A belated recognition to a number of Vancouver Island connected athletes who represented Canada over the past few months.

Field Hockey Canada’s U18 girls NextGEN touring team

Representing Canada on the U18 tour to Scotland and Wales, March 23-30, was Ava Winter (Lynx 1, Cowichan Secondary School) and Maia Lawrence (Lynx 1, Oak Bay High School) as well as St. Michael’s University School and Lynx 1 team players Wynn Brown and Mackenna Brown who originate from Vancouver.

The U18 team went undefeated with four wins and one draw.
Tour roster: https://fieldhockey.ca/u18-youth-tour-scotland-and-wales/
Tour reflections: https://fieldhockey.ca/tour-reflections-u17-and-u18-womens-european-tours/

Field Hockey Canada’s U17 girls NextGEN touring team

Over the March 29-31 spring break period, three Victoria players were selected for the U17 touring team that competed in the HDM Easter Tournament in the Netherlands. The team had three wins, one draw and three losses with lots of learnings in tow. Members of Lynx 2 Monet Thurbide (Oak Bay Secondary), Neeve Unger (GNS), and Caitlyn Mullen (SMUS) were named to that team.

Tour roster: https://fieldhockey.ca/u17-tour-netherlands/
Tour reflections: https://fieldhockey.ca/tour-reflections-u17-and-u18-womens-european-tours/

Canada finishes fourth at Indoor Pan American Cup

Victoria’s Kathleen Leahy co-captained the Canadian women’s indoor national team at the 2024 Indoor Pan American Cup, hosted in Calgary, Alberta from March 19-22. It was surprisingly Leahy’s first international appearance on Canadian soil throughout her 88 international outdoor and 26 indoor caps. For Leahy, this was her third Pan American Indoor Cup, while joining her this year for her first international tournament was UVic Vikes standout Anni Kleinschmidt. Kleinschmidt toured to Prague with an indoor squad earlier in 2024 and then was picked up for the IPAC event in Calgary. The young team finished fourth, losing the bronze medal game to Uruguay by a 3-1 score line.

Roster, scores and more: https://fieldhockey.ca/2024-indoor-pan-american-championship/

Masters seasons in full swing

Earlier in the Fall, several Canadian masters players headed to Buenos Aires, Argentina to compete in the World Masters Hockey Pan American Continental Cup from Dec. 6-17, 2023. Representing Canada’s Over 50 team was Cara jay, Heather Wheatley, Triena Bryan and Helen Truran, all from the Rebels Club. Rogues member Jen Swaile coached the Over 50 team, who finished with a bronze medal. Cowichan’s Alanna Martin competed on the Over 60’s team alongside Eiko Eby from Comox. Rebels member Trish Murphy competed on the Over 65’s team.

Pan Am Championship Results: https://masters.altiusrt.com/competitions?view=all

Also over Spring Break, March 28 to April 1, 2024, a group of island players switched gears to compete in the WMH 2024 Indoor World Cup in Nottingham, United Kingdom. The O45 roster included Rebels Cara Jay, Heather Wheatley and Helen Truran. Canada won their last game against Ghana, 4-0, to finish 7th overall. Jay and Truran each scored a goal in the team’s seven overall goals.

Indoor World Cup results: https://masters.altiusrt.com/competitions/295