HAZ fundraises for national teams

. Fungai Muderere
THE Hockey Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) has stepped up fundraising efforts to raise at least $50 000 needed for men and women national teamsaï¿½ï¿½ participation in the Junior African Championships.

The 10-day Junior African Championships is set for Windhoek in Namibia from 18-28 March.

The championships are the qualifiers for the Junior World Cup set to be held in Chile at the end of 2016.

On Monday HAZ named an 18-member national Under-21 womenaï¿½ï¿½s team that will represent the country in Namibia and the associationaï¿½ï¿½s vice-president Humphrey Chigwedere said the menaï¿½ï¿½s final 18 players would be announced next weekend after their scheduled training at Arundel Hockey Ground in Harare.

aï¿½?The team (womenaï¿½ï¿½s) will from now intensify preparations for the tournament while the association steps up the fundraising effort to raise at least $50 000 needed for the 10-day tour of duty for both the ladies and menaï¿½ï¿½s teams,aï¿½? said Chigwedere.

The winners and runners-up of the women Junior African Championships will automatically qualify for the World Cup and will join 14 other countries, six from Europe, three from Asia, two from Oceania and three from Pan America.

In the menaï¿½ï¿½s tournament, the winners and runners-up of the Junior African Championships will join four teams from Asia, six from Europe, two from Oceania and three from Pan America.

Womenaï¿½ï¿½s squad
Laurenn Dent, Androniki Hairipis, Stephanie Campbell (C),Michelle Kabaira,Simone Marchussen, Cheryl Dzapasi, Aimee Nativel, Kelly Diplock, Jessica Dollar, Stephanie Mauchaza, Erin Gray, Tinyayeishe Elijah, Tyler Groenewald, Mwegan Shaxon, Amber Hinze, kaleigh Graham, Tyler Silk, Carla van Oudtshoorn.
Non travelling reserves: Kendal Revilta, Hannah Snyder, Nicole Taffs.