Reminder: Renew your FHBC Membership! 

Don't forget that your 2016-17 FHBC Membership expires on August 31, 2017! All those participating in Field Hockey in the Fall must renew their membership in order to play, coach or officiate.

To register as a FHBC member, please visit our website.  For any membership-related questions, please contact Katie Jameson at info@fieldhockeybc.com .

Also a reminder  that the KidSport BC Grant Program is available to provide financial assistance to those Junior athletes in need. Eligible families can use this money to cover FHBC Membership Fees, as well as Club Registration Fees. Visit the KidSport website to find a chapter in your Community and download an application form.

Regional Program Registration opens September 1st!

The 2017-18 Regional Program is almost upon us! Registration for our Train 2 Compete (U18) and Train 2 Train (U15) Boys & Girls programs will open on September 1st for most regions*. Trials begin on September 17th, and continue through October. View the FHBC Calendar for Trial dates, or visit the Players Trials and Tournaments page for Trial information.

The Regional Program is a high performance program designed to help athletes improve technical abilities, fitness and general game sense. The Regional Program is also the first step on the pathway to playing for Team BC. 

For more information on each Program, please click below:

Girls Train 2 Compete (U18)	Boys Train 2 Compete (U18)
Girls Train 2 Train (U15)	Boys Train 2 Train (U15)

*Please note that the Interior Regional Program Trials will be taking place in January. All other T2C and T2T Regional Programs are set to begin in the Fall, including the Boys Programs!

Register for the Provincial Umpire Course in Burnaby

We are holding a Provincial Umpire Course at the Willingdon Community Centre on October 2nd & 4th from 6:00pm - 9:00pm. This is a great opportunity for individuals that are interested in becoming an Umpire for the first time! The course costs $60 for FHBC Members, and $85 for Non-Members.

For more information and to register for this Course, please visit the Umpire Education page on our website.

Attend the viaSport P.R.I.D.E. in Sport Forum

One of the main focuses of viaSport this year is to be  an active leader in making sport a more inclusive space for all. Hosted in partnership with You Can Play, the P.R.I.D.E. (Promoting Respect and Inclusion through Diversity Education) in Sport Forum is dedicated to helping coaches, parents, athletes and volunteers understand how to create inclusive spaces for individuals that identify with the LGBTQI2S community.  Join the Forum on Tuesday September 19th from 6-9pm to learn from leaders in inclusive sport and recreation and discuss  how we can make sport more inclusive for everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

For event details and tickets to the Forum, visit the viaSport website.

Sacre, Klenk continue growth at 2017 Pan Am Cup

Congratulations to Lelia Sacre and Tyler Klenk on their successful appointments to the 2017 Pan American Cup. Both Umpires travelled to Lancaster, PA to be a part of the World Cup qualifier event, after volunteering their time to Umpire at the 2017 Canadian National Championship Festival in Surrey. 

This isn't the first major international appointment for either Umpire. Sacre, a native of Delta, BC, has had appointments at the 2013 Pan American Cup, the 2016 Hawkes Bay Invitational Tournament and the 2017 World League Round 2 in West Vancouver and is now living in England to better immerse herself in consistent and high level hockey. Klenk, originally from Saskatchewan but now a resident of BC, previously umpired at the 2016 Men's Junior Pan American Cup. 

At the Pan American Cup, Lelia and Tyler were surrounded by some of the best Umpires from the Pan American region and around the world, and were still able to prove themselves as talented Umpires. Proof that they performed well at the tournament, is in their match appointments. Tyler was awarded the Men's Bronze Medal Game, the most significant match he could Umpire as Canada was in the Final. Lelia was awarded the intense and exhilarating Women's Semi-Final between Chile and the USA, and then Umpired the 5th/6th match on the final day of competition.. 

Both Umpires did a great job at the 2017 Pan American Cup!  We are lucky to have both of you in our community. 

Read more about Lelia and Tyler's experiences on the Field Hockey Canada website.

Sacre & Klenk at the 2012 U16 National Championships Photos courtesy of Wilfred Lach

Canada Men & Women at 2017 Pan American Cup

World Cup qualification was on the line for the Canadian Women's National team at the 2017 Pan American Cup in Lancaster, PA. While Canada was ultimately unable to qualify for the premier event in 2018, they still made significant strides forward in their preparation for Tokyo 2020. Canada almost finished first in their pool, after beating Mexico and Brazil handily and tying the US 1-1, however the Americans finished first on goal difference. Canada lost 4-1 to World no. 3 Argentina in the Semi-Final. Despite the score, Canada hung in there with a world-class team. In the Bronze Medal match, Canada was just edged out by the US 2-1. Although it wasn't quite the result they wanted, Canada still had a great tournament. Both results against the American team were impressive, considering they currently sit in the World no. 4 spot and Canada had not registered a result other than a loss against the Pan Am powerhouse in over a decade. 

Read more from Field Hockey Canada about the Canadian Women's National Team at the 2017 Pan Am Cup.

The Canadian Men's National Team won the Silver Medal at the 2017 Pan American Cup. Canada had an impressive tournament, winning all of their matches leading up to the Final. They did have a bit of a scare in the Semi-Final, but they were ultimately able to beat the US 4-3 in a Shoot-out. In the Gold Medal Match, Canada played against perennial Pan Am rival, Argentina, who also happen to be ranked 1st in the World and are the reigning Olympic Champions. Argentina was able to win the match 2-0 and take the Gold Medal. Both teams had previously qualified for the World Cup through their World League performances. Two BC athletes made their International debut at the 2017 Pan American Cup. Congratulations to Iqwinder Gill & Harbir Sidhu!

Read more from Field Hockey Canada about the Men's Silver Medal Performance.

Both Canadian teams will now turn their attention towards the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia in April.

Photo by Yan Huckendubler