Episode 2 - New York Islanders; Calypso Hockey - The Ayanna McClean Interview

The New York Islanders are a hockey club based on the East Coast of the USA. Having been around for close to five decades, the club was originally founded and organised by those from the Caribbean Islands - an influence which still drives the club today. In the eighth series of the Half Court Press Podcast we find out more about the Calypso hockey that is and has been played over the years by the New York Islanders from those involved. Tao MacLeod talks to a variety of hockey personalities who have coached, played for and generally been a part of the West Indian hockey community in New York. Ayanna McClean is the leading FIH umpire to have come out of the Caribbean. She has umpired at the Commonwealth Games, the Hockey World Cup and is on the panel for the Tokyo Olympics, which has been postponed until 2021. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Ayanna briefly played for her national team before becoming a world class match official. In her younger years, she spent some time studying at university in New York. Although she wasn’t a permanent member of the squad, whilst in the city she socialised with many members of the Islanders hockey team, providing her a unique perspective on what the club has been up to over the years. The Half Court Press Podcast is available on… iTunes Spotify Google Podcasts Apple Podcasts Breaker Overcast Anchor Pocket Casts RadioPublic