News and Announcements

The South Island Field Hockey Umpires’ Association will be holding its Annual General Meeting.
When: February 12th, 7-9 pm
Where: Pacific Sport Offices, Commonwealth Pool.

This announcement is being made with former and/or future umpires in mind. Umpiring effects ALL players so the more that get involved, the better!

The proposed agenda is as follows:

1. Call to order
2. Review of previous minutes (if any)
3. Report of the Executive
4. Election of Executive (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer)
5. New Business

  • a. Discussion: Purpose, goals of UA, creation of bylaws
  • b. Overview of Junior League umpire model
  • c. Introduction of FHC Assessment model (new)
  • d. Planning educational opportunities / courses

Anyone who is interested in the future of umpiring on Vancouver Island is encouraged to attend the meeting.

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VICTORIA, B.C. – As the winter months continue to drop the temperature the University of Victoria Vikes women’s field hockey team will be hosting the annual UVic Indoor Tournament at the Ian Stewart Complex from Jan. 9-11.

The eight-team indoor tournament is the only one of it’s kind in Victoria as the adapted, indoor version of the game is significantly less popular in Western Canada. With thinner sticks, five players per team, side boards to keep the ball in play and no hitting, this version of hockey is high scoring, fast paced and more than just entertaining. A strong focus on technical speed and skill puts good teams ahead of others and while the indoor sport is a growing game in North America, the Vikes have always integrated it into their training.

The Vikes will be entering two teams into the tournament, denoted Vikes Blue and Vikes White, while their local rivals the Island Wildcats will also have two teams, black and white. Mainland teams traveling to compete include recent CIS champions, the UBC Thunderbirds, as well Vancouver premier league members, the Jokers. A local select team, the Islanders, will round out the competition as well as a Shawnigan team, comprised of several of the recent AAA provincial champions.

The indoor game is often a more entertaining version for spectators as there are more goals, it is faster and it is held inside. Admission is free, though spectator room is limited.

A combination of up-and-coming youth as well as several ex-internationals and elite players will compete this weekend for the annual title.

More info: http://goo.gl/5iKNCI

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, January 9th, 2015
TIME POOL GAME TEAM TEAM
7:00 pm A 1 Wildcats Black vs UVic Blue
8:00 pm B 2 Uvic White vs Wildcats White

Saturday, January 10th, 2015
9:00 am A 3 Wildcats Black vs Islanders
10:00 am B 4 UVic White vs Shawnigan
11:00 am A 5 Islanders vs Jokers
12:00 pm B 6 Shawnigan vs UBC
1:00 pm A 7 Jokers vs UVic Blue
2:00 pm B 8 UBC vs Wildcats White
3:00 pm A 9 Islanders vs UVic Blue
4:00 pm B 10 Shawnigan vs Wildcats White
5:00 pm A 11 Wildcats Black vs Jokers
6:00 pm B 12 UVic White vs UBC

Sunday, January 11th, 2015
8:00 am Semifinal 1 13 1st Pool A vs 2nd Pool B
9:00 am Semifinal 2 14 1st Pool B vs 2nd Pool A
10:00 am 7th/8th 15 4th Pool A vs 4th Pool B
11:00 am 5th/6th 16 3rd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B
12:00 pm 3rd/4th 17 Loser Game 13 vs Loser Game 14
1:00 pm FINAL 18 Winner Game 13 vs Winner Game 14
1:45 pm Awards Presentations

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As of Jan. 1, 2015, the Vancouver Island Ladies Field Hockey Association (VILFHA) will be adopting the newly-announced changes and additions to the rules as outlined by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). As per the VILFHA Christmas Council Meeting, on Dec. 8, VILFHA has agreed to adopt the new rules beginning January 2015.

An OPEN rules briefing and education session will be held on both Jan. 5 and 8. All existing umpires must attend one of the sessions, while it also strongly encouraged for team captains and any VILFHA members to also attend. This will be a gradual learning process for everyone involved and the more people that attend a briefing, the quicker the education process.

WHAT: 2015 Rules Briefing
WHEN: January 5 and 8, 2015 from 7-9 p.m.
WHERE: Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (PISE), Room 329A (4371 Interurban Road)
WHO: Lead by Chris Wilson

Please review the latest rule change publication PRIOR to attending the session here:
http://www.fih.ch/files/Sport/Umpires/2015%20FIH%20Umpires%20Briefing%20V1%20as%20at%2016%20December%202014.pdf

Please direct any questions prior to the session to Denise McGeachy at denise.mcgeachy@gmail.com

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Long-time Victoria native, team Canada standout, UBC Grad and Oak Bay field hockey club member Shelley Winter Andrews is one of many great names to be inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in May 2015. Andrews joins speed skater Denny Morrison, NHL all-star Paul Kariya, wheelchair rugby star Garrett Hickling, middle distance runner Leah Pells and the 2012 women’s soccer team who won bronze at the London Olympics, for the class of 2015.

Going into the Hall as builders are baseball’s John Haar and Denny Veitch, who was co-founder of the Vancouver Whitecaps and who spearheaded amateur football development in B.C. while an assistant general manager and later general manager of the Lions. J. P. McConnell, long-time radio voice of the B.C. Lions, will be inducted into the media wing.

Following an outstanding Oak Bay high school career in Victoria, BC, where she was selected the school’s outstanding athlete of 1971, Shelley played five years with the UBC field hockey team from 1971/72 until 1975/76. ‘Bim’ Schrodt was her coach the first three years while Gerry Gilmore coached her last two. In four of those five years UBC was Canada West champion in large part through the work and skill of Shelley Winter. With UBC in 72/73, she was the Vancouver Field Hockey Assn. MVP (Watson Trophy) the same year she was awarded the Joan Livesey Memorial Sportsmanship Award. In her final year at UBC, 1976, Shelley was presented the Marilyn Pomfret trophy as UBC’s Female Athlete of the Year. Her UBC teammates remember her as an “incredible athlete” and a “quiet leader.” She was “very reliable, hard working with a good attitude.”

In addition to leading UBC in both Canada West and City League competition, Shelley was embarking upon an impressive career as a player on Canada’s National Field Hockey team. Starting while at UBC in 1975 through to 1986, Winter was selected to play on Canada’s team each of those twelve years. She is one of only three women in Canadian field hockey history (and the only one from BC) to play more than ten years for Canada’s team – her 12 years being more than twice as many as the next highest UBC representative. She also has the distinction of being the first Canadian female player to appear in more than 100 international test matches.

Well into the 2000s she was still playing club hockey in Victoria, where she had been a league All-Star every year since 1976 and five times selected the league’s outstanding player. Andrews was also inducted in to the UBC Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Denny+Morrison+Paul+Kariya+headline+call+Sports+Hall/10460390/story.html#ixzz3LcY6Gssy

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FIH has published the latest Rules of Hockey agreed at the Executive Board meeting at the FIH Congress on 30th October 2014. They are available for worldwide adoption and effective at international level from 1st January 2015. The two Rule changes are as follows:

• The ability to take attacking free hits, awarded within 5 metres of the edge of the circle, from the point of the offence. The change states that the ball still has to travel at least 5 metres before it can be played into the circle, or alternatively has to be touched by another player of either team, other than the player taking the free hit

• The second change concerns the re-start, after the ball has unintentionally been played over the back-line by a defender or deflected by a goalkeeper or player with goalkeeping privileges, and no goal is scored. Play will now be re-started with the ball on the 23 metres line and in line with where it crossed the back-line. Taking the re-start from the 23 metres line will open up the play and give more passing options

Other rule changes to help improve player safety have also been made, including the rules governing the wearing of facemasks to defend penalty corners which have been amended to increase player safety. A wider range of masks, including metal grill masks, will now be allowed to be used.

As part of FIH’s drive to increase following and create entertaining events, FIH is aligning the Rules of Hockey with the Tournament Regulations that govern playing conditions wherever possible. The aim of this move is to reduce the number of variations between the Rules of Hockey and the Tournament Regulations, avoiding unnecessary confusion for players and fans alike.

The latest Rules of Hockey will incorporate the following Tournament Regulations:

1. Green Card – two minute suspension
The two minute green card will now provide an additional management aid to umpires at all levels

2. Stick above the shoulder
The skill adds another dimension to the sport and provides excitement for fans and players alike

3. Maximum length of Stick
The length of stick, as measured from the top of the stick to the bottom of the head, shall not be more than 105cm

4. Breaking of a Penalty Corner
The breaking at penalty corners Regulation has effected a significant reduction in the number of breaks at Tournaments, by both attackers and defenders

In general, all current Tournament Regulations governing playing conditions have been adopted into the Rules of Hockey with the exception of regulations that require specialist equipment or officials that might not be available at all hockey pitches. These currently include Match Periods (4 × 15 Minute Quarters and time stoppages for the award of Penalty Corners and Goals), the Penalty Corner Countdown Clock and Video Umpire, which will only be used at FIH World level Tournaments where the contracted full television coverage and facilities enable a viable system.

FIH CEO Kelly Fairweather explains the approach: “FIH is taking this action to remove unnecessary confusion for fans, players, coaches and officials. Our ambition is a global game that is relevant to the next generation and to achieve this ambition we must make it as easy as possible for fans to be fans and for players to enjoy playing”.

For a full overview of all changes and to view the FIH Rules of Hockey, please visit: http://www.fih.ch/files/Sport/Rules/FIH-Rules%20of%20Hockey%202015-interactif.pdf