the only one without a full roster (16 players) and a full support staff. Fernando Garbal, the Argentinean play-maker (and tournament MVP), was substituted regularly to rest and re-hydrate when most of the 12 Brampton players hardly got to sit on the bench during the whole competition.
There is obviously a question of financial resources. I sincerely hope that the Brampton community can find enough money to bring their full team to next year?s PAHF Club Championship and play at their real level in the final stage of the competition.
Also, I must say that Brampton was the only team to question the umpires? decisions on a regular basis. Sadly, not uncommon in Canada? but at this level, teams concentrate on the play and, in tight games, this can be enough of an edge to influence the outcome.
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Tom Green
11-19-2001 5:46 pm
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Great Job Yan
Yan.
I was happy to see your coverage of the tournament. Great work.
Hopefully we will see this tournament grow in the next few years. It sounds like a good time.
Tom.
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Pan Ams
11-19-2001 6:59 pm
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Re: Yan
Everything u said above is so true about Brampton. This was an extremely good experience for them and i'm sure they will bounce back next year with a much better performance. Brampton deserves to keep their heads up high, they went into the tournament with key players missing and not even having a full roster!
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Great Job YAN!
11-19-2001 11:31 pm
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yan.. thanx for all the pics and great converage of the pan am.. ur the MAN.... i just have one question for u.. how was the umpiring in barbados?? thanx for all the stuff u've been doing for canada!
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Niall
11-20-2001 8:38 am
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Can I also compliment Yan on his coverage? For those of in Europe with an interest it was great to be able to follow the tournament from a distance! As with Yan I am also aware of the strengths of the some of the so-called smaller countries involved. I would like to pass on my congratulations to my friends from both Guyana and Trinidad where I have had the privilege of doing some coaching work on behalf of FIH. Both these countries have strong, fast athletes with a high level of skill (That includes you Philip!) and will suprise anyone who takes them lightly. They are a credit to our game and I look forward to meeting up with them next time!
Well done GCC. Well done Defence Force and Notre Dame.
I hope that everyone at home is proud of your achievements! They should be.
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BC Fan
11-20-2001 10:37 am
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Thanks Yan
Just to let you know that you do a great job! We would be in the "dark" if it weren't for the efforts you put in on behalf of Hockey.
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Alberta Rep
11-20-2001 2:03 pm
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GAbber
Yan,
did brampton miss Gabber?
Would Gabber have been an asset?
What are your thoughts on this phenom?
Thanx!!
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sandeep
11-20-2001 2:34 pm
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Yan and Glynis
Maybe not everybody realizes that it is almost entirely because of Yan that Canada is now paying so much attention to the Pan Am Championships in the first place.
Afterall it was Yan who spearheaded a group to turn the dying provincially based National Championships into a viable competition again.
If am not mistaken the Pan AM website appears to have Yan's fingerprints all over it as well. As always Glynis appears to be making great sacrifice to accompany Yan to such difficult locales as Barbados.......
Thanks again Yan for the coverage and the love you show fro hockey
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Grattan
11-21-2001 10:04 am
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Inside knowledge
Congrats to the Bardados federation and Pan Am assoc. for hosting a fantastic club championship.
To Yan and Glynis,excellent observations,however regardless of your opinions re. training on grass as opposed to turf,there is and will always be a great difference.
GCC trains at the Bourda ground and this is the best cricket ground in Guyana and possibly the Caribbean,however it is not always available due to other committments and in Guyana, rain ALWAYS plays a major role.Learning Basic skills and game sense,YES but the advanced skills suited to turf,if you ask any of the players,they will tell you that is is quite difficult if not in some cases impossible.
Recognizing this fact,GCC arrived in Barbados 2 days early to train on turf and as was evident during the tournament,got better on a daily basis.
Prior to the tournament they played 6, yes 6 outdoor matches all year.
Hopefully,the conversations between the Pan Am president and Chris and Philip
will result in TURF IN GUYANA.
Providing GCC and Guyanese players recognize that with turf,it is easy to adapt bad habits ie,too much dribbling,individual and selfish play taking precedence over discipline and ball movement.Just maybe,this was the case of the other caribbean teams.In all my memory of hockey in Guyana, there has never been a shortage of indivually skilled players,just making them combine on the pitch has posed a problem or two.
In Guyana,the players are real students of the game,where although they are seldom able to see live international competition they devour all hockey material.The internet and access to tapes have made this possible.Hopefully DVD's are not too far behind.
Congrats to GCC for opening the eyes of our more mentioned hockey bretheren.Special mention to Philip Fernandes for his seemingly endless vision in preparing GCC and hopefully Guyana for years to follow.
GCC/GUYANA will be a team to always watch out for in the Caribbean and future Pan Am competitions.
HURRY UP TURF!!!!!
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Yan Huckendubler
11-21-2001 10:29 am
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Re: umpiring
In my humble opinion, the umpiring at the PAHF Club Championship was up to par with the rising level of play at this event.
As far as I know, most umpires were either FIH Umpires or having the potential to reach that level. On both sides (men and women), the Pan American Federation had also appointed an Umpire Manager.
The ?FIH level? umpiring means a stricter application of some rules, such as stick tackling and dangerous tackling. It also means (specially on the men?s side) that the cards are flying faster than what most players would be used to at club level on the home front, with quick escalation from green to yellow, to red. Ranjeev Deol (Brampton) received a red card (and a game suspension?) in his 2nd pool game for a tackle that was not especially horrendous but was coming after two green cards then two yellow cards had been given for the same offense earlier in the game? Needless to say, tackling on both sides was cleaner for the remainder of the game.
Also, as mentioned in another comment, contesting the umpiring on the field is totally useless at that level: it doesn?t earn you any sympathy from the umpires as a group (nor from the crowd?) and also wastes some precious seconds in the game.
Of course, the players and all of us in the stands like to think that we are better umpires than the two on the field, right? So there is always room for debate over such or such call or non-call.
But overall there is no question that the umpiring contributed to the higher level and success of this event.
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curious
11-21-2001 1:03 pm
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I would like to know, where will be the next pan am club championship?
IŽll be waiting for your answers, thanks a lot
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Van City Playa
11-21-2001 2:58 pm
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To Hari
Is there really any point in publishing this "Alberta Rep"'s comments? It is getting to be a joke!
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revdogg
11-21-2001 5:56 pm
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GCC preparation
I am flattered by the kind words of Mr. Yan Huckendubler and Mrs. Glynis Peters toward the brand of hockey displayed by the GCC hockey team of Guyana and I too would like to thank them sincerely for their coverage of the tournament and the photographs. It must have cost a lot in terms of money and time and was greatly appreciated by so many of us.
Regarding their analysis of the GCC team?s preparation however, I do believe that they were certainly not in a position to speculate on those conditions and must have been misinformed by whomever provided them with their information.
The GCC cricket field in Guyana, on which the hockey team practices and plays, is of a good standard. It is occasionally at a great standard, whenever it is scheduled for international cricket, however our hockey team benefits little from this as in such cases the ground is closed to all sports for two to three months prior.
If one were to witness the current condition of the field on which our team prepared for this tournament they would understand my sentiments as it is not even in as good condition as other fields in the city. Our hockey team was unable to practice our short-corner drill until one day before the tournament when we were able to schedule a practice session on the turf in Barbados. Our field was simply too uneven and the grass too high. The lethal drag-flick which causes so much trouble for all teams cannot be learned in a day.
As if these conditions aren?t difficult enough, light fades at 5:45PM in Guyana around this time of the year and there are no floodlit hockey fields. By the time players get off work in the afternoon (and we all have full-time jobs) and get to the playing field dressed to play it?s already 5:00PM. We are only permitted matches on the field on Mondays and Fridays and are therefore unable to play a full 70 minute hockey match in that time. The weekends are almost always taken up with cricket matches and we were only able to secure three 8:00AM Sunday morning games over the last three months.
Guyana has five hockey clubs, four of which have men?s teams and only two of which are somewhat competitive. Half of our year is rained out and the slightest drizzle causes the club?s management to suspend all activities on the field. This has afforded us just half a dozen competitive hockey matches for the entire year.
In order seek competitive matches, our team has embarked on extensive fund-raising activities that has afforded us the ability to attend one tournament overseas per year for the last three years. We chose the Pan Am Club Championships and that is the extent of our travels.
Like other clubs in the Caribbean, GCC has had to endure insurmountable odds simply to compete at the Pan American Championships and any success achieved at this level should not be reduced to a matter of having good grass fields and travelling a lot. GCC succeeded though hard work and dedication, through believing in themselves and most of all through wanting it and needing it perhaps just a little more than the rest.
We in Guyana desperately need an artificial surface, it is a dream of every player old or young in Guyana. It is our hope at GCC, that if we persevere, we can be recognised and perhaps someday we will be granted the assistance to realise that dream.
Philip Fernandes
Coach/Captain
GCC Hockey Team
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J.D.
11-21-2001 6:54 pm
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Yan,Finally your hard work and vision has come to fruition. Canadian representation is a result of your hard work in the now defunct domestic tournaments commiitee. I hope you had a great time in Barbados and that you will still have some pull in the new FHC structure of tournamnets.
I think it is time for us to now have 2 major domestic tournaments!!!! we are in desperate need of a National provincial tournament now. This would help provinces showcase more atheletes as not all clubs attend the club championships leaving some national team players at home. It seems that the National coach is now supporting the fact that ALL national team players attend the tournament. It would be the premiere tournament of the year.
It will be really interesting to see how many teams will play in the tournament this year since it is being held in Ontario.
Once again great job and Thank you for all your work!!!!
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Alberta Rep
11-22-2001 1:07 pm
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VAn city Playa "Who can't spell"
My Dear Friend,
On PFH we are entitled to express our opinions in the fairest manner possible. It is not my concern that you cannot handle getting burned by Gabber and other players
Have you seen this phenom play my friend. He would turn most people inside out.
This guy would be the best thing to Field Hockey Canada except Robin and Andrew G.
This would be a great matchup Andrew G and Gabber but I think Mr Andrew G would win because of his International Experience.
Van city Player, are you on the National Team, probably not, so I recommed you refrain from making fescious comments regarding my commentary.
Ciao
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S.D.
11-22-2001 10:33 pm
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Alberta Rep
A little word of advice my friend, do not comment other people's spelling until you can spell, "fescious" is a new word in the English Dictionary. You may want to use "facetious" instead.
Gabber probably would have helped Brampton. However the credit should be given to Georgetown Cricket Club & Jockey Club Cordoba .
Yan, congratulations!!! Your reporting, allowed the rest of us to get a feel for the tournament!!
Congratulations to the organizers as well as all the teams. Keep up the great work!!! This tournament can only get better as more countries participate.
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Get Real!!
11-23-2001 12:48 am
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Alberta Rep
Dear Alberta Rep,
You need to find something else to do. Each one of your comments makes no sense, and they are reflecting your intelligence.
Finnally, you seem to be in love with Gabbar, Robin, and Andrew, it's scary!!
Go see someone about it, and maybe they will help you, and for god sakes, help US!
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BC Fan
11-23-2001 10:24 am
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Dear Alberta Rep
Ever try "Stand up" comedy? You've got us rolling in our seats with your lines!
Keep up the good work! Take it on the road and stop off in Vancouver and guest star in the "Premier" League!
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Alberta Rep
11-26-2001 1:24 pm
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Stand Up Comedy
Hey,
Let me know which team is looking for Gabber, because if Gabber does come he will rattle and shake your socks off. Dont tell me your in the premier league, BC Fan because if you were, you would be training and in the gym trying to figure out how you could burn Gabber NOT!!!!!!
Send an Invitation for me and yes I will come to the "PRemier league". Oh wait a minute, why dont you come to Alberta and see how we play... OH wait a minute, you guys think your to good.
Just wait till Gabber burns yah my friend.
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Re: Alberta Rep
11-26-2001 1:44 pm
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Stop talking about Gabber, we all know what he can do, and start talking about your game. You havn't mentioned it once, i can only seem to think why, maybe you should be in the gym training insted of driving Gabber's band wagon!
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BC Fan
11-26-2001 1:48 pm
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Teams wanted......
To All Premier Teams:
Player from Alberta can't wait to come to Beautiful Vancouver and show his stuff and maybe play w/ Gabbar. If, your team has room for a "dynamic"
if not, enthusiastic hockey player and "part-time comedian" ,
Let him know.
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Sandeep
11-27-2001 12:00 am
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Western Alienation
I always thought the west stuck together..........
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Alberta Rep
11-27-2001 1:19 pm
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Waiting for an offer
To all Premier Teams,
yes Where is my invitiation. I do believe Gabber has taken it and he will take it to the next Olympics.
Check out my comedy:
Why did the BC FAN cross the road.
Answer: He didn't he got hit by a car because he did not look both ways. ha ha
Just goes to show you how ignorant and cocky this BC Fan who obviously cant play hockey.
Andrew, Hari, Please dont post these pathetic comments by this BC guy.
Later for now
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player
11-27-2001 2:38 pm
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Why is PFH not covering the Vancouver Premier league? It is nearly half over!!!
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BC Fan
11-27-2001 3:46 pm
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Alberta Rep
Ouch!! such scathing remarks! Such insenitivity ! PHF has posted far less interesting comments than yours.
I am dying here ...laughing on the side of the road! I don't believe I can match your enthusiasm and cockiness! Be sure to let us know when you'll be here and we'll all come out and cheer!!!
Sandeep, not to worry... we in the "FAR WEST" love good comedy!!! ... Well ...most good comedy! present company excluded of course. Time to quit now since Alberta's ratings are plummeting. Until he introduces the next Gabbar reference in a future article I will enjoy the great job PFH
has been doing.
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Hari
11-27-2001 9:06 pm
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Vancouver League
We would love to be covering the Vancouver league, but neither Andrew or I are there. If anyone is interested in sending us weekly reports we will post them.
Hari
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Hari
11-27-2001 9:41 pm
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This thread
I was just reading through this thread and the first 15 or so comments were incredible. My congrats to Yan as well for his excellent coverage.
When discussion threads start to go off topic we usually let them go if they are interesting or add value in some way. At this point I am starting to get tired of this Gabbar stuff.
I have met and played against Gabbar. He is a good guy and a great player. However if a thread really has nothing to do with him. I will delete the comments.
Sorry Alberta Rep, but we're getting bored of this stuff.
Hari
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BC Fan
11-28-2001 5:03 pm
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Re; Vancouver League
www.fieldhockey.org/
This is the website for the VFHL. Is Ravi not your contributor from BC? He plays in the VFHL and practices with the National Team regularly. Any chance on some Team and League updates from him, since he was doing a great job before. There has been some really great games out here!
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Late commenter
03-28-2002 11:14 am
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Club Tourney
Great to see this Tourney grow,especially in the Caribbean.
Re: previous comments:
Yan in Barbados in November is hardly a "difficult trip" to some faraway place. many would die for such an experience
To those who seem to think Brampton will be back in 2002,in the Dominican. There is a Canadian Club champianship which decides who would go ....not so??
Unless there is a secret set-up here?
I'd like some feedback on this point.
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weston field hockey
04-22-2002 8:33 am
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florida
Hello all planet field hockey readers there is field hockey in Florida. See the web site and if you know any one or are interested in playing contact me please.
Sven E Mathura (coach)
westonfielhockey@hotmail.com
www.eteamz.com/westonfieldhockey
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