SEVERAL of the North Shore's field hockey stars, fresh off a four-game series at West Vancouver's Rutledge Field between the junior women's national teams of Canada and the United States, will get to renew the battle this weekend in Victoria.
This time, however, both countries will be firing on all cylinders as it will be the senior national teams taking the field at the University of Victoria.
The four-match test series will run from May 19 to May 23 with the United States using it as a tuneup for the 2012 Olympics while Canada is looking ahead to 2016 after failing to qualify for the London Games.
The teams last met in the semifinals of the 2011 Pan American Games with the U.S. earning a 4-2 victory before beating Argentina in the final to book a spot in the Olympics. Canada, meanwhile, is now in rebuilding mode and several young North Shore players are part of the process.
"As our national programs undergo a transition phase, we will be giving a broader group of players the opportunity to establish themselves as part of the team focused on 2016," stated Canadian national teams director Alan Brahmst in a release "Our entire program is geared toward a finish at the top of the podium at the 2015 Pan American Games on home turf in Toronto - this is the beginning of a building phase.
"This series against a strong American side offers the perfect opportunity to implement some new concepts we've been introducing within our junior national program. We will also be having a look at some of the players pushing for a spot on the women's senior national team."
North Shore players participating in the series include North Vancouver's Jessica Barnett, Hannah Haughn, Caashia Karrington, Anna Kozniuk and Emma Plasteras and West Vancouver's Kim Scraper. North Vancouver's Rachel Donohoe, Karli Johansen and Holly Stewart are also on the squad as reserve players and North Vancouver native Peter Milkovich is project Lead Coach.
