Field Hockey Canada announces men’s team roster for home Junior Pan American Championships

Junior Men’s National Team roster that will play in Surrey, BC in July

Field Hockey Canada is thrilled to announce the Junior Men’s National Team roster that will participate in the Junior Pan American Championships on home soil in Surrey, BC in July.

The event is scheduled to take place on July 3-12, 2024 in Surrey, BC. The tournament was previously hosted in Canada in 2016, in Toronto, and has subsequently been hosted in Chile and Barbados. This is the second time that Canada will play host in the history of the event.

The junior men that will be representing Canada are a true national team, as there is representation from BC, Alberta, Quebec and Ontario. The team carries a core forward from last year’s Junior Pam American Championships in Barbados and the Junior World Cup in Malaysia.

The team returns 13 athletes from last year’s JPAC cycle and adds in some additional depth and talent at all positions. The team welcomes back Nic Syrros who attended the Junior World Cup in 2021 and was absent last year due to injury. He will bring a wealth of experience to the defence core.

Team Canada will feature two new caps in the backfield, Stan Cooke (GK) and Christopher Chalut (DEF) that will be great additions to the squad. In the front six, the team adds new caps, Navdip Chandi and Lucas Aardenburg. They are two skillful players that can play in both lines. With the additions, Canada adds dynamism in attack as well as adding to the physical presence of the team.

According to Head Coach, Geoff Matthews, the Junior Pan American Championships is a gruelling test of quality and fitness. He expects the team to be in great shape and bring an exciting brand of hockey to each match.

“The tournament will tough physically and mentally. Seven games in ten days will ensure only the fittest and best prepared teams make it to the final day. We will continue to look to play a dynamic brand of hockey that will hopefully create a number of high-danger scoring opportunities and allow us to showcase our best attacking players,” Matthews said.

The tournament is happening on home-soil, which on one hand, adds excitement to the community, but on the other, potential distractions. Matthews knows that there is a positive energy to harness from playing at home, but he said the team recognizes the challenges on the other side of the coin.

“Home tournaments are exciting and frantic. The venue and the crowd will be amazing and we are really looking forward to a positive experience for all,” he said. “There will be some tough moments, and some mistakes, but we know that the local community will be there to pick us up and carry us through those moments. That being said, we look forward to putting our best performances on show and to make the community proud.”

The tournament is a direct qualifier for the 2025 Junior World Cup. The FIH has yet to release the specifics of how many teams will advance. One thing is for sure, the team that stands atop the podium in Surrey on July 12 will be guaranteed a spot at the Junior World Cup.

Canada is coming off a silver medal in Barbados in 2023, and will be looking to upgrade that medal into gold this year on home soil. The team will centralize for a few weeks in the greater Vancouver area prior to the event to get their final preparations in order.

TEAM CANADA ROSTER

Photos from the Junior Men’s Selection Camp. Photos/Blair Shier