Significant changes are expected in Bermuda’s final hockey squad for the Women’s Pan American Challenge, with eight players who went to last year’s Central American and Caribbean Games unavailable for the tournament.

Kovin Moodley’s side will be competing against Brazil, Guyana, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru at the National Sports Centre from September 21 to 28, and while preparations are going smoothly, Maha Clarke, Lauren Cardwell, Jasmine Patterson, Emily Chadderton, Isabel Roe, Keishae Robinson, Lelya Ganal and Juliet Ferrari-McComb are all out of consideration for selection.

The positive for Moodley, who is expected to trim his squad from an initial 22 to the final 18 for the tournament, is the return of Macy Aicardi, Selina Whitter, Chrysda Smith, Robin Stempel, Amy Harper and Guisti Clarke, who are all back on the island.

“From the players we took to the CAC Games, we have some that have not been able to return,’’ Moodley said.

“We have some new faces as well and players that have returned to the island. They are done with their studies and looking at working. We are coming up with our final squad of 18 on Sunday and that leaves us to prepare for the last phase with the team selected.

“We’ll keep all players in the training environment to build a nice culture within the national team. The culture is based on commitment, discipline, service to hockey in general and service to the team.”

Bermuda’s preparations include training sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays, with Friday evenings reserved for practice matches, with the team starting to warm up for the event eight weeks before the competition begins.

Moodley, who is being assisted by Rupert Cuddon-Large, has roped in Alex Waldauer as fitness coach. Fiona Braidwood is taking care of players as the physiotherapist, while Katie Brangman has stepped into the role of team manager.

LaKae Tavares, one of the senior members of the squad, is thrilled by the prospect of playing important matches in front of a partisan crowd.

“I’ve done many tours over the last 20 years or so, and competing on home soil is very exciting,’’ Bermuda’s CAC Games captain said.

“Getting to represent your country and doing it in front of friends and family, some of whom have watched us since we were children, is very special.

“Over the years, Bermuda have really shown to be a force to be reckoned with. I feel like when I started as an international player, a lot of times we went with the realisation that we would lose the majority of our games against big nations.

“However, these smaller tournaments allow us to compete on our level. It’s a lot more competitive, which makes it a lot more exciting for us.

“It’s going to be very tough and we’re competing against some really big nations. Some of these teams have gone to the Pan Am Games before.

“It’s going to be really difficult, but we’re going to put our best foot forward. We’re going to fight hard and we’re going to play Bermuda hockey, which I think will serve us well.”

One of the standout players at the CAC Games, Yvonna Osborne, feels the team is blending well ahead of the Pan Am Challenge.

“There is definitely a lot of excitement and a lot of nerves, but good nerves,’’ she said.

“We’re coming together as a cohesive unit. I think our confidence is growing and we’re starting to feel a lot more confident about what we can do.

“I think we have a great chance. I feel like the qualifiers for the CAC Games proved that we are able to overcome the underdog tag, and actually do well.

“Coming out of the CAC Games, we have tweaked a lot of things that didn’t go well in that tournament. Once we bring all that together, we should have a good chance of doing well in this.”

One thing noticeable about goalkeeper Christina Stephens-Weser is her dedication to fitness. The 20-year-old, a third-year student at Dalhousie University in Canada, has been training with the team since May.

“It’s really important to stay fit with the rest of the team,’’ Stephens-Weser said.

“I know being in goal, we don’t have the most physical game, but it’s always good to find ways to connect with the team.”

The first-choice goalkeeper is heading back to Canada on Saturday to secure her spot in the Dalhousie Tigers, the university’s hockey team but will be reconnecting with the Bermuda side on September 18.

“After the CAC Games in Dominican Republic, I thought it would be another great opportunity for us to continue promote Bermuda hockey,’’ she said. “It’s really going to be nice playing in front of the home crowd.

“It’s not going to be a walk in the park for us, but we've trained really hard. Whatever happens, I know that we’ll take away what we learnt in games.

“It’s a different team this tournament. We've to see how everyone works together and work on what doesn't work.”