Field Hockey Canada > Canada ready for Men’s Junior World Cup

Canada ready for Men’s Junior World Cup

December 4, 2013 | Field Hockey Canada | fieldhockey.ca

The 2013 Men’s Junior World Cup gets underway this week in New Delhi, India, and the Canadian team is ready to compete.

After arriving in India a few days early, Team Canada played two exhibition matches versus New Zealand (3-3) and Spain (1-1).

Canada opens the competition on Friday, December 6 against Korea, before playing host nation India on Sunday, December 8. Canada will finish pool play against The Netherlands on Tuesday, December 10. After a rest day, cross-over and classification matches will be decided by the standings in the four pools. The competition wraps up on Sunday, December 15.

“We have a good blend of youth and experience,” said head coach Paul Bundy. “Eight players participated in the junior continental qualification two years ago, and have already seen action with the senior National Team. At the other end of the age spectrum, some of the younger players will still be eligible for the next Junior World Cup in four years.”

“We enter the competition ranked fourteenth,” continued Bundy. “Our goal is to finish in the top twelve and be competitive in every game. I believe that we can surprise people. It will certainly be an experience for our young players to play a World Cup in India.”

This marks the squad’s first appearance at the Junior World Cup since 2001, when they competed in Hobart, Australia. Canada qualified for the 2013 Junior World Cup by reaching the final match of the 2011 Pan American Junior Championship in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The Junior World Cup runs from December 6 through 15, based out of Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, India.

For complete coverage, visit the FIH website or watch the live-stream of select games at YouTube.com/FIHockey.