International dreams come true earlier than expected for 16 year-old Rowan Childs
PHOTO: Rowan Childs (centre) plays for Canada’s Under-21 Junior World Cup training squad in an exhibition match vs West Vancouver Field Hockey Club in October 2016
When Canada’s Under-21 Men’s National Team qualified for the 2016 Junior World Cup, Rowan Childs was ecstatic.
Having recently turned sixteen and being a field hockey player himself, watching his peers qualify for Junior hockey’s biggest tournament was inspiring.
“I was just watching them as a fan I guess,” he says about Canada’ team at the 2016 Junior Pan American Games, which were hosted in Toronto last May.
Canada finished second at the Junior Pan Ams, earning a berth in the upcoming Men’s Junior World Cup in India. And after seeing his country have success, Childs set a goal to be a part of the excitement the next time around.
“It was just a dream to one day be a part of that and be a part of the next Pan Ams,” he says.
After all, in four years time he would be 20 years old and in the prime of his junior career.
But little did he know, his international dreams would come true much sooner.
Shortly after the Pan Ams in Toronto, Childs played in the storied India Club tournament in Surrey, British Columbia, where he represented B.C.’s Under-18 team.
Each year, the India Club tournament is chock-full of Junior and Senior National Team players past and present. And always watching closely are the coaches from Canada’s Men’s National Program.
It was at that tournament where Childs – a relative unknown to that point – made his mark.
“I got the e-mail from (Under-21 Head Coach Inderpal Sehmbi),” he remembers. “Just getting me onto the JDS squad, to practice with them. And I guess things just took off from there.”
In the coming months, Childs – who began playing hockey in Richmond after seeing his dad Bob and uncle Steve play when he was young – continued to impress.
And with no international experience to his name only months after being on the outside looking in, he cracked the roster for the 2016 Junior World Cup.
“I never thought this would be possible, coming to the Junior World Cup.”
“I’m sure everyone on the squad had a shot,” he says about the process. “Just seeing the competition and the drive to get there was a big help to me.”
He credits his selection to his work ethic, which Childs says is the most important factor for success.
“I consider myself a competitor,” he says when describing his style of play. “Just making sure I never give up. I’m always putting in 100% every single time.”
It’s the type of attitude and approach that played a bit part in his selection and will likely play a big part at the Junior World Cup in India this December.
Childs and team Canada opens the Junior World Cup against host India on December 8th at 7:00pm local time.
Help Canada’s Under-21 along the road to the Junior World Cup. Local apparel outlet Nine O’Clock Gun is once again selling Red Caribou hats. $10 from every purchase goes directly to the team, to help offset costs. Buy two hats and get a 25% discount with the promo code juniorcaribou. Click here to buy.
