Due to umpires moving away and moving into retirement, all island field hockey leagues will be short umpires for this coming season. Those umpires who have not returned umpired about 20% of Spring 2022 games. Gillian Batey will continue to allocate umpires for VILFHA games this coming season but there may be times when she doesn’t find an umpire.

Teams may need to provide an umpire for half a game or a full game using players or capable spectators. The team umpire doesn’t have to be team member, but they need to be competent to blow a whistle and support their other umpire. The allocated umpire will NOT be left to umpire the game by themselves.

If teams aren’t prepared to provide an umpire, then the game will not happen.

To get more certified umpires, Field Hockey BC and Field Hockey Canada are offering umpire courses free to registered members. See FHBC website: https://fieldhockeybc.com/officials/umpire-education/

This is a good chance to understand the rules as a player, too.

If clubs or teams want an education opportunity organized just for them, please contact Alison Sweeten: asweeten@shaw.ca. The Umpires Association need at least 6 people to give a Provincial course. There are several people on Vancouver Island who can do this so don’t be afraid to ask how the Umpire’s Association (VILFHUA) can help with your education.

If you have questions or comments, please contact
_
Alison Sweeten_
President, Vancouver Island Umpire Association (VIFHUA)
asweeten@shaw.ca

Gillian Batey
Umpire Coordinator
bateygk@gmail.com

The season is fast approaching and we would like to draw your attention to the start of season Annual General Meeting. Date, details and zoom link are below. There will be no in-person meeting. Agenda to follow.

Please note: As per 4.1 c) iv. your team will be fined $25.00 for not having a Team Rep at Council Meetings and/or General Meetings

Tentative season start date: Sunday, Sept. 18 in Cowichan, followed by Sept. 24-25 in Cowichan, and then hopefully by Oct. 1 UVic will be open

VILFHA AGM Notice
Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 at 7:00 pm
via Zoom

Topic: VILFHA Annual General Meeting (2022-23 Season)
Time: Sep 13, 2022 07:00 PM Vancouver

Join Zoom Meeting
https://uvic.zoom.us/j/83469267739?pwd=ajdWY0lyN2Z2SkNqcHlaYjhZNHAyQT09

Meeting ID: 834 6926 7739
Password: 199990
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Dial by your location
+1 778 907 2071 Canada
+1 647 558 0588 Canada
Meeting ID: 834 6926 7739
Password: 199990
Find your local number: https://uvic.zoom.us/u/keuudA70HR

Questions: vilfha@gmail.com

While long overdue, the Vancouver Island Ladies Field Hockey Association (VILFHA) are excited to host a celebration event and fundraiser in honour of long-time field hockey builder Patricia Hall who was inducted in to the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in October 2021. VILFHA is pleased to host this celebratory event and tickets will be sold by donation (min. $10 per person).

Event Details
•Date: Saturday, September 17, 2022
•Time: 7:30 – 9:30 pm
•Location: Windsor Pavillion (2451 Windsor Road, Victoria BC, V8S 5H3)
•Tickets: min. $10 donation paid by e-transfer to vilfhafees@gmail.com (Please include your name in the e-transfer notes)

Register online: https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/PatHall

Deadline: September 10, 2022

Note: one person can purchase multiple tickets on the above registration link. That person will be the main contact from the event organizers.

All ticket sale funds from this event support the Pat Hall Officials Development Award. This award is designed to promote the development of Vancouver Island umpires and technical officials. An award of up to $500 will be allocated each year to successful applicants. In order to be eligible for this award, applicants must be a member in good standing with Field Hockey BC and an active official within National, Provincial or Club based programming.

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On May 8, 2021 the Board of the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame (GVSHoF) announced the names of the athletes and builders who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020. She was finally honoured in person in October 2021.

In addition to four athletes – Bobby Ross (Rugby), Bob McLaren (Athletics), Joanne Mick (Softball) and Donnie Orr (Boxing) – our very own Pat Hall will be inducted as a Builder for Multi-Sports, along with the Vancouver Island Soccer League.

“For over 50 years, Pat has been involved with Field Hockey locally, provincially and nationally at all levels of the game from junior to senior. From 1961 to 1988, she was an active player with the Vancouver Island Ladies Field Hockey Association (VILFA). She began coaching in 1970 and umpiring in 1973, co-founding the South Island Field Hockey Umpires Association in 1988.

Although retiring as an umpire in 2000, Pat continues to coach teams in various divisions. Pat served on the executive of the VILFHA for over 40 years and has held many positions on the Boards of the BC and Canadian Women’s Field Hockey Associations.

She has received numerous awards over the years including Victoria Sports Person of the Year, Sport BC President’s Award, VILFHA Life Membership and, in 2013, the VILFA introduced the Pat Hall Officials Development Award.
Her contributions to Softball are almost as numerous. She became involved with the Stuffy McGinnis Softball League in 1960 and served as President from 1975-1993. From 1987 to 1999, Pat was Softball BC Senior District Coordinator and in 1996, led the restructuring of junior softball into three levels.”

Read the full article by the GVSHoF: https://www.gvshof.ca/news/330-2020-hall-of-fame-inductees-announced-2.html

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Please e-transfer your registration funds to vilfhafees@gmail.com with the Primary Registrant’s name in the notes section.

Please RSVP with this form and payment by September 10, 2022.
Details will be sent to confirmed attendees.

For questions, e-mail: vilfha@gmail.com

Field Hockey BC has officially launched their new Membership Registration System Partnership with Field Hockey Canada for 2022-23. This is important for all members:

- Every field hockey player, coach and official is required to register as an individual member ahead of active participation in any given season. The calendar season is September 1st to August 31st inclusive. ​
- Each member is required to pay a membership fee to BOTH Field Hockey BC (FHBC) and Field Hockey Canada (FHC) unless otherwise stated
- The online membership registration system will provide the opportunity for the payment of both FHBC and FHC fees within a single transaction. These fees will not need to be considered as part of your annual club fee structure.
- All individual memberships will involve an online registration process, the system for which is accessible from the FHBC website.
- Members only need to formally register as a member in ONE category.
- Some members may be players, coaches and/or officials and under these circumstances, members are required to register in the category with the HIGHEST fee (see the table here for reference).
- The option to register will be open throughout the year with the membership year again running September 1 – August 31. – Memberships purchased at any point in the season will always and only be valid until August 31 of that same season.

To access the online Membership Registration System, an existing or new member is directed to the FHBC Website and specifically to the 2022-23 Membership Page at the following link: https://fieldhockeybc.com/registration-system-step-by-step-guide-how-to-register-for-a-2022-23-membership/

The 2022-23 Membership Page provides detail as to the Step-by-Step Guide on “How To” Register for a 2022-23 Membership, as well as other membership related details. This page will be updated as necessary in the lead into the official opening of the registration system on August 16, 2022. A notice confirming that 2022-23 membership registration is open will be circulated and posted on the FHBC website homepage on August 16, 2022.

FHBC again appreciates that any change to a Membership Registration process has the ability to impact the time taken by the BC Membership to navigate such change. FHBC remains extremely appreciative of the BC memberships patience as we move through this collective change together. Please do keep the membership registration questions coming. These can be directed to the following e-mail address at info@fieldhockeybc.com. The Society staff remain committed to providing as much clarity as possible in the lead into and throughout the 2022-23 season.

Instructions:
https://fieldhockeybc.com/registration-system-guide/

Register now:
https://fieldhockeybc.com/about/membership/

Amidst the excitement and pride of the Canadian WolfPack qualifying for the FIH World Cup for the first time since 1994, there’s a small pocket in Canada that also sheds a few more tears of pride. Among the 18-player roster are five names that lean heavily on their roots from Vancouver Island. Veterans Maddie Secco and Kathleen Leahy hail from Victoria along side new staples Lexi De Armond and Anna Mollenhauer. Duncan product Sara Goodman is also a bright star for the fresh-faced Canadian side, led by head coach Rob Short, a former University of Victoria Vike and iconic national team men’s player.

While mathematics equates that Vancouver Island players make up only 28 per cent of the World Cup roster for Canada, that’s a fair contribution given the spread of Canadian talent in the country and, the strength of talent across British Columbia. Duncan and Victoria have been heavy national team production hubs thinking back to the talents of Olympians Shelley Andrews, Sara Ballantyne Brant, Nancy Mollenhauer (Charlton), Deb Whitten and from the 2000s era Rushton sisters Andrea and Katie.

The history of island hockey runs deep through all players that move on to the top levels and that is still a strong sentiment in current national team players.

“To me the field hockey community, not only in Victoria, but across the whole island, is very tightknit and it’s a very special community to be a part of,” described Anna Mollenhauer, a three-time U SPORTS National Champion with the UVic Vikes. “I honestly think it’s hard to fully articulate how special the island field hockey community is to me, but I can confidently say that I would not be the person or player that I am today if it weren’t for the Victoria field hockey community and I will forever be beyond grateful for the coaches that I had and continue to learn from, my teammates and lifelong friends and the next generation of island players who inspire me and reignite my love for the game.”

For Secco, on the eve of her 150th international for Canada, a presence at the World Cup is extra special.

“After a strong performance in Chile (at the qualifying event), the team earned its spot in the World Cup,” said Secco. “Our group is taking confidence out of that and viewing this tournament as an opportunity. Coming into this event as underdogs, means the rest of the world isn’t expecting us to succeed. It creates space for us to play freely and deflect pressure. We are all so honoured to be here and can’t wait to compete with the best.”

Secco, who is one of the few island players who took her post-secondary play to the USA, competing for Stanford University, also represented Canada at the junior level and is a member of the Oak Bay High School Hall of Fame.

Leahy, like Secco, was also inducted in to the Oak Bay High School Hall of Fame. Both were stand out soccer and field hockey players. Leahy attributes a lot of her success in field hockey to the community. The former UVic Vikes player was a high-level soccer athlete up until grade 12 before really turning to focus on field hockey. She battled through multiple ACL knee injuries through her post-secondary and national team career and is proudly heading in to her next game with 73 caps.

“I also think the community is really great at both finding talent and retaining it in the sport because of the wonderful leaders we have within the sport on the island,” added Leahy. “There are a number of people who have dedicated their whole lives to growing the sport, they’ve put their heart and soul into it and the fact that more than 28% of the first Women’s World Cup team in 28 years is made up of island players proves that their efforts have been successful! We could not be more thankful for the development available on the island.”

In order for that cycle to continue, it has been evident that those players that make it to the university, college or national team level always cycle back in to the fold. It’s pivotal for the island’s production line.

“Most successful athletes at this level were multisport athletes, you learn so much for scenarios in other sports,” said Leahy on advice for the next wave. Field hockey is technical, but it’s also very tactical and being a smart player can take you very far. Finding balance in both your athletic life and your personal life is important to being a happy person and being able to maintain a competitive lifestyle without burning out. It’s important to give back. You owe your career to the people who taught you, supported you, and believed in you. Now it’s your turn to turn around and do the same for the next generation. It doesn’t matter in what capacity, just get involved somehow, stay connected to the community and show your gratitude for everything they have given you.

Mollenhauer, also a talented multi-sport athlete, also attributes her success to work ethic and belief, advising: “As far back as I can remember when people asked me what I wanted to do in life I would tell them I want to go to the Olympics or World Cup or a multi-sport games. I would tell my younger self to keep chasing your dreams and don’t let anyone or anything hold you back…In simplest terms I remind myself to make the little girl inside of you proud, not only because I knew people looked at her and questioned her dreams and tried to convince her otherwise, but mostly because she fell in love with a game, for the fun of it, and that is why I continue to play today, for her.”

Those dreams are already coming true for the 22-year-old who by next month will have both a World Cup and a Commonwealth Games to add to her already impressive resume.

In Duncan, Goodman hails from a strong pocket of talent, honed by a deep and rich history at mid-island high schools like Cowichan Secondary, Brentwood High School and Frances Kelsey. Goodman, whose younger sister, Jenna, is already in the pipeline as part of the Junior National team and UBC Thunderbirds, also knows the pathway isn’t always as clear cut as one might hope.

“I would just remind young athletes that everyone develops at their own pace,” heeded Goodman. “Have patience with yourself and continue to put in the hard work because it will pay off. As cliche as it is, try and stay present, enjoy every moment, and fully immerse yourself into every opportunity you have to get better.”

There’s no shortage of patience as Canada’s 28-year payoff to be at a World Cup is finally here. Despite pool-play losses to Spain (4-1) and Korea (3-2) already in the bag, Canada has a lot to say about how they got to the World Cup stage. Canada’s next match up is against the powerhouse Argentina Leonas, who recently were crowned the 2022 FIH Pro League champions, but if there’s one thing Canada can be counted on, it’s getting up for a game against their Pan American foes.

Hockey on the island continues to grow as former Vancouver Island products Andi Shannon and Giles Wheatley head fabulous youth programs in Port Alberni, while hockey in the Comox Valley and Nanaimo still take shape in the form of Master’s women’s teams. The strength of Duncan and Victoria hockey continues be the lifeline for island hockey and, as it seems, also for Team Canada.

Cheer on island players Leahy, Secco, de Armond, Goodman and Mollenhauer as they play Argentina in their final pool-play game of the World Cup on Thursday, July 7 at 9:00 am Pacific / 12:00 pm Eastern on watch.hockey (app or website).