THE unprecedented qualification of Jamaica’s men’s hockey team to the 2024 Hockey 5s World Cup could serve as a fillip to propel the sport back to its place of dominance in the Caribbean region, argues a top official.

According to Fabian Stewart, head of the Jamaica Hockey Federation (JHF), Jamaica’s 5-2 win over Paraguay at Mona Hockey Field on June 11, to finish third in the Pan American Confederation Hockey 5s World Cup Qualifiers, is “a step in the right direction”.

Nickoy Stephenson scored three goals including a field goal in the third minute, a penalty corner in the seventh minute, and a field goal in the 12th. Shemar Gordon scored the other goals for Jamaica, contributing a field goal in the ninth minute and a penalty corner in the 20th.

The Jamaicans joined the United States and Trinidad and Tobago in qualifying for the event which will be hosted in Muscat, Oman, January 24-31. The United States won the Hockey 5s Cup with a 3-2 penalty shoot-out victory over Trinidad and Tobago, after the game ended 3-3.

Stewart said that once the game gets the necessary support Jamaica could be the top Hockey 5s country in the Caribbean.

“This is a step in the right direction for the development process. Hockey 5s is here to stay as it is a more economical, more fun, and more exciting level of the game — and we like that,” Stewart told the Jamaica Observer as he continued, “But it [Hockey 5s] also provides the opportunity for Jamaica to see international hockey at its best and recognise that we are able to play at this level.

“So once we have the support — the ministry has given us some support, the JOA has given up support — but once we get the continued support of corporate in terms of the dreams related to these guys, [we] will easily rebuild the dominance we once had in the Caribbean,” the president stated.

Stewart noted that Hockey 5s is the future of the sport, and he is overjoyed and happy with the players progressing through the ranks and qualifying for the World Cup, which is a system devised by his organisation.

“I am elated; I am a little bit humbled, but elated. We began this trip, believe it or not, in 2018 when we sent the first two junior sides to Mexico and the board saw it and said, ‘This is the future of the game.’ So it is approximately four or five of the men who went on that Mexico adventure [that make up the team].

“So, having them come through the Under-21 ranks straight into the senior ranks, and having them now qualify for the World Cup by hosting it is just seeing a strategy unfold. It is a strategy that we developed and so I am actually very pleased and elated by the results,” Stewart ended.