The 18-member Canadian men’s national team roster has been announced for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic games. The team leaves on Monday, July 12 for staging ahead of the 12-team tournament which kicks off on Jul. 24. Canada will face a pool that includes European greats Belgium, Germany, Netherlands and Great Britain, as well as South Africa.

Roster: http://www.fieldhockey.ca/2021/06/28/field-hockey-canada-announces-mens-olympic-roster/

There are many ways you can tune in and show your support for Team Canada in Tokyo.

Canada’s pool-play schedule: http://www.fieldhockey.ca/event/2020-olympic-games/
FIH Full schedule: http://fih.ch/media/13350272/fih_tokyo2020_hockeyinvites.pdf

Canada pool play:
Jul. 24: Canada vs Germany (3:00 PDT)
Jul. 25: Canada vs Great Britain (19:45 PDT)
Jul. 27: Canada vs Netherlands (4:45 PDT)
Jul. 28: Canada vs Belgium (18:00 PDT)
Jul. 29: Canada vs South Africa (20:15 PDT)

Send a message to Team Canada:

Field Hockey Canada is delighted to be sending off our Canadian Men’s National Team on their journey to Tokyo 2020 this Monday. In support of their journey, they have created a “Fan Mail” submission form for the purpose of gathering messages of encouragement that can be sent to them digitally during the Games.

Fill it out here:
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=upk9ihuWq0yLiGztOMoj_YtdytOcqZBNichHdZoVOXZUOVpKOTVPM1BXVTU0U0RZM0E4RFBOU0owRi4u

The games will be broadcast on CBC and Field Hockey Canada will be hosting LIVE watch parties for you to join and watch with FHC fans across the country (and world!).

FHC Event Page: http://www.fieldhockey.ca/event/2020-olympic-games/

Go Canada go!

Photo Credit: Blair Shier

Four Vancouver Island athletes have been named to Canada’s women’s junior national team who head off to Santiago, Chile for the Pan American Junior Championships, August 21-28, 2021. A ticket to the Junior World Cup (2023) is on the line.

Duncan’s Sara Goodman along with Victoria’s Nora Struchtrup, Stefanie Sajko and Anna Mollenhauer were all named to the 16-member field player roster, while Niki Leech, of Duncan, is still waiting to hear about goalkeeper announcements.

All five athletes competed in a NextGen selection camp in Vancouver earlier in June along side Victoria’s Libby Hogg and Maddie Middlesteadt and Duncan’s Birkley Anderson – all three who were named to the Junior Pan Am Championship development team roster.

It was a positive showing that all eight island athletes that attended the selection camp were named to either the 18-person roster or the development squad.

Goodman and Anderson are both members of the UBC Thunderbirds varsity side with Goodman in her fourth year and Anderson in her first. Two-time U SPORTS reigning national champion Mollenhauer and teammate Sajko are members of the UVic Vikes varsity side and are joined this fall by now first-year Vikes Hogg, Struchtrup and Mittelsteadt. Goalkeeper Leech is off to compete for the Guelph Gryphons this fall in her first year.

The players traveling to Santiago are largely funding their own way there. If you can show your support for the island players please do so on their individual pages:

Sara Goodman (Cowichan Flickers/UBC Thunderbirds)
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/field-hockey-canada/p2p/adoptanathlete/team/womens-nextgen-program/member/sara-goodman/

Nora Struchtrup (Sailors Club Mariners/UVic Vikes)
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/field-hockey-canada/p2p/adoptanathlete/team/womens-nextgen-program/member/noras-junior-pan-am-games-fund/

Stefanie Sajko (Lynx 1/UVic Vikes)
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/field-hockey-canada/p2p/adoptanathlete/team/womens-nextgen-program/member/stefanie-sajko/

Anna Mollenhauer (Lynx 1/UVic Vikes)
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/field-hockey-canada/p2p/adoptanathlete/team/womens-nextgen-program/member/anna-mollenhauer/

Goalkeeper Decisions TBD
Nikki Leech (Cowichan Flickers/Guelph Gryphons)

Non-Travelling Reserves:
Libby Hogg (Lynx 1/UVic Vikes)
Maddie Mittelsteadt (Lynx 1/UVic Vikes)
Birkley Anderson (Cowichan Flickers/UBC Thunderbirds)

Key links:

Junior Pan American Championship
http://www.panamhockey.org/en/competitions-88-2021-junior-pan-american-championships-women-

NextGen June Selection Camp wrap-up
http://www.fieldhockey.ca/2021/06/16/selection-camp-brings-top-junior-womens-talent-to-vancouver/

NextGen Program Donation Page
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/field-hockey-canada/p2p/adoptanathlete/

• use the search bar to find specific athletes to support

The Sailors Field Hockey Club and Rebels Field Hockey Club are pleased to present summer drop-in field hockey for July and August 2021. This is co-ed pick-up hockey (ie. 7-aside or 11-aside games) and depending on level of players that arrive will be divided into competitive or recreational. This summer’s sessions are going to prioritize game play for adult-level league players who have not had any hockey this season.

PLEASE PRE-REGISTER EACH PARTICIPANT:
https://forms.gle/Y9rXm8seTTXX4sS87

The pre-registration form is to ensure we have contact information for all interested personnel and to ensure that we can communicate the required health and safety protocols on a timely basis.

Tuesdays (7-8:30pm in July and August) hosted by the Sailors Field Hockey Club
Thursday (7-8:30pm in July, 8-9:30pm in August) hosted by the Rebels Field Hockey Club

First dates: Tuesday, July 6 and Thursday July 8
Last dates: Tuesday, August 31 and Thursday August 26

- Location: UVic Field 1 (water-based turf)
- Time: Please do not arrive more than 5 minutes before start time. You will not be permitted on to the field early and we are expected to leave the premises on time.
- Cost: $5 per session (cash due at the field prior to play)
- Age: 14 and up (target age is those that play in the men’s and women’s league already)
- Co-ed hockey (men and women)
- Field Max: A maximum of 50 players (including organizers, spectators and umpires) are allowed. We will turn people away if we hit the maximum.

Eligibility:
- All players must be members in good standing with Field Hockey BC (ie. active and current membership)
- All participants who step foot on the field must fill out a COVID-19 attestation form (hard copy paper) per session. Any participants under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign their form (no exceptions).
- All players must play with shin guards and mouth guards

Health and Safety:
- Make sure to print and sign your COVID attestation form before each session (no exceptions)
- Masks are optional
- Physical distancing is required outside the venue (fences) but not inside the venue.

Please note that if you do not currently have a FHBC Membership for the 2020-21 season, some positive news about registration for July/August and 2021-22 is coming, so don’t register before July 1. We will forward that information along as soon as it’s available.

Questions: Ali Baggott (alilee05@gmail.com) or Jim Knight (jim.a.knight68@gmail.com)

VILFHA would like to acknowledge the members of our association and our field hockey community who have been profiled on the FHC Team of Teams over the last few weeks. The galleries and highlighted achievements for each member can be found on the FHC website and Facebook page. Congratulations, and a huge thank you to all of them for their contributions to our association and to field hockey in general.

Team of Officials and Umpires
Brenda Rushton – Evolution of the Technical Table
David Auld – Recognition of Excellence Album

Team of Volunteers
Theresa Kennedy – Recognition of Excellence Album

Team of Masters
Alanna Martin and Heather Benson – As the Crow Flies – Women’s 055 Masters Team Kilometre Challenge
Jim Knight, Clive Wheatley, Andrew MacKinnon and Chris Wilson – In the Same League: Masters Team carves own path in Vancouver Men’s Division

Masters Community Champion
Pat Hall

Recognition of Excellence Album
Alanna Martin
Cara Jay
Heather Wheatley
Trish Murphy
Arlene Baker

The VILFHA Safety Plan outlines the measures that will be followed to keep coaches, athletes,  volunteers, and visitors safe. The plan will align with guidelines and orders provided by  public health authorities, ViaSport, Field Hockey BC (FHBC), and Field Hockey Canada (FHC). 

The primary objective of the Safety Plan is to prevent the  transmission of Covid-19. The secondary objective is to ensure the ability to track all possible  transmission in the case of an outbreak. 

We will continue to adapt measures in response to public health guidance as  our current environment is continually evolving. This plan is fluid and will be updated as needed. 

VILFHA is adopting a Program Cohort model which limits Cohorts to maximum 42 athletes, 3 Coach/Leaders and 2 Safety officers with 2 Umpires. There can be no more than 49 participants based on Public Health order limiting gathering size.
Spectators are discouraged from attending. Any spectator must be off the field and outside the fenced area. They are requested to maintain 2 m physical distancing at a minimum.

Roles & Responsibilities
All participants:
• Stay up-to-date on current public health recommendations. 
• Complete self-assessment (screening) before coming to the field hockey pitch. Do NOT  come if you respond YES to any of the screening questions. STAY HOME if you are  feeling unwell. Self assessment tools are available at https://bc.thrive.health/
• Follow public health guidelines on personal hygiene and physical distancing.
• Wear appropriate training clothing and bring only your water bottle(s) and stick. 
• Maintain 2 m distance at all times when off the field of play (outside the white lines)
• Do not share water bottles, personal gear, food etc. 
 
Communication
Up to date guidelines for Return to Play are posted on Field Hockey BC https://fieldhockeybc.com/and ViaSport  https://www.viasport.ca/

Relevant  adjustments to safety measures will be made and participants will be alerted by email and update to VILFHA web page https://vilfha.teampages.com/

Coaches, players and volunteers will be trained on facility and equipment cleaning  protocols.  

Public Health Awareness
Public health advice on COVID-19, including symptoms and measures to reduce  transmission, will be posted on signs
Athletes, coaches and staff are asked to review and agree to safety measures

Screening 
All players and volunteers are required to complete a COVID attestation form prior to entering the turf area.
Anyone who is feeling unwell MUST stay home. 
Coaches, Safety Officers and Umpires have the ability to deny entry to anyone who answers yes to any of the  screening questions or whose disregard for safety measures puts other at risk. 

Facility Access & Flow
Cowichan Sportsplex
enter through the gate and provide COVID attestation form to Safety Officer,
maintaining 2 meter distance from others participants then go to their designated  space to drop off their personal belongings. 

Players not involved in a scrimmage may train in the ‘warm-up area’ near the gate when other members of their cohort are scrimmaging

Only participants within a cohort may be admitted onto the field – this includes the warm-up area (ie Div 1/2 may not use the warm-up area when Div 2/3 is playing

Cleaning, Hygiene & Sanitation
Clean and/or disinfect high touch surfaces at the beginning and end of each training session.
Each cohort will be provided with cleaning and sanitizing supplies
Balls will be washed with soap and water following use
Cohorts will keep their balls and Safety Officer pinnies separate for duration of the season – ie cohorts will not share balls or pinnies

Medical and Public Health Response Plan and Management of New and  Suspected Cases
Anyone who complains of feeling ill while at the field during training will be asked to  leave immediately and complete self-assessment or further assessment/medical attention as warranted Island Health’s COVID-19 Call Centre: 1-888-268-4319 https://www.islandhealth.ca/learn about-health/covid-19 

Anyone onsite will be asked to  wash their hands and all equipment and surfaces touched by the individual will be cleaned  and disinfected immediately.  ).  

Information for contact tracing will be provided to public health officials by the VILFHA president or other executive as requested for contact tracing. Contact information is maintained and names of participants will be stored for 1 year.
Insurance 
Participants must be registered with Field Hockey BC

Equipment Cleaning Protocols 
Training Equipment 
• Clean balls with soapy water and rinse. 
High Touch Points
• Entry and exit gates – clean with disinfectant wipes
Personal Hygiene 
The virus that causes COVID-19 is spread through droplets when you cough, sneeze, talk or  when you touch an infected surface and then touch your mucus membranes (eyes, nose,  mouth). 
• Practice physical distancing. 
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds often. 
• Avoid touching your face. 
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow. 
• Keep water bottle in backpack or zip-lock bag (along with hand sanitizer) • Do not spit or clear nasal passages. 

http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/self-isolation – Self
BC Government Link 
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19- provincial-support/bc-restart-plan 
ViaSport Links 
https://www.viasport.ca/news/return-sport-guidelines-help-bc-sport-organizations-plan-reopening https://www.viasport.ca/news/province-takes-action-support-return-sport
BC COVID 19 App & Self-Assessment Tool: https://bc.thrive.health/covid19/en