Twenty men selected for Canada’s pre-Olympic European tour in June

Canada’s Men’s National Field Hockey Program has confirmed the twenty athletes selected for a pre-Olympic tour in Europe from June 6-21, 2016.

The trip to Europe will consistent of training, and matches against Olympic-bound teams Ireland and Spain. Canada will play four games against Ireland, two in Belfast and two in Dublin, before faces Spain three times in Madrid.

Canada’s Men’s National Team for the European tour consists of all 18 players who participated in the 2016 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia, which was the Canadian men’s last competition.

Rounding out the twenty are midfielders Floris van Son and John Smythe.

Van Son, who was born in the Netherlands and raised in Belgium but holds Canadian citizenship, joined the Canadian program in January to pursue his Olympic dream after taking a leave from his Dutch second division team: HIC.

John Smythe, the younger brother of Canadian forward Iain Smythe, has been with the Canadian National Program for a number of years and has consistently been one of the players part of Canadian touring rosters over last two years.

The European tour will be Canada’s last block of preparation before selection for Canada’s 2016 Olympic Games field hockey team will be made in early July. It is therefore expected that the 16 athletes (and two reserves) for the Olympics will selected from the pool of 20 players headed to Europe.

After Europe and Olympic team selection, Canada’s men will host the United States in the “Summer Games Send-off presented by London Drugs,” which is a three game test series to be played in Surrey and West Vancouver, British Columbia July 7, 9, and 10.

• READ: London Drugs partners with Field Hockey Canada in lead-up to 2016 Olympic Games

The series against the U.S. is part of an Olympic-themed week from July 4-10, which will also include the Olympic team announcement as well as the 2016 Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Canadian Men’s National Team – 2016 European Tour

*Team Captain