Dear Sir,

A recent article published in the Royal Gazette had us stunned. When we as a team read it we were fixated on the highly political, unnecessary twaddle that someone had a nerve to even think of and waste paper printing on the 11th of March 2009 titled "Row after Pan American Cup". Honestly, it's rather pathetic that a whole half a page could be dedicated to such nonsense.

Has it maybe ever occurred to you that we're not happy with being amateurs? But with one hockey pitch and we quote "a lack of young players coming through" what can you expect?

Mark Mello is trying to fix that as you said yourself. With both an Under 12 and Under 15 league on Saturdays and Sundays, in which anyone can join to better their skills in the sport regardless of their team or social/cultural background, we are concerned greatly that people actually expect anything more then an amateur level of playing if the single hockey pitch in Bermuda at the National Stadium has to be paid for $125 per hour.

We, like swimming and sailing, get next to no money to help fund programmes and training, which I think is a great shame. With proper more frequent training, those that nationally represent Bermuda would have a better chance at competing against island countries, because realistically that's all we can do. Trying to compete with Argentina, the world's number two, or Holland who currently holds the world's number one spot, is futile. Their coaches, notice we say coaches, because unlike Bermuda who was represented in the most recent Pan American's by one coach, yes singular, can choose out of ten's of thousands of women to represent their country. In comparison, we're lucky if we have one hundred.

We will not neglect to mention the fact that there were various hockey players who were asked in 2008 to train with the Under 21 national team and were then asked to leave because they were not Bermudian. While we realize that Non-Bermudians aren't allowed to represent Bermuda in international games, we don't see the point of getting their hopes up in the first place.

As young players coming up in the sport of hockey, it is quite clear that the players do not dictate the sport, but deciding who you play for is an opinion and a personal decision. The last time checked there was no law in the universe that says you have to play for anyone. This is not a communist state and far too often people have been criticised in this country for having an opinion. It is wrong to say that players dictate who a coach is, but without a team there is not need for a coach. Comments made were simply to help management to get a feel as to how the players felt.

With the return of Justin Freisenbruch you're correct, there will be no "split", because there will be no Swifts and if that's what is wanted then so be it. It is my belief that Swifts have produced 150 players over the past 15 years with 37 moved on to represent the Under 21 national team and 19 representing the senior national team.

Clearly, you have overlooked the point that no president has ever had the full support from the body it is governing. In a democratic country a leader is voted into power, much like the recent US election. But that is not to say that everyone is happy with whom the president is and the reforms that he or she is trying to make.

People who's nationality differs from those of the country they are in usually have different thoughts and concepts as well as their ideas of what's ideologically correct, this can be said for hockey. With so many diverse groups playing from different walks of life there will be inevitable rifts, but different people bring their cultures to the sport. This sport for most can be considered a "getaway", but recently there's been more politics then playing. Scathing reports and criticism won't help reform, it will simply be a step back or a building block removed from the foundation of hockey in Bermuda and in our opinion, it's all rather pathetic and petty. All this hype will push people away from joining, and really, is that what is wanted?

Swifts is comprised of a group of girls, most of whom are under 16. Please tell me then what this says about any rift that is apparently between Ravens and Swifts? If you're willing to target children, then there is something severely wrong with you. Not that it was ever apparent to us that any rift was there at all, we have never had any problems with Ravens and it is rather pathetic to use children as scapegoats for other problems that are trying to be masked. Senior Swifts have gone on to play for various colleges, which says a lot about their playing skills considering that girls who try out for these teams come from a wide variety of countries across the globe. I think that this feat should be commended.

It seems as though information given to Mr. Ball about the article in question was from a biased source who has obviously gotten their ego bruised by any comments made pertaining to them, as this article is also clearly biased. Personally we believe, and know that others agree; if you're going to tell a story, you might as well tell both sides.

Never have we been a part of a team that loves each other as much as they love this sport. We play as a team, we win, we lose and experience new beginnings as a team. Our coach, Mr. Hermann-Smith, has run Swifts for the past 15 years, and putting his effort down is highly unnecessary. This team is a family of sisters and throwing our name in the dirt will not be tolerated. Once a Swift, always a Swift.

Rhea Gibbons & Members of Swifts Hockey Club