Teams and players looking to get the jump on the 2023-24 Vancouver Island Field Hockey Association season are encouraged to register soon, with Field Hockey B.C.‘s retooled registration now open.
Among the changes made that take effect Sept. 1 is the terminology for clubs, players, officials and others.
B.C. accredited community clubs are now referred to as ’members,’ while individuals previously referred to as members are now classed as ‘registered participants.’
More information about these changes can be found on FHBC’s Special General Meeting page at https://fieldhockeybc.com/annual-general-meeting-agm .
The registration link can be accessed here: https://fieldhockeybc.com/about/registration and a step-by-step guide for the registration process available here: https://fieldhockeybc.com/registration-system-guide/ .
All VIFHA players must be registered to play in a scheduled or exhibition match or practise on the turf fields at the University of Victoria. All signups are to be done via the FHBC online registration process. All applicable fees are considered separate from any club fees a player incurs.
While some registered participants are also coaches, officials, volunteers and/or administrators, they only need register in their highest (largest fee) category. The option to register will be open throughout the year with the seasonal year running Sept. 1 to Aug. 31.
The registered participant fees for the upcoming season are as follows:

1. Senior player (born in 2005 or earlier) – Total $80
   FHBC fee ($39) + Field Hockey Canada fee ($39 + $2 NSO registration system surcharge)
2. Junior player U18 to U13 (born 2006 to 2011) – Total $57
   FHBC fee ($34) + FHC fee ($21 + $2 surcharge)
3. Youth player U12 or younger (born 2012 or after) – Total $23
   FHBC fee ($18) + FHC fee ($3 + $2 surcharge)
4. Coach – Total $26
   FHBC fee ($6) + FHC fee ($18 + $2 surcharge)
5. Official – Total $26
   FHBC fee ($6) + FHC fee ($18 + $2 surcharge)
6. Volunteer – no fee at this time
7. Administrator – no fee at this time

FHBC reminds that registered participant fees will only be reimbursed to those members who have not actively participated during the current membership year, regardless of the extent of such participation. Prorated fees for those who join a league midway through the season are also not available.

Join the Field Hockey Canada Senior National Teams for a day on the golf course. The Red Caribou and The Wolfpack are excited to host the first inaugural fundraiser golf tournament at Tsawwassen Springs Golf Course on Friday, June 30, from 12 PM to 9 PM.

Book as a single, twosome or a foursome and support the national teams on their Olympic qualification journeys. Come for the golf and stay for the dinner social and prizes with the Field Hockey Canada national team athletes.

Event Schedule
Location: Tsawwassen Springs Golf & Country Club (Tsawwassen, BC)
Date: Friday, June 30th, 2023

• 12:00: Arrival & Registration
• 1:00: Tournament Begins
• 6:00: Dinner Social, Prizes, & Silent Auction

Read more: https://www.dropbox.com/s/53gqy664ivlff3h/UPDATED%20-%20Inaugural_Canadian_Field_Hockey_Golf_Classic_Sponshorship_Deck_-_2023__1_.pdf?dl=0

The Victoria Junior Field Hockey Association is looking for our community’s support in helping one of our own.
EIght-year-old Oliver Conway is a member of the U8 Boys program this year, but had to stop playing after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour on May 2, 2023.
According to a fundraiser page set up last week, while the initial tumour was removed successfully, further testing found it had metastisized to another part of Oliver’s brain. He will undergo up to six months of chemotherapy at BC Children’s Hospital and six weeks of radiation therapy in Seattle.
Oliver and his family: mom Hailee, dad Evan and little brother Alex, are in the fight of their lives and could use the community’s support to cover the costs of travel and other related expenses to care for and be with their two boys.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the campaign had brought in nearly $36,000 of the $100,000 goal. Interested parties can find more information and donation details at https://www.gofundme.com/f/oliver-conways-journey .

The Metro Vancouver Pro League (MVPL) is coming to Victoria on Saturday, May 13 and this is one of the rare occasions that Vancouver Island will entertain Canada’s best men’s players including several from the Canadian national team and Olympians. You may even see some of these players at Victoria Junior League sessions that weekend!

The four-team semifinal action will take place at the University of Victoria with games at 3:00 pm (2nd vs 3rd place) and 4:30 pm (1st vs 4th place). Along with the games, there are opportunities for youth to take place in the opening walkouts or as ball kids and opportunities for the community to learn from international officials including technical officials and umpires.

The MVPL was formed in 2022 and this is the second instalment of the high-performance field hockey league that focuses on diversity, inclusion, sportsmanship, integrity and respect for the game. Each of the four teams are named after key contributors to the sport of field hockey and the player draft balances the senior and junior talent for balanced but competitive competition. This is the highest-level men’s field hockey that can be played in Canada.

Interested in taking part? Here are the details:

COME WATCH – Saturday, May 13, 2023
• 3:00 pm – Game 1 (2nd vs 3rd Place)
• 4:30 pm – Game 2 (1st vs 4th Place)

Admission is free and seating is first come first serve. The pace of the game is high and so is the ball speed. Please ensure children are supervised and are paying attention if near the sidelines.

Youth participation – walk out buddies (U8 and U6) and ball kids (U14-U18)
• Please contact Ali Baggott: techdirector@victoriajuniorfieldhockey.ca
• Must be available 2:45-3:15pm for Game 1 and/or 4:15-4:45pm for Game 1.
• Walk out buddies are only needed for the beginning of each game
• Ball kids are needed 10 min before the game and throughout the game time(s)

Interested in learning about Technical Official roles or want to support on game day?
• Please contact Brenda Rushton: bjrushton19@gmail.com

Umpire Development Workshop
• Please register online (free): https://forms.gle/pQSFivPohxwbSMGB9
• Register by May 10, 2023.
• This session runs 2-6:30pm and will be facilitated by Alan Waterman (Olympic umpire, FIH Umpire Manager) and will include Q&As with current international umpires Lelia Sacre, Tyler Klenk, Meghan McLennan and Megan Robertson.

Check out the MVPL online:
Website: https://www.mvpl.ca/hype-league/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mvpl.fh/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@metrovancouverproleague293
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mvpl.fh

Feature photo: Harbir Sidhu (Canadian men’s national team player, former UVic Vikes player from Victoria, B.C.).
Photo Credit: Chris Bulowski

No penalty shootout was required this time, but the Tigers needed all hands on deck defensively to repeat as Vancouver Island Field Hockey Association champions Sunday on the UVic turf.
The runaway regular season champions held off a determined fourth-quarter charge from the UVic Vikes and won a nailbiter 3-2.
After the game was scoreless through one half, Tigers opened up a 3-0 lead by the end of the third quarter. Josh Brown scored first off a broken penalty corner play, Javier Virk made it 2-0 by drilling a shot to the far post, and Hamraj Sidhu scored the eventual winner on an open tap-in.
But the Vikes weren’t about to give up.
Having struggled to get enough players out in recent weeks, the student squad had a full complement out Sunday to face the vaunted Tigers. After the Vikes’ Grant Simpson scored to cut the margin to two goals with just over six minutes to play, teammate Finley O’Callaghan made it a one-goal game by beating Tigers’ keeper Tom Pennells with a reverse-stick goal a minute or so later.
Despite the late charge, time was not on Vikes’ side, as Tigers tightened up on D and absorbed two yellow cards late to preserve the victory.
The competitive final followed the season-ending recreational division seven-a-side jamboree, during which the three teams split into four sides to play three half-field games.
Visit the Vancouver Island Men’s Field Hockey — VIFHA on Facebook for more photos from the competitive final.
— Photo by Jim Knight