Angela DeSilva To Umpire In Pan Am Hockey
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Angela DeSilva said it will be an honour and privilege to serve as the only local hockey umpire at the upcoming Women’s Pan American Challenge at the National Sports Centre.
A former Bermuda hockey goalkeeper, DeSilva switched to umpiring in 2018 after retiring from playing and remains deeply passionate about the sport.
Her officiating journey, however, has not been without its setbacks.
Nearly a year ago, DeSilva suffered an Achilles injury that threatened to derail her officiating career and feared the Pan Am Challenge opportunity had slipped away.
However, her mentor and fellow umpire, Emma Simmons, had faith in her abilities and put her name forward for the position.
“I thought the opportunity was lost after I hurt my Achilles and remember thinking, ‘That’s put an end to that,’” DeSilva told Bernews.
“I did the rehab work with my physio and took some time off. I’m fully functioning again now and able to run and keep up with the game.
“When you think you’ve lost something, and it comes back around – it’s awesome!”
Running from Saturday, September 21 to 28, the Pan Am Challenge will feature Bermuda, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Brazil and Guyana.
The tournament will serve as one of the qualification pathways for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, with the top two teams advancing.
“It’s great to have the tournament in Bermuda,” said DeSilva, who has several coaching qualifications.
“It’s an opportunity for Bermuda to showcase its facilities and show how well we can host a tournament.”
A former Swifts and Budgies player, DeSilva finds umpiring to be a fulfilling way to stay involved with the local hockey community.
During a competitive game of hockey, there are two umpires responsible for upholding the laws of the game.
She acknowledges, however, that officiating requires a thick skin, as criticism from players, coaches, and spectators is inevitable.
“We’re trying to get more people involved in umpiring locally,” said DeSilva, who has also thanked Donnie Simmons for helping guide her umpiring career. “It’s not an easy role and can be a tough sell.
“At times it can feel like you have 22 opponents when things heat up!
“You rarely get a pat on the back – people think you’ve missed something or got something wrong, but you need to keep it in perspective.
“I wish people would go easy on officials. If you accept players aren’t perfect, then surely you accept officials aren’t perfect either.”
