Canada's Second Favourite Hockey : Field Hockey

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With the title "the first field hockey sports blogger for WTS," I feel the necessity to update everyone on field hockey. Since the sport is not as well-known in Canada, I can only assume it is also not as popular in the USA. So, we're going to touch basis on a few things Field Hockey. Not only is this sport my life and career right now but it has also governed me into the person I am. Regardless of what sport you are playing, if your career doesn't involve something that you are passionate about, I don't believe that you will move far in life. As an athlete, I am constantly challenged, always working with new people and continually bettering myself - physically and mentally.

The Basics

Field Hockey is similar to soccer in that there are 11 people on the field at a time and the playing field is similar (100 ft long by 60 ft wide). There are nets on either end that you try and score on and there is a semi circle that encompasses the net. The ball must be inside the circle and touch a player of the attacking team to count as a goal. The game has been advanced in the last 5-10 years mostly due to the technology of a.) the sticks (composite and graphite materials, plus the technology of the curvature benefits) b.) the astro-turf that is typically water-based and c.) the gear (uniforms, shoes, etc. are all getting more aerodynamic, lighter and retain sweat better). You can only use one side of the field hockey stick (the flat side) and the ball is a bit bigger than a lacrosse ball and has a hard plastic shell on the outside. It can definitely lay a few bruises on your skin if you aren't careful. The technicality of the sport makes it challenging and the many, many rules make it complicated. Once you start playing, though, it's the best thing in the world. 

My Involvement, My Opinion

When I was in my first year at the University of Victoria, I was picked up for the Junior National team and had the opportunity to travel to Puerto Rico and Chile as preparation tournaments for the Junior World Cup (2005), also held in Chile. Later that same year, I was named to the Senior National team but due to committments, politics and priorities I had no choice but to leave the team. Completing my 5-year career with the Uvic Vikes (Winning the Canadian Inter-University Sport Gold Medal), I was asked to return to the National team. I accepted and knew that I had a lot of work to do (physically and technically) to catch up. Since then, I have been with the team participating in a few tours and series, the World Cup Qualifier and the XIX Commonwealth Games. I first started playing hockey when I was 14 and moved through an ideal system of junior leagues, regional leagues, provincial teams, University and then the National team. This is an ideal LTAD plan for most athletes and I am very privilidged to have done so. Fortunately, my involvement as a young athlete allowed me the opportunity to play on club teams and, more over, FUN teams... So, I never forget the reason why I really play. I think "kids" these days over-look why we play and are so focused on how soon they can get on the National team (so they can say they are on the National team). If you don't take your time to play club and fun teams... when you get to the National team, you sometimes loose sight of why you play in the first place! That would be my tad bit of advice for young ones. Don't stop everything for one sport. Keep a balanced life. I still played soccer until my last year of University and still play casually when I can :)

A video I made to introduce the Men's and Women's Field Hockey team that was travelling to India for the 2010 XIX Commonwealth Games in Sept/Oct.

Canada on the World Stage

It's been a rough series for Canada's Women's field hockey team in the last 20 years. Back in the 1980's Team Canada made their mark on the world and competed in several Olympic Games but not since then, has Canada been able to climb the World rankings. Unlike most of the successful teams, Canada is unable to keep people in the program long enough to develop a squad to carry through with enough experience to get to the Olympics. Fortunately, that development program has just been re-rooted and is starting up now in hopes of qualifying for upcoming Olympic Games more consistently. I'm no expert on what Field Hockey Canada plans but my personal opinion is that somehow, we have to build a good foundation for our sport. Like soccer, ice hockey, basketball and other successful sports, there are great grass roots and recreational programs to act as pools of teams for people to develop through and then move on. I am confident that junior teams and recreational leagues are beginning to benefit more from the new changes happening. Other than strict numbers being low, Canada is lacking serious funding. The last two years, our team alone had to fundraise over $60,000 to keep our individual levies down. It takes so much money to run these teams and we are getting paid barely enough money for rent and basic living expenses when you deduct our levies. Somehow, the Catch-22 of "your team will get money when you perform, but we can perform unless we have the money to train to get better" will be abolished and the Government will start putting money to where we are LACKING in sport not where we are already successful.

==> A little plugging here: The Canadian Athletes Now Fund is one of the few organizations that I am aware of that supports ALL SPORTS equally and is offering financial assistance to athletes based on their financial need not based on their achievements already in sport... This is the way to go!

Stay tuned for more about what it's like to be on the team...

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