Mixed feelings for hockey skipper

THOUGH SHE sees bright hope for the future, Jamaica’s captain, Sauwana Gordon, left last week’s Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Games hockey qualifying tournament bitterly disappointed.

Speaking hours after her team’s loss in the tournament final, Gordon said that there is a lot more to come from the youngsters who started their international career last week. In addition, she is pleased that Jamaica did, in fact, qualify for the 2018 CAC Games.

“That was one of the great things that came out of it – that we finished second and qualified for the CAC Games, which means hockey is not dead in Jamaica,” Gordon said.

Clearly proud of the achievement, she added: “We don’t have to wait another four years to try again, so we’re in the CAC Games.”

The national team has four debutantes,

“... We finished second and qualified for the CAC Games, which means hockey is not dead in Jamaica. ”

including 16-year-old Imauny Linton of Mona High School and 20-year-olds Antoinette Baxter and Jonel Witter, and Gordon thinks highly of their performances.

“They did well,” she assessed. “There’s a lot more to come from them in the future.”

Gordon led Jamaica with outstanding defensive play, but the loss in the final gutted the 30-year-old captain.

“I had a great tournament, but just this loss, it kinda tore me apart.”

She resolved: “I’m looking forward to CAC, and we’re going to have to work harder and stick to our pace.” Jamaica defeated Guatemala 6-0, Panama 3-0, and Puerto Rico 2-0, and drew with Guyana in the round-robin segment of the tournament before the 1-0 loss to Guyana in the final. Both finalists will compete in the CAC Games in Colombia next July.