adminEllina Mhlanga Harare Bureau
UNDER-21 women hockey team assistant coach, Tendayi Maredza, says they need to assemble the best possible team for the Junior World Cup as the technical team made some new additions to the 18-member team announced on Monday.
The Junior World Cup is set for November 24 to December 4 in Santiago, Chile.
The Hockey Association named a 32-member provisional squad early this month and was trimmed down to the final 18 and seven non-travelling reserves on Sunday following a four-day training camp in Harare.
The camp started on Thursday and ended on Sunday.
Although the technical team retained most of the players from the team that played in the qualifiers, they have made some additions.
Some of the players coming in are England-based Estelle Stambolie, Sinead Cockroft who is based in Australia, United States-based Fariyah Omarshah and Shanon Hart among others.
Maredza said they were considering the best players as they seek to leave a mark at the World Cup.
“Basically those other players worked hard. Obviously, they are the best players because we want to take the best to Chile,” said Maredza.
Maredza said they were now focusing on the techniques as they step up their preparations with some of the foreign based players already in the country.
“Basically we are hands on. We will be practising what we want to do at the tournament. Before, we just wanted to see who we were going to select.
“So now we are talking about tactics and structure of the team towards the tournament.
“Some of them are already in Zimbabwe for this month and the following month. Some are coming in September.
“Basically what we have told them is what to work on. We will be practising with those that are here,” said Maredza.
HAZ president, Humphrey Chigwedere, said they are expecting the team to take part in a tri-nation tournament scheduled for Bulawayo in August.
The tournament will feature Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“When they go out the coaches will be monitoring them but they are going to be back briefly before they go to Chile.
“We are planning to have a tournament, a tri-nations in August where we are planning to have the Under-21 taking part.
“They will have a week or so in camp before they go to Chile. We have two or three who might fly directly from their bases,” said Chigwedere.
Zimbabwe qualified for the World Cup in March when they came second behind South Africa at the Africa Junior Cup in Namibia.
The Under-21 women will be making their second appearance at the World Cup having first participated in the event in 2005.
Under-21 Team
Stephanie Campbell (captain), Jordyn Clipstone, Lauren Dent, Sinead Cockroft, Estelle Stambolie, Carla Van Oudtshoorn, Jess Dollar, Aimee Nativel, Tyler Groenewald, Cheryl Dzapasi, Megan Shaxson, Chelsea Dollar, Sophie MacDonald, Fariyah Omarshah, Shannon Hart, Simone Marchussen, Kelly Diplock, Michelle Kabaira.
Non Travelling Reserves
Androniki Hiripis, Amy Brooke, Tinayeishe Elijah, Gugulethu Ndlovu, Joanna Munengwa, Mufaro Mazambani, Simone Herbst.
Management
Trish Davies (coach), Tendayi Maredza (assistant coach), Colleen Nativel (manageress), Jenna Palmer (fitness coach).
derick.khumalo