THE Jamaica Hockey Federation (JHF), intent on sending a male and female team to the seventh Junior Pan American Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico during September 10 to 23, has embarked on fund-raising efforts to raise $9 million for its Under-21 teams to participate in the tournament.

A fish fry was held in March and in August the federation will put on a dinner and awards ceremonyas its mega fund-raising event.

In addition, the JHF has been selling billboard spaces to corporate Jamaica at its Mona facility.

Technical directors Dr Michelle Holt and Danny James have been charged with the task of preparing the Under-21 teams as the federation, under the guidance of president Leon Mitchell, seeks to make this 50th year of Jamaica’s Independence memorable.

Mitchell has promised to improve the infrastructure and security of the federation’s facility, which includes replacing the synthetic surface, called the astro-turf, whose 10-year lifespan ended in 2009.

In addition to sending two teams, the JHF announced that judges Nicole Grant-Brown and Richard Shaw, umpires Devaughn Henlon and Erica May, and communication officer Andrea Stephen will officiate the junior championships.

Jamaica will play in Pool A in the female competition, which also includes Argentina, Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Eight other teams have been divided into two more groups.

For the males, Jamaica will face Argentina, Brazil, Panama, and Trinidad & Tobago, with another nine teams divided into two more groups.

In the last Junior Pan Am in 2008, Jamaica finished 10th of 11 teams in the male competition held in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, while the girls did not participate that year.

In 2005, the junior girls placed eighth out of 12 in the Puerto Rico competition.