Demi Nicholson, the Jamaica Hockey Federation's division two Most Valuable Player. - Anthony Minott/Freelance Photographer

Jamaica's regional ranking in field hockey is far from desired and St Andrew Hockey club's Demi Nicholson, the Most Valuable Player in division two of the Jamaica Hockey Federation's (JHF) women's tournament, said more "international exposure" will help to advance the sport here.

Nicholson, a St Andrew High School standout, said: "We need to play more international games. We need to invite countries to play against us so we can improve our standards."

Rankings

Jamaica's women are ranked seventh in the Pan American region, which is three places behind Trinidad and Tobago. The twin-island republic is the top Caribbean team and Jamaica ranks second after their showing in the Pan American Hockey Federation tournament in Bermuda earlier this year. Argentina won the title.

Jamaica's men are unranked in the Pan Am region because the JHF did not field a team at this year's Pan American Games in Chile, due to a lack of funding. Trinidad and Tobago placed fifth, while Canada took the top spot.

Nicholson, who is 15 years old and already knocking on the doors of the senior team, has hockey literally in her blood. Her father is Dale Nicholson, a former Raiders United player and her mom, Dr Michelle Holt, is her current coach and team-mate.

A central midfield player, Nicholson believes that her strength lies in how she reads the game and her ball distribution.

Her mother is her mentor and introduced her to the game, while Argentina's record-breaking captain, Luciana Aymar, is her inspiration in international hockey.

"She's smooth, she's really skillful, strikes the ball well and knows how to score,"Nicholson said describing Aymar's attributes.

She explained that with the help of her mother, she has learned how to manage time with hockey training and schoolwork.

"My mother supports me a lot with my schoolwork and the environment at St Andrew High, with the assistance of the teachers, makes it conducive to learning," young Nicholson said.

With the right training, Nicholson could be a world-class player in years to come.