This weekend, the field hockey community came together to support the Women’s Junior National U21 and U17 Teams as they faced the USA U19 and U17 Teams in a four day battle at West Vancouver’s Rutledge Field. Fans were not disappointed – our young Canadian juniors played with grit and determination as they stepped onto the international scene.
The formidable U21 Women were undefeated against the USA’s younger U19 National Team.
“This series was an opportunity for us to see more of our depth,” says U21 Head Coach Peter Milkovich. “Overall, I am pleased with our level of competition. This is a good initial step as we begin our long climb.”
The Women’s Junior National Team is ultimately focused on qualifying for the Junior World Cup in 2013. With the qualifier in September at the Junior Pan American Championships, the U21 ladies will have a busy summer. In May, the team is off to Buenos Aires to compete against Argentina’s powerhouse Junior Women as well as Chile. June will include a test series against Mexico at home, and in July the ladies will take their game overseas to Europe. From July 4th – 21st Canada will compete in a series of matches against Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.
As the U21 Women prepare for 2013, the Women’s Junior National U17 Team has their sights set on the 2017 Junior World Cup. For many young athletes, the USA-Canada Challenge was their first taste of international competition. Led by U17 Head Coach Krista Thompson, they stepped up to the task. After struggling to capitalize on opportunities in the first match and suffering a 0 – 1 loss, Canada responded with two solid, consecutive wins against the Americans. The final game of the series had fans on the edge of their seats with a tight 1 – 1 score in the final minutes. The US scored at the buzzer, resulting in a 1 – 2 loss for Canada and evening the series. In true Canadian fashion, the young U17 team played with fight and endurance.
The Junior National Programs are an important element in Field Hockey Canada’s High Performance Strategy and the overall Talent Development Program to strengthen our Senior Team’s program.
Field Hockey Canada would like to thank and acknowledge the tremendous contribution of the West Vancouver Field Hockey Club, under the continued strong leadership of Jane Kozniuk, for hosting a very successful USA-Canada Challenge.
