Three U18 teams return from successful European tours
Field Hockey Canada is thrilled to have sent out three Europe-bound youth tours in April. Two U18 Women’s teams traveled to Czechia and Wales and a U18 Men’s team went to Frankfurt, Germany for a set of matches and trainings. Two more tours (U18 Women and U16 Women) are scheduled to go out next week bound for Poznan, Poland.
The youth tour initiative, as a part of the larger Field Hockey Canada NextGen programming, began in earnest post-COVID when a few teams traveled to the US and Europe to gain valuable international experience. The program has since blossomed into regularly scheduled U18 and U16 tours abroad every spring. With five tours going out this spring, and the likelihood of sending two more in the summer, 2026 marks the greatest number of Canadian youth athletes and coaching experiencing international hockey.
Many players that have come through this system have gone on to compete again in the youth environment, for their provincial teams, university teams, and junior national teams. This pipeline is preparing athletes to have more youth and junior international experience prior to making the jump to senior hockey.
WALES U18 WOMEN’S TOUR
The U18 Women’s Wales tour featured a friendly match against a local club side that got the team warmed up for their international 3-game series vs Wales. The series was a fantastic learning experience for our young athletes, many of which are making their international debut. The pace of play, the ball speed and the nerves are all brand new experiences for many on the international stage. Overall, the results were solid for our Canadian side, featuring two draws and a loss. According to the coaching staff, the game statistics were quite even and favoured Canada in several categories, but a lack of scoring allowed Wales to get the edge in this series. The third game, Canada pressed for two goals and won in a shootout after the match, ending the tour and series on a high note.
Thank you to the coaching and management for making this tour happen and congrats to the athletes for their terrific performance on and off the field in Wales.
Results:
- Canada 0-0 Wales
- Canada 0-2 Wales
- Canada 2-2 Wales
Coaching Staff:
Maarten Bosman, Jeremie LeClair, Gillia Gilmore, Hailey Yhap
CZECHIA U18 WOMEN TOUR
The U18 Women’s Canadian Field Hockey tour to Czechia was an excellent demonstration of collaboration, growth, and team culture both on and off the field. While the group initially connected through weekly Zoom meetings, the team officially came together in person for the first time at the airport. All staff contributed meaningfully through training sessions, morning team activations, team-building initiatives, and the coordination of day-off logistics.
A strong culture of trust and respect was established early, positively influencing athlete confidence, behavior, and cohesion. Key development strategies included equal playing time through structured rotations, rotating shootout players, consistent positive reinforcement, daily team reflections, and the introduction of leadership and captain groups.
The team played four matches during the tour, with shootouts after each game, providing valuable learning opportunities and a memorable international experience for all athletes involved.
Results:
- Canada 0–2 U18 Czechia
- Canada 0-0 U16 Czechia (shootout win)
- Canada 2-1 U16 Czechia
- Canada 5-1 U16 Czechia
Caching Staff:
Shankar Premakanthan, Patricia Wright-Alexis, Manna Sandhu, Kecia Hosein
FRANKFURT U18 MEN’S TOUR
Our U18 Men represented Field Hockey Canada with pride in Germany over the Easter period, competing in Frankfurt in their first-ever 6-Nations tournament. Last year, Field Hockey Canada sent a team to the Mirnawan Cup and we regularly send U18 teams to the CANAM Indoor Series, but this is one of the first true youth men’s team to operate in our spring youth window.
While the results ultimately didn’t favour Team Canada, the growth across the five days was clear. The team faced high-level international competition and rose to the challenge, showing resilience, determination, and noticeable improvement with each match.
This experience was an important step in their development, testing themselves against strong opposition, learning under pressure, and continuing the progress built through this year’s NG camps. Almost everyone on this tour was experiencing international European hockey for the first time. A great start to many young careers!
Results:
- Canada 0–7 Netherlands
- Canada 0–5 Poland
- Canada 0–4 Scotland
- Canada 0–2 England
We are so proud of the effort, attitude, and commitment shown by this group. This is all part of the journey, and the lessons learned here will fuel what comes next.
Coaching Staff:
Koen Bakhuis, Imran Muhammad, Kiefer McNaughton, Dariana Al-Salam, Andrea Gibson
