Field Hockey Canada > Senior men present juniors with World Cup uniforms at sendoff event

Senior men present juniors with World Cup uniforms at sendoff event

PHOTO: Junior goalkeeper Angus Grauer receives his 2016 Junior World Cup uniform from Senior goalkeeper David Carter on November 29, 2016 in Vancouver

November 30, 2016 | Shaheed Devji | fieldhockey.ca

With Canada’s Under-21 men headed to Lucknow, India for the 2016 Junior World Cup this Thursday, Field Hockey Canada held a special send-off event for the team Tuesday night in Vancouver.

In front of family and friends, the eighteen Canadian men received their Junior World Cup uniforms, which were made by lululemon and presented to them by their senior Men’s National Team counterparts.

“It was a good experience, especially getting it from the Senior guys, Olympians who have accomplished a lot,” says Angus Grauer, who – along with fellow keeper Iqwinder Gill – received his uniform from Senior goalkeeper David Carter.

“It’s finally all started hitting me – a few days before – it’s pretty cool,” adds Grauer, who will be playing in his first international tournament in India.

The evening was not only special for Canada’s Juniors, 16 of whom – including Grauer – are off to their first Junior World Cup, but also for the Seniors, who are fresh off an appearance at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Only three years ago, many of the athletes who currently make-up Canada’s senior Men’s National Team were on the Junior stage competing at the 2013 Junior World Cup, which was also played in India.

“It’s obviously a pretty big milestone for them. It’s cool to be a part of that,” says Taylor Curran, who after competing in the 2013 Junior World Cup competed in his first Olympic Games this past summer in Rio, Brazil.

“Obviously, it’s also special because you know invariably you’re going to end up playing with a bunch of these guys. And it’s been exciting to see a lot of them develop over the last year or so.”

And whether it was in 2013, or before, the Junior pathway is a right of passage to the Senior international level and one that can start a long and fulfilling career in international hockey. And the Junior World Cup – a competition with the world’s best hockey players and teams under the age of 21- is the best way to kickstart that journey.

“It just made me feel like that I accomplished something that really wanted to do, so it puts that joy in me,” says defender Gavin Bains, who narrowly missed out on selection for the 2016 Junior Pan American Championship this past spring, but made his way back into the fold and on to the World Cup roster.

Canada opens the 2016 Junior World Cup against host India on December 8th at 7:00pm local time (6:00am Pacific/9:00am Eastern).

Click here for Canada’s full schedule and results. Follow Field Hockey Canada on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for the latest on the Canadian junior men in India.