under-21 ladies field hockey team.

Team manager and Bermuda Ladies Hockey Association president Nicola Wilkinson confirmed this week the squad had nearly met their fund-raising goal and would "definitely'' be going to the Pan-Am Junior Games in Chile, early next year.

Rebuffed by the Ministry of Youth of Sport and Bermuda Olympic Association, players, parents and coaches turned their attention to corporations and individuals in order to clear the way for the squad's first exposure to international competition.

The result: $50,000 and ten days in Santiago for 16 players, beginning on January 6.

That leaves the team $10,000 short of their goal but Wilkinson is certain that can be made up with a host of other upcoming fundraising activities, beginning this weekend with the sale of raffle tickets for a Caribbean cruise.

"I'm confident people in the community will welcome a chance to help these young, female athletes -- and I stress the word female, because there's not usually a lot of support for females,'' said Wilkinson.

Today, the team takes to the field at National Sports Club for an exhibition game against a BLHA select to, as head coach Dai Hermann-Smih says, "show the sponsors we exist.'' Both Wilkinson and Hermann-Smith praised the devotion of the girls, who average only 16 years old.

"`They've been at it for two and-half years solid,'' said Hermann-Smith.

Added Wilkinson: "They're honoured to be representing their country. They can't believe it.'' The two are also brutally honest when assessing the team's chances in seven games against 12 top hockey-playing nations, including Canada, Argentina, United States and Mexico.

"We're not about to say that we're going down there to beat everybody and bring back a championship. Because we're not. This is a learning experience and then in four years, we can tell people that we're going and that we will bring back a championship.'' In fact, the 1997 Pan-Am competition is all about 2001.

Bermuda are purposely sending a young team -- including four 14-year-olds -- with the sole intent of preparing them for further international competition.

Only two -- Canadian university players Kirsten Butterworth and Samantha Adams -- will not be eligible for the team in four years.

"We have prepared them for the fact that they will be playing much older and much more experienced players and in most cases will be well-beaten,'' said Hermann-Smith.

"We're looking at four years down the road.'' Four staff members are also going to assist the team through what they figure to be a "very frightening'' and "intimidating'' experience.

Much of the squad's budget has been spent on training sessions this year and last year in Canada, getting accustomed to playing on artificial turf, on which most field hockey is played and which is not available in Bermuda.

"It's a totally different game than on grass,'' said Hermann-Smith.

Instead, the squad have been training indoors at Saltus Grammar School.