News and Announcements

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VICTORIA – The annual Bridgman Cup girl’s high school tournament was held at the University of Victoria over Thanksgiving weekend, Oct. 11-13. Cowichan High edged South Delta Secondary in overtime shootouts after a scoreless 70 minutes of regular play. Handsworth defeated Crofton in the third-fourth place match up.

Since 2002, it has been tradition at the Bridgman Cup for the annual Stephanie Johnston (Doney) Memorial Scholarship to be awarded. This year the Bridgman Cup committee was very pleased to announce Victoria’s Oak Bay High graduate Gillian Kirkpatrick as the 2013 winner. To date, six winners have been from Oak Bay High including the most recent two of Maddie Secco and Kathleen Leahy – current members of Canada’s senior national team.

Kirkpatrick was a model student-athlete throughout her high school career managing her time efficiently and effectively. The midfielder balanced an honour roll standing in a challenging academic program with multiple sports at an elite level as well as numerous leadership and volunteer activities. In recognition of her accomplishments, Kirkpatrick was awarded Oak Bay Municipality’s Young Exceptional Star Award and CTV’s Amazing Kid Award.

Kirkpatrick is a multi-sport athlete, primarily in field hockey, but also competed in cross-country and track and field. At the the highest level, the Oak Bay High grad was a member of regional and provincial hockey teams including earning gold medals at the B.C. Junior and Senior Indoor Championships. In 2012, Kirkpatrick competed for Canada’s under 17 team in a series against the USA under 17 squad. She was also a member of the Inaugural premier team formed on the island – Kirby’s Island Wildcats.

In addition, Kirkpatrick was a member of Oak Bay High’s leadership program and was a dedicated volunteer coach and umpire in Victoria’s junior field hockey league.

Following high school graduation, Kirkpatrick accepted a field hockey scholarship to attend Hofstra University where she has been competing since September 2013.

ABOUT STEPHANIE JOHNSTON (DONEY)

Stephanie was a graduate of Esquimalt High School where she excelled at Track and Field and Field Hockey.  She went on to complete her teaching degree at the University of Victoria where she was a valuable member of the Vikes Field Hockey Team.  During Stephanie’s teaching career she was the coach of several school teams taking them to the provincial championship level.  Stephanie was an active member in the Victoria Women’s Field Hockey Association right up until she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

As an athlete she excelled in all sports, and could turn her hand to anything.  She was competitive, hardworking and inspirational, showing sportsmanship at all times. 

As a person she was loving, genuine, and generous, beautiful inside and out.  As a mother of three small children she was devoted, as a friend unforgettable.  She died in March 1991 at the age of 39, but her amazing qualities as a person and athlete live on in the memories of her family, friends and students and are valued by the recipients of the Stephanie Johnston (Doney) Memorial Scholarship.

Each year the Stephanie Johnston (Doney) Memorial Scholarship is awarded at the Bridgman Cup. Previous winners include:

2013 Gillian Kirkpatrick – Oak Bay High
2012 Maddie  Secco – Oak Bay High
2011 Kathleen Leahy – Oak Bay High
2010 Adrienne Shepherd – Oak Bay High
2010 Julie Williams – Lambrick Park
2009 Lauren Goodmanson – Lambrick Park
2008 Aly MacKay – Lambrick Park
2007 Kate Shepherd – Oak Bay High
2006 Laura Fairbairn – Mount Douglas High
2005 Teagan McInnes – Lambrick Park
2004 Victoria Hughes – Lambrick Park
2003 Emma Carbery – Oak Bay High
2002 Sandy Barreda – Oak Bay High

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!

#1: TLC Camp for Kids – Friday, October 25

#2: Vikes Women’s Field Hockey Alumni & Friends Day (Celebrating Lynne’s 30th Season)

The Vikes women’s field hockey team are also working in conjunction with 100.3 The Q and the TLC Fund for Kids to host a one-session field hockey camp for boys and girls on Oct. 25. The day is a pro-d day for many of Victoria’s youth and for $25 (proceeds go to the TLC Fund for Kids), the participants receive a t-shirt, 1.5 hours of skills and fun, lunch and a day pass to the Nov. 2 date of the CIS women’s field hockey championship. The TLC Fund for Kids is a not-for-profit organization of the CRD that dedicates energy towards helping children’s health, happiness and betterment of life. The camp is open to children ages 6-11 and registration is available online now at* govikesgo.com/TLC*

In addition to the CIS Championship the Vikes will be hosting a number of events including an alumni and friends celebration event that includes a dinner to celebrate Vikes head coach Lynne Beecroft’s 30th season. The alumni event is extended to the entire day of Nov. 2 that begins with a fun, alumni and friends game in the morning and ends with watching the current Vikes squad compete at 1 p.m. and a celebration and fundraiser dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Uplands Golf Course. Tickets are $80 and can be purchased online at govikesgo.com/CISWFH . All family, friends and alumni are welcome to purchase tickets. Included in the cost is a t-shirt, dinner and a week-long pass to the 2013 CIS Championship.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see Canada’s best university field hockey and get involved!

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VICTORIA – Top-level competition returns to the island as the University of Victoria Vikes host the 2013 CIS / FHC women’s field hockey championship on Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 at the UVic field hockey pitch. The four-team tournament will pit the Canada West’s top-two, UBC and UVic, against the OUA top two. Final seeding will be determined over the next couple of weeks despite the Vikes and T-Birds already qualifying.

TOURNAMENT INFO: govikesgo.com/CISWFH

Game times are set for 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, while the weekend games will go at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Nov. 2-3. The Vikes are after their 12th CIS banner with their most recent banner being won in 2008 when tournament was hosted in Victoria.

In addition to the CIS Championship the Vikes will be hosting a number of events including an alumni and friends celebration event that includes a dinner to celebrate Vikes head coach Lynne Beecroft’s 30th season. The alumni event is extended to the entire day of Nov. 2 that begins with a fun, alumni and friends game in the morning and ends with watching the current Vikes squad compete at 1 p.m. and a celebration and fundraiser dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Uplands Golf Course. Tickets are $80 and can be purchased online at govikesgo.com/CISWFH . All family, friends and alumni are welcome to purchase tickets. Included in the cost is a t-shirt, dinner and a week-long pass to the 2013 CIS Championship.

The Vikes women’s field hockey team are also working in conjunction with 100.3 The Q and the TLC Fund for Kids to host a one-session field hockey camp for boys and girls on Oct. 25. The day is a pro-d day for many of Victoria’s youth and for $25 (proceeds go to the TLC Fund for Kids), the participants receive a t-shirt, 1.5 hours of skills and fun, lunch and a day pass to the Nov. 2 date of the CIS women’s field hockey championship. The TLC Fund for Kids is a not-for-profit organization of the CRD that dedicates energy towards helping children’s health, happiness and betterment of life. The camp is open to children ages 6-11 and registration is available online now at govikesgo.com/TLC

Don’t miss this opportunity to see Canada’s best university field hockey and get involved!

For more information visit govikesgo.com or contact Ali Lee, Vikes Alumni Chapter Chair, at alilee05@gmail.com

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On Saturday, Sept. 28, the Cowichan and Island field hockey community suffered the loss and sudden passing of Les Mann. Les was a father, husband, brother, volunteer, coach, advocator, leader, contributor and much, much more. Les was a pivotal part of the Cowichan Junior League and a dedicated coach for several different programs on the island. Les’ daughter Miranda is a field hockey icon on the island, playing through all divisions in VILFHA’s women’s league and going on to play out her five years with the UBC Thunderbirds.

Les’ sudden passing happened while watching Miranda compete, with the captain’s band on, against the UVic Vikes in Victoria. The entire field hockey community is shocked by this loss but will always remember the contributions of Les Mann and his family.

Les Mann’s Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, October 11 at 2:00pm at Mellor Hall, Cowichan Exhibition Grounds. In Lieu of flowers there will be a Les Mann Memorial Fund at the CIBC in Duncan to benefit the Cowichan Junior Field Hockey Association.

VILFHA would like to extend their thoughts and prayers to the Mann family at this time. A moment of silence will be conducted prior to each of the women’s league games this weekend, Oct. 5-6, to honour Les and reminds us to be thankful for all the things we have and all the people around us right now.

It is also a reminder that field hockey is just a game and what is more important is how it brings us all together to do some thing we love to do. Regardless of if you knew Les or not he represented a fan, father, volunteer and dedicated island field hockey community member. Take a moment to reflect and be thankful that we have each other, this sport and amazing family and people around us.

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VICTORIA – Vancouver Island’s first premier women’s field hockey team will take to the field this weekend for the start of their second season as part of the Vancouver Premier League. Kirby’s Island Wildcats is an island-based team that has a five-year plan to increase the development of the island’s high performance juniors as well as increase participation from the junior league, through the women’s league right through to feeding players to the Canadian University and National team programs.

On Saturday, Sept. 21 the Wildcats will host the Vancouver Hawks in their first premier game at 12:30 p.m. at the University of Victoria water-based turf.

The team, sponsored by Kirby’s Source for Sports, boasts talent from the entire island. Cowichan standouts Chelsey Cleemoff, Stefanie Langkammer and Claire Seeliger were all competitors for BC Under-18 teams this past summer, while Lindsay Cole, Lexi De Armond, Ella Mosky, Kristina Walters-Shumka and Jenna Dhillon were all Victoria representatives on their respective provincial teams.

As far as experience goes, former Canadian national team member Ali Lee joins forces with UVic Vikes alumni Perri Espeseth, Sandy Zinkowski and Cara Jay to provide some leadership and guidance for the young squad. In goal, duties will be shared between Duncan’s Courtney Westwood and Victoria’s Shinai Sorensen.

New additions include Mount Doug High School’s Lindsay Cole, Cowichan’s Kim Smith, former University of Toronto midfielder Lauren Mansfield, as well as Madi Koniuk, from the Rebels Field Hockey Club, and Niki Davis from the Sailors FIeld Hockey Club.

FULL TEAM ROSTER:
(#, Name, Position, Club)

0 Shinai Sorensen, GK, Lynx
1 Courtney Westwood, GK, Cowichan
2 Lindsay Cole, F, Lynx
3 Chelsey Cleemoff, D, Cowichan
4 Lexi De Armond, M/F, Lynx
5 Ali Lee, M, Sailors
6 Lauren Mansfield, M, Rebels
7, Ella Mosky, D, Lynx
8 Madi Koniuk, F, Rebels
9 Perri Espeseth, D, Sailors
10 Casey Crowley, M, Shawnigan Lake
11 Sandy Zinkowski, M, Rebels
12 Kim Smith, D, Cowichan
13 Niki Davis, F, Sailors
14 Kristina Walters-Shumka, D/M, Lynx
15 Heather Wheatley, D, Rebels
16 Jenna Dhillon, M/F, Lynx
18 Stefanie Langkammer, F, Cowichan
19 Elspeth McGillivray, F, Sailors
20 Claire Seeliger, D, Cowichan
21 Cara Jay, F, Rebels
Kira Graham, F/M, Sailors

Head Coach: Mark Baggott
Manager: Laurie De Armond

For more information visit: facebook.com/islandwildcats