With less than a month to go before the 2016 Junior Men’s Pan American Championship, the Canadian Under-21 Men’s National Team headed to the tournament in Toronto will play a series of matches against local All-Stars in the Vancouver area next week.
The Canadian juniors will face the Vancouver All-Stars, the West Vancouver All-Stars, and the Surrey All-Stars on May 3rd, 7th, and 8th respectively. Hosted by Vancouver Hawks Field Hockey Club, West Vancouver Field Hockey Club, and India Field Hockey Club, the games will be played at UBC’s Wright Field, Rutledge Field in West Vancouver, and Tamanawis Field in Surrey.
The Canadian junior men have been training full-time, on- and off-field, in a centralized environment in Vancouver since the beginning of February. This month, the larger squad was narrowed down to 18-men who will represent Canada at the Junior Men’s Pan Am in Toronto from May 20-28.
The Junior Pan American Championships serve as a qualifier for the upcoming 2016 Junior Men’s World Cup in India. The top two finishers in Toronto earn a spot at the tournament in Delhi later this year.
While a handful of Canada’s players have experience in a high-stakes tournament – like the 2013 Junior World Cup and the 2014 Youth Olympic Games – many of Canada’s Junior Pan Am players will be experience that level of international hockey for the first time in Toronto.
The All-Star series in Vancouver next week is a way for the men to prepare for that level of hockey. Facing current and former international athletes – many who have represented Canada at the senior level – the series will likely be the junior’s biggest test prior to the tournament.
Family, friends, and fans are encouraged to come watch Canada’s past, present, and future.
Schedule – Canadian Under-21 Men’s National Team vs Vancouver All-Stars