The story of our Women’s National Indoor Team is one of determination and fortitude.  The team represents a dedicated group of athletes balancing both the commitment and training required of national athletes while pursuing studies or their professional careers. Many have had the privilege of representing Canada as a national athlete in previous indoor World Cups, on the senior or junior women’s national outdoor team or are just beginning their pursuit of national aspirations. Ranging in age from high school to mid-30’s, this diverse group of individuals are united in their focus to represent Canada to the best of their ability.

The Women’s Indoor National Team competes with intent to qualify for the FIH Indoor World Cup. This requires the team to attend the Indoor Pan American Cup every two to three years depending on the cycle rotation.

2023-2024 Information

Elements of the Program (Phase 1): 

The first phase of the indoor program begins with squad selection camps which will be held on November 17-19, in Toronto, Ontario and on December 8-10, in Calgary, Alberta.

TORONTO EAST CAMP – REGISTER NOW

CALGARY WEST CAMP – REGISTER NOW

This first phase will run through until the end of March 2024 and will include a squad participation in the Indoor Pan American Cup, and a preparation tour (dates & details to be confirmed).  

EASTERN INDOOR CAMPS AND COMPETITION PROGRAMS (PHASE 1) 

• November 17^th-19^th, 2023 (Toronto, Ontario)
• Domestic Training: November 2023 – March 2024 (Toronto, Ontario)
• IPAC Preparation Tour: January 2024 (Vienna, Austria)
• Domestic League: January to March 2024 (Toronto, Ontario) – TBC
• Indoor Pan American Cup: March 17^th-23^rd, 2024 (Calgary, Alberta)

Details of the next phases leading up to the 2025 Indoor World Cup can be accessed here.

Registration Requirements: 

Athletes must meet the following requirements and any other set out by the national coach, in order to attend the camp, be selected and train with the national squad.

• Be a Canadian Citizen 
• Be a nationally or provincially identified athlete. 
• Be available for domestic training and competitive elements. 
• Be a member in good standing with FHC and your provincial organization.

Camp Details: 

• Attendance at all sessions is a requirement of the camp, unless excused by the head coach. 
• Accommodation, food and travel to and from the camp will be the responsibility of the individual athlete.
• Athletic trainers/ therapists will be present for all practices and games.
• Bring red, white and black shirts.

Camp Schedule: 

Dates & locations will be confirmed by October 31^st, 2023

Method of Payment & Registration Process:

• Camp Registration will be done through the following link (FHC F-RED registration)

Squad and Team Selection:

A Squad will be named on November 23^rd, 2023 or earlier.

Nationally Identified and Non-Ontario Athletes:

Athletes training in Vancouver for the national outdoor program and would like to participate in the Indoor program will be selected to the squad and or team by the indoor national coach on an individual consideration, provided certain criteria are met.

• Athletes not residing in Ontario, if selected to the squad or team, will need to work with the indoor national coach on a plan which ensures training components are met.

Self-Funded Program: 

The program is self-funded; your assistance in fund raising and attendance at other team activities that raise awareness for the program will be required. All funds raised will be used for the sole purpose of expenses incurred by the program.

Medical Insurance: 

You must be a registered Provincial and FHC member to be covered by the FHC’s membership’s insurance policy. This is mandatory if you want to attend indoor national training and competition.

2024-2025 Information

The Indoor Pan American Championships is a qualification event and the top two teams will qualify for the Indoor World Cup in 2025.

This is a self funded program which means all costs will be covered by the athletes, fundraising events and donations. Field Hockey Canada has support to fundraising for all identified athletes within the pathway and if selected, you will be onboarded into this support system.

SELECTION CAMP DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY

Calgary to Host 2024 Indoor Pan American Championships

Field Hockey Canada is thrilled to announce Calgary, Alberta as the official host-city of the 2024 Indoor Pan American Championships. The women’s and men’s tournament will take place simultaneously at the 7 Chiefs Sportsplex, in Calgary on March 18-22, 2024.

The last time Canada hosted the Indoor Pan American Championships was in 2005 in Waterloo, Ontario. Since then, the event has taken place in Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, Guyana, and in 2021, the event was held in Pennsylvania, USA. READ MORE.

DONATE NOW & SUPPORT THESE ATHLETES TODAY 

CLICK TO DONATE TO THE JUNIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM

CLICK TO DONATE TO A NEXTGEN ATHLETE

Sport Canada defines ‘NextGen’ as athletes who are 5-8 years away from an Olympic/World Cup podium. The Field Hockey Canada Men’s NextGen national program is a collection of young athletes from across the country. These players train and compete in their regional training centres located in BC, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. It is from this athlete pool that coaches draw for Junior and Youth international competitions. The NextGen pathway also serves as the development pipeline for the senior Men’s National Team.

TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The NextGen tiered system identifies athletes at different ages and stages of their NextGen development. This holistic approach allows for Field Hockey Canada to identify talent at many junctures and include athletes at all stages of their development. Read more and view the current NextGen tiers below.

Detailed NextGen Tiered System | 2023 NextGen Tiered List

TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Field Hockey Canada is always evaluating and identifying young talent. The talent identification model allows Field Hockey Canada to use different stages of the year to identify and evaluate young talent by way of training camps, tours and talent ID sessions. The long-term development of Canada’s Targeted Athletes is a fundamental priority of this program. Our goal is to provide the best possible experiences for players to realise their potential of representing Canada on the International Stage.

EVALUATION AND SELECTION

Athletes within the NextGen system are evaluated based on the Junior Gold Medal profile which is an evaluation metric that compares athletes to World Class Junior Internationals globally. Athletes are evaluated on a scale of 1 – 10 where 1 would be a recreational youth athlete, and 10 would be a Junior International with Senior team Caps and potential participation at Senior events such as Pro League or Olympic Games. The NextGen program is working toward the following performance goals for Canadian Evaluation. Athletes within the NextGen system can expect to receive regular feedback related to their performance.

SPONSORSHIP & SUBSIDY

NextGen is a completely Self-Funded program, in order to bring athlete fees down as well as reduce cost for training tours, international competition and events a significant sponsorship and fundraising program is needed. All athletes involved in the NextGen program can participate and support both fundraising and sponsorship programs. Participants are encouraged to reach out to the FHC Sponsorship and Fundraising leads for more information, or with any leads regarding sponsorship or fundraising. Every effort will be made to find financial support for National Teams, and NTC Training Centres to reduce the overall cost of the program.

Sponsorship Contact – Hailey Yhap (Field Hockey Canada Events and Engagement) – hyhap@fieldhockey.ca

WOMEN’S NEXTGEN OVERVIEW

The Field Hockey Canada NextGen Program is a talent assessment and development philosophy focused on identifying and nurturing the next generation of performance-development athletes through collaboration with the key stakeholders; athletes, parents, clubs, Provincial Sport Organizations and FHC. Designed for players approximately 4 to 8 years away from senior national team impact, the approach provides a pathway to help young players reach their goals within field hockey.

At its core, the NextGen Program is dedicated to long-term athlete support and development, to create a life-long affinity to the game and giving players the best opportunities to reach their goals. Through research led and principles driven approach athletes will receive support to:

• Navigate the multiple and often competing demands they face as young people
• Individual development plans
• Technical and tactical skill refinement
• Strength and conditioning program
• Mental performance training
• Nutrition and recovery education

The program partners with athletes, parents, clubs and Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs) to align coaching and development principles nationwide, enabling progression for athletes through their individual contexts and the varying stages of their journey.

A central component of talent development is international experience. Youth tournaments give athletes early exposure to high-level competition, helping them to better understand and adapt to the demands of the international game. In doing so the aim is to create greater clarity as to the qualities and skills required as part of their individual performance-development journey.

The NextGen athlete pool is the foundation for Canada’s future success, feeding into Junior and Youth National Teams and ultimately preparing athletes to excel at the senior international level.

The Women’s NextGen National Program brings together top young female athletes from across Canada, providing targeted developmental opportunities and meaningful competition designed to progress their game and prepare them for the world stage.

TALENT IDENTIFICATION, EVALUATION & SELECTION

The focus will be on system-wide activation with delivery of the Talent Development System activated at all levels: club, provincial, and national. Field Hockey Canada will play a system leadership role, providing performance development training.

Athletes will be identified into the program through the following primary routes:

the national championships or,
through the provincial pathway, or,
club/PSO nomination, or,
national talent development system evaluations

Assessment principles which account for both current performance levels and future potential will identify athletes to be invited to participate in camps in their regions. There will be a series of outdoor and indoor camps throughout each year. The approach is inclusive and focused on long term, individual development. In keeping with the talent assessment principles, athletes who are not invited to camp will still have the opportunity, if they wish, to compete for entry at subsequent points. This principle reflects an understanding that individuals develop at different rates, creating more opportunities for future development and retaining players within both the sport and the talent pathway. As part of the developmental pathway athletes will have on-going developmental plans which will be reviewed quarterly to reflect their own unique developmental journeys.

FIELD HOCKEY CANADA TALENT DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES – W.O.L.F.

Winding Journey – Players develop at different rates and in different contexts. The pathway is designed to recognise and work with players changing contexts.

Optimized Learning – Pathway coaches and administrators will use and foster evidence-based learning and skill development environments.

Long-Term Approach – Pathway will be long-term development focussed, NOT tournament driven.

Flourishing and Fulfilling – Player centred. The best interests of the player at that time to help guide all athlete pathway decisions.

FIELD HOCKEY CANADA Assessment PRINCIPLES

• Type and nature of assessment meets needs of long-term player development (not tournament focused selection).
• Assessment should be made over multiple opportunities and using multiple eyes (triangulating of views).
• Assessments of players will be made in contexts that are as representative of the game as possible, or within actual games (assessing hockey playing ability within match like contexts).
• Assessment is about BOTH current performance AND future potential.

TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE & COMPETITION NEWS

Upcoming camps, youth tour information and a comprehensive schedule will be posted here.

STAFF & CONTACT

NextGen Director – Andrea Gibson [agibson@fieldhockey.ca]

Talent Pathway Lead – Mike Van Iderstine [FHCNextGen@fieldhockey.ca]