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

While 2020 marks an unprecedented year with seemingly little in the island hockey world to celebrate, there is one bright spot worth highlighting. Long-time hockey contributor and umpire David Auld has announced his retirement.

“It is my great honour to congratulate David on his retirement from umpiring,” said Denise McGeachy, past president of VILFHA (ladies league) and current president VIFHUA (umpire’s association). “His dedication to our game has few equals. David always brought a positive attitude to each game and treated all players respect. The umpiring community is richer for his contribution, as an umpire and mentor.

“Apart from the umpiring, David is one of the sweetest, kindest people I’ve ever known. David always had a smile on his face at the beginning – and more importantly, at the end of each game no matter how difficult or bad the weather. To me, this is his greatest legacy to our community – his positivity.”

Auld has been umpiring in Victoria since his arrival from Scotland in 1969 and was certified as high as a Canadian Regional level official. A familiar, smiling face on the field, David is well known for his time spent officiating at the high school, men’s league and, most notably, women’s league games. In 2008, David was named a VILFHA Honorary Member, awarded to only 19 individuals since 1958, for their dedication, service and commitment to building the ladies league.

It was only by chance that Auld happened upon the sport of field hockey, which came to be the good fortune for Field Hockey Victoria. While attending the Jordanhill College of Education, in Scotland, Auld intended to pursue the sport of rugby, while the Director of Education at the college had another suggestion.

“I was told, ‘Auld why don’t you try the sissy’s game’ – grass hockey, as it was called then, is what I picked up and I never looked back,” described Auld about how he fell in to the sport. “It was purely by accident. I just loved the game and I climbed the rank enough to play for a first division team at Jordanhill and eventually a West of Scotland team.”

In 1966, Auld relocated to Canada and Vancouver Island, accepting a two-year teaching contract in Shawnigan Lake at the Cliffside Preparatory School, while his wife, Edna, worked as a nurse in Duncan. There, Auld also played field hockey for two years with the men’s team at Shawnigan Lake School in a league that included the Tigers, UVic and an Oak Bay team.

“At the end of those games at Windsor Park there was always a game right after and people figured that since I was a PE teacher I would know all the rules and I should umpire,” said Auld about how the whistle was first placed in his hand. “I had no qualifications but I was given a whistle and just did it. Whenever the umpire certification process started I did that and I got as far as Regional.”

In the 1980’s, Auld was also on the block to contend for his Canadian rank but during his field rating got injured and was unable to complete the game only later to find out that his age would likely prevent him from being selected for any Canadian-level matches anyway.

“I just went for [the Canadian rating] to improve but I was 46 and they had just dropped the age limits,” added Auld, who then decided to just stick with his regional rating.

Auld did relocate to Victoria with his wife, Edna, in 1969 and was the head of PE at Glenlyon Norfolk School. Edna and David had three children – Fiona Auld, Ian Auld and Caty Petan. Both Fiona and Caty played field hockey at Oak Bay Secondary and competed and won, in different years, at the provincial championships.

Auld’s umpiring career included doing the local men’s and women’s leagues, the premier men, high school girls and B.C. provincial championships. Auld bowed out of men’s league about 15 years ago and spent his last five years of umpiring dedicated to the third division VILFHA women’s league, the players of which he credits as the best to umpire.

Auld credits island officials Chris Wilson, Denise McGeachy, Gillian Batey, Alison Sweeten, Steve Stern and Tyler Klenk for their wisdom, guidance and inspiration over the years. Legendary field hockey contributors Jenny John and Pat Hall were also highlighted as being instrumental in support and laying the foundation for his pathway as an umpire.

“I’ve always admired his love of the game and his love of learning to improve his umpiring,” highlighted Victoria-based Chris Wilson, a 15-year FIH International certified umpire. “I remember almost not a weekend would go by that he didn’t have an umpiring question for me.”

“We had some great conversation about umpiring, rules and style. Also, watching him and seeing him enjoying umpiring a game is always a highlight. He’s been a long-standing member of the Victoria hockey community and has dedicated decades to the betterment of our sport.”

Auld continued as a player with the Castaways men’s team, made up largely of retired rugby players, from 1972-75 and when the team folded he played a large part in forming the Oak Bay men’s team.

Players that were umpired by Auld would not be able to argue the fact that he carried his love of the game on to the pitch rain or shine. His calm demeanor, jolly laugh and fair approach to the sport was always appreciated, while his desire to always pursue growth in his ability was an inspiration to all who remain complacent.

Rapid rounds with David Auld:

Q: The hardest rule for you to implement in your time:

David: I’ve never really agreed or understood this one. If you raise the ball in field play it’s dangerous or you are subject to danger but with a shot of goal there’s no danger. Just because there’s a shot on goal there’s no danger? If someone flicks it or scoops it you see that coming but this rule is just so hard to understand.

Q: Most gratifying thing to call or moment on the field:

David: Feeling that I did a good job on the field as an umpire. Usually I have a good feel but the players congratulate you. I remember umpiring the twins, Clive and Giles Wheatley, in a first division game and their sister, Harriet, came up to me and said, “Mr. Auld that was the best game I have ever seen umpired.” And I never expected that and that was a long, long time ago and I was surprised and never forgot.

Q: The most memorable card you have ever given:

I have very few red cards in my career, never in the women’s league, only in the men’s league. I did give a player a red card for language, poor behaviour, bad sportsmanship and as he walked off the field he was still sort of threatening me but I never forgot it. I’ve also given a couple to a few visiting Vancouver team players who were on the Canadian national team and they were upset about the call and said, “why don’t you just give me a red card?” so I did.

Q: Most embarrassing moment:

David: Well one time at half time I went over to my bag and took off my gloves and had to blow my nose and then when we were ready to start the game my colleague started time. Play went on and I went to blow my whistle and realized I had forgot it on the other side of the field in my bag. I had to wave my hands in the air and make a ‘T’ and it was just a major brain lapse.

That wasn’t my most embarrassing moment, though. I can’t remember the two teams but I was doing the right thing and seeing the attack coming towards me. I curled in to the near post and this one lady was running at the ball and I could feel she was over-running the ball. I thought, ‘she is going to charge in to me’ and I prepared myself. She bowled me right over and ended up on top of me and I ended up with both hands on her chest. My partner, Alison Sweeten, will remember this story because I was so embarrassed.

Q: Some advice you have for the next generation of umpires:

David: Be prepared that you are going to make mistakes and you need to learn from them. Watch top class games with top class umpires.

Q: What would you say to umpires who are maybe just happy staying where they are in umpiring?

David: Field Hockey BC used to send out a questionnaire about your goals and your aims and ask you what you inspire to be as an umpire. And after I couldn’t get my Canadian rating I said that I just wanted to be the best Regional umpire that I could be.

Q: Outside of being on the field, what do you think umpiring has taught you?

David: It’s taught me to be as fair and impartial as I can be in a game and so to in life. Go through life fairly and impartially. It’s helped me with conflict management but over the last five years umpiring third division women that rarely was an issue. It’s taught me to be understanding, too.

Q: Looking back at the many weekends you spent at the field, what do you think you would have been doing if you weren’t umpiring?

David: Edna and I would have been going away on weekend trips and maybe some cycling trips. We used to cycle up island, to the gulf islands. We would have been doing more of that. Edna was always supportive of me umpiring. I used to play cricket and a game would be 6 hours and she would come watch with the kids even though she didn’t know the first thing about cricket.

Q: What was your greatest challenge umpiring?

David: My greatest challenge was when I was asked to do two Canada vs USA men’s games in Victoria in the 1980s. Canada and the USA were up at UVic on a two-week training camp so they had scrimmage games every other day and I was asked to umpire. I umpired with a USA national umpire and I warned him that I might be out of my depth but he came up to me afterwards and said, “I don’t know what you’re worried about, you’re doing fine.”

Q. Best advice given to you:

David: Jenny John once said at a clinic, “never assume that when you walk on the field that players are going to foul. You must always go on to the field and assume that they are going to play the game properly.” I thought that was really good advice and that was 25 or 30 years ago.

Q: Highlight tournaments, games or memories for you?

David: Of course the Canada vs USA games. Also, the Bridgman Cup is such a great tournament and I have been to a few of the B.C. High School championships and I’ve enjoyed that. I’ve also umpired in the Vancouver men’s league a few times.

—
by Ali Baggott, for VILFHA