LaKae Tavares, one of Bermuda’s most experienced hockey players, has commended the preparation of the players ahead of the Pan American Challenge.

Bermuda’s women go in search of a winning start in the five-team tournament when they take on Paraguay at the National Sports Centre this evening at 6pm.

With two places at the 2027 Pan Am Games in Peru at stake, Kovin Moodley’s side have been hard at work for months.

Tavares, the Bermuda captain at last year’s Central American and Caribbean Games in Dominican Republic, spoke of how they have been supporting each other as players in readiness for the tournament.

“The majority of us have spent the last nine months preparing for this tournament,’’ Tavares said.

“The thing I am most proud of is the team culture we have established. Collectively, we are working hard as a team, remaining consistent in our training efforts, ensuring we all give back to hockey, and holding each other accountable when we don’t meet these standards.

“We have made a conscious effort to get rid of our egos and do what’s best for the team. We’re focusing less on a win or a loss and really trying to take care of one another, on and off the pitch.

“I’m so proud of this group of athletes and the resilience we’ve displayed over the last few months.

“We all have made sacrifices to be here and I’m truly excited to go on this journey with each and every one of them.

“We will make mistakes, things won’t be perfect, but we’re going to make a perform effort to represent our country well. We’ll try to honour those who came before us and, hopefully, inspire those that come after us.”

Turning to the four round-robin fixtures, the 40-year-old conceded that they are in for some uphill battles against teams with a higher ranking.

“Every game is going to be tough,’’ she said. “We are up against teams that are ranked higher, may be more technical than us and simply have a larger pool of players for their selection.

“I don’t know what the outcome of any of the games will be, but I do know that we are prepared to play a style of hockey that can most definitely create scoring opportunities, and keep us strong and structured in our defence.

“We’re just excited to play and continue to build upon the things we’ve worked hard on during our preparation.”

Defensive pillar Jessica Hollis is proud to get another opportunity to represent the island again, particularly on familiar turf.

“Being part of this Bermuda hockey team is a huge honour, especially as we prepare to compete on home soil,’’ the 31-year-old said.

“We've built strong connections through our preparation, and there's a deep sense of trust in the process we've followed to get here.

“While our main goal is to win, we’re just as focused on developing a culture that will help grow and sustain hockey in Bermuda for the future.

“We’re incredibly grateful to all the organisers within the Bermuda Hockey Federation, who have put in an immense amount of work behind the scenes to make this tournament happen here.

“To our sponsors and supporters who have stood behind us, we really appreciate all the support.

“It’s exciting to compete against teams from much larger countries, and while we’re naturally a bit nervous, we're thrilled to have this opportunity. We hope the home crowd will be there to support us every step of the way.”

Pablo Mendoza, the Paraguay coach, has brought a team of mostly under-21 players, as they build for next year’s Junior Pan American Games, to be held in the South American country.

“We were the first team to arrive in Bermuda, so we were able to take good advantage of having to practice sessions before that,’’ Mendoza said.

“It is always good to test turf since we have not been here before playing, so for us this is very important to get familiarised with the facilities.

“We brought in a very young team as we were sent here thanks to the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, Paraguay Hockey Federation and the National Secretary of Sports.

“They asked us to bring a team composed of 90 percent under-21 players. Our goal is to gain international experience and get a team ready for the Junior Pan Am Games in 2025 that will be held in Paraguay.

“So far Bermuda has been really well accommodating for us, we feel at home and are very comfortable.

“The food is amazing, the environment is beautiful and the people are very gentle, they seem to be very happy to welcome us to this beautiful country.”