Hockey WC chance to learn: Campbell

Sports Reporter—

UNDER-21 women’s hockey team captain Stephanie Campbell says their participation at the Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile, next week is an opportunity to learn.The team got into camp last Friday with the foreign-based players coming in for the final preparations ahead of the tournament scheduled for November 24 to December 4.

Sixteen countries will take part and have been divided into four pools with Zimbabwe clashing against the Netherlands, United States and Korea in Group A.

They are set to leave for the South American country tomorrow and Campbell says it’s going to be a learning curve.

“It’s a huge learning opportunity just to see the high standards from the other countries. This is a huge opportunity for us and we are going to do everything to give it our all.

“I think we have a really strong pool. So we are playing the top teams especially the Netherlands being the highest. But just the fact that we are going to be playing them, I think that’s just a huge opportunity and experience that will come with it,” said Campbell.

Before the camp, the players have been training at their bases.

“We all had been given fitness programmes and training to do which has helped us a lot. And now being together in the squad this last week, our fitness is so good, skills on point, which is making us all to just come together more as a team,” said Campbell.

Zimbabwe last qualified for the tournament in 2005 and will be returning for the event under the guidance of Trish Davies, who was part of the Golden Girls hockey team that won the country’s first Olympic medal in 1980.

Pool B has Argentina, France, Germany and Japan while Australia, Chile, England and South Africa makes up Pool C.

Pool D is made up of Belgium, China, New Zealand and Spain.

Meanwhile, HAZ secretary-general, Sarah Bennett will also be in Chile following her appointment as a technical official.

Team

Jordyn Clipstone, Lauren Dent, Carla Van Rheede Van Oudtshoorn, Stephanie Campbell (captain), Kelly Diplock, Jessica Dollar, Aimee Nativel, Megan Shaxson, Tyla Jo Groenewald, Chelsea Dollar, Simone Herbst, Sinead Cockcroft, Sophie Mcdonald, Estelle Stambolie, Cheryl Dzapasi, Michelle Kabaira, Simone Marchussen, Fariyah Ali Omarshah, Mufaro Mazambani.

Technical Team

Trish Davies (coach), Tendayi Maredza (assistant coach), Jenna Palmer (fitness coach), Colleen Nativel (team manager).