Monthly Archives: March 2023

FHBC RESPECT PROGRAM – Call to all Members to reflect on the Importance of Respect and Courtesy towards Officials

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You can download the PDF version of this communique here.

Dear Field Hockey BC Members

As the 2022-23 Senior Season closes and the 2023 Junior Season opens this coming weekend, I write on behalf of the FHBC Board of Directors to highlight and remind all members about the importance of respect and courtesy towards our valued Officials and Umpires at all levels of field hockey across BC.

Our great game cannot function or offer a compelling value proposition without Officials and Umpires driving the sport forward in partnership with Coaches, Players, Volunteers, and Fans. Without them we do not have a game or a sport. Like Players and Coaches, Umpires and Officials devote time, energy and expertise into performing their duties on a weekly basis and we should appreciate all the time and effort they put in.

If Field Hockey across BC is going to continue to thrive and maintain the amazing sense of community and inclusiveness it has, there needs to be respect for everyone in the game. This respect must come from those both on and off the field of play. I would encourage everyone to refamiliarize themselves with the FHBC RESPECT PROGRAM and the associated Codes of Conduct that are available to read and download from the Documents section of the FHBC Website at https://fieldhockeybc.com/documents/.

It remains a given that Officials and Umpires make mistakes…as do Players and Coaches. Being an Umpire or Official is a tough and often thankless job. They give up their time to ensure Players, Coaches, Parents, Fans, and Spectators enjoy everything that is great about field hockey.

Regardless of decisions made, whether right or wrong, there is no excuse or justification for verbally abusing or threatening Officials and Umpires. Next time you think about criticizing an umpiring decision or witness someone hurling verbal abuse from beyond the field of play, choose RESPECT instead of criticism and ridicule.

We all have a responsibility to set an example through how we act and what we say. Just like acknowledging the opposition after a hard-fought game, Officials and Umpires deserve a ‘thank you’ for their participation regardless of the result.

Everyone has a responsibility to make field hockey the best game it can be. We are blessed to have so many fantastic people involved in our sport and by retaining Officials and Umpires and attracting others to take up these important roles, field hockey across BC will continue to go from strength to strength. Here’s to a memorable, for all the right reasons, Spring and Summer season. Enjoy!

Yours in sport,

Mark Saunders
Executive Director
Field Hockey BC
March 31, 2023

 

Call for Advocacy Support for a Second Field Hockey Artificial Turf in the City of Vancouver

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Recognizing that many FHBC members either resident or actively participating in field hockey within the City of Vancouver may have recently received a call to action from their Member Club, FHBC is reaching out today to re-emphasize such an advocacy push targeted at the potential for inclusion of a second field hockey artificial turf within the City of Vancouver Sports Field Strategy. FHBC is joining member clubs within the City of Vancouver in efforts to engage with the Vancouver Parks Board Commission to gain support for a second field hockey artificial turf to serve City of Vancouver residents.

FHBC would encourage any interested member to write formally to the Vancouver Park Board Commission and/or to chose to support an active FHBC Member petition which can be accessed at the following link: https://www.change.org/p/support-for-field-hockey-turf-in-south-vancouver?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=588304d0-b452-0130-ea1e-3c764e04873b

To aid a potential written submission to the Vancouver Park Board Commission, FHBC has included the following link (https://fieldhockeybc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Letter-of-Support-City-of-Vancouver-Capital-Planning-Sports-Field-Strategy-March-13-2023.pdf) to the recent letter of support submitted to Vancouver Park Board Commissioners dated March 13, 2023.

Written submissions can be sent to the Vancouver Parks Board at the following email address: PBcommissioners@vancouver.ca

As the field hockey community looks towards the launch of 2023 Spring and Summer season delivery, FHBC encourages members to consider supporting the potential for an additional artificial field hockey turf’s inclusion in the City of Vancouver’s Sports Field Strategy. FHBC thanks all members for the time taken to support this initiative to date and for those who may be hearing of this for the first time, we hope you will join us in extolling the virtues of further facility development that serve community-wide organized and recreational sporting and social pursuit.

Yours in sport,

Mark Saunders
Executive Director
Field Hockey BC
March 29, 2023

 

Make Ethical Decisions (MED) course offered by FHBC – spots are limited!

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FHBC is hosting a NCCP Make Ethical Decisions (MED) course with the support of viaSport BC. MED is a cornerstone of the NCCP and is a mandatory requirement of FHC’s Safe Sport initiative. All coaches across Canada should complete this course (and associated online evaluation).

Course Details

When: Wednesday, April 5th from 5:30-9:30pm
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free for FHBC Members
Registration Deadline: March 30th (end of day)
Register here: http://fhbcprograms.rampregistrations.com/ – login with your RAMP account, click on “Participant” to start the registration process; select the current season, the family member profile, your membership type (Division) and then the MED Course from the package list; follow the instructions to complete the registration

Course information will be sent by viaSport BC (coaches@viasport.ca) by Monday April 3rd. Please check your junk folder for the email. If you have not received course information by Tuesday, please contact katie@fieldhockeybritishcolumbia.com.

Space in the course is limited, so act fast!

 

Applications are now open for the following FHBC Foundation Bursary Programs

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FHBC is delighted to announce that the Society is now accepting applications for the following FHBC Foundation Bursary Programs:

  • The Barb Hart Harris Athlete Assistance Bursary
  • The Dr. Christine Grant Coaching Professional Development Bursary
  • The Jenny John Officiating Professional Development Bursary
  • The Allyn Murison Grassroots Bursary

The Application deadline for The Barb Hart Harris Athlete Assistance Bursary is May 8th. The remaining three Bursary Programs above have an application deadline of April 26th. These Bursary Programs are designed to provide valuable financial assistance towards an individual’s access to and/or professional development in the sport of Field Hockey.

The Barb Hart Harris Athlete Assistance Bursary is open to any member enrolled in an FHBC regional athlete program – technical development program, talent identification program, elite program or regional team program. The Allyn Murison Grassroots Bursary aims to support female athletes under the age of 12 to access field hockey programming at the club level. The Coaching and Officiating bursary programs are open to all levels of coach and official, with officiating including both umpires and technical officials.

Pat Hall Officials Development Award: In addition to the multiple Bursary windows now open and referenced above, a polite reminder to Vancouver Island Officials in particular that the Pat Hall Official Development Award within the FHBC Foundation remains open for applications year round (until funds are exhausted for the year). This award is designed to promote the development of Vancouver Island umpires and technical officials with preference given to members active on the Island. Award nominations will remains open until all the available funds are utilized.

IMPORTANT: applicants for all of the financial assistance programs within the FHBC Foundation must be a current member in good standing with Field Hockey BC and an active official, coach or player within National, Provincial or Club base programming.

Go to www.fhbcfoundation.com for more information and to download the application forms.

 

2023 Vancouver International Tournament (VIT) – Registration is now open!

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The 2023 VIT is scheduled to take place over the 2023 May Long Weekend at the Burnaby Lake West Complex. The 2023 VIT is targeted to involve three divisions, Women’s Social, Mixed Social, and Women’s Masters, although consideration to include other divisions will follow the team registration deadline in April 2023.

FHBC looks forward to welcoming the teams for what we hope will be another memorable weekend for all.

Tournament Dates: May Long Weekend (May 20-22, 2023)
Tournament Venue: Burnaby Lake Sports Complex West – Three ‘field turf’ artificial surfaces
Tournament Schedule: Playing and Umpire Schedules will be posted following the team entry deadlines
Tournament Rules: will be posted to follow the team registration deadline
Entry Forms: BC Teams / Out of Province Teams (registration will open on March 15)

 

Field Hockey recognized at the Annual 55th SportBC Awards

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The 2023 Annual SportBC Awards celebrated a few members of the field hockey community. FHBC would like to congratulate Anna Mollenhauer, who has won in the University Athlete of the Year category, and Jennifer Taylor, who was a recipient of the SportBC Presidents’ Awards, given to volunteers who demonstrate the spirit of volunteerism through their dedication and commitment given to sport. Additionally, the UVic Women’s Field Hockey Team was one of the finalists in the Team of the Year category; former FHBC Events & Officials Coordinator Stephanie Rudnisky also received the Presidents’ Awards.

Anna Mollenhauer is a former Team BC and UVic player, and currently playing for the Women’s National Team. Anna is the first field hockey athlete to have received the U Sports Player of the Year award three times! She has also been nominated Canada West Player of the Year and UVic Female Athlete of the Year in 2022. Anna is the daughter of Nancy Mollenhauer – two time field hockey Olympian for Canada – and was a constant presence in FHBC’s High Performance programs over the years.

Jennifer Taylor has been an important figure for field hockey in British Columbia. She has participated in local, regional, provincial, and national events as a technical official; she has volunteered her time to support the Field Hockey BC’s Train-to-Train and Train-to-Compete events, the Club Championships, and the National championships held in BC; she was also a member of the FHBC Board of Director as the Athlete Program Director.

Jennifer served as a long-term committee volunteer to the Field Hockey BC athlete program and pathway portfolio before being appointed to the Society Board of Directors as the Board Director responsible for athlete program and pathway governance in 201 4. Jennifer stepped down from this role in 2021 having worked tirelessly to promote athlete program opportunities across BC for over a decade.

Fundraiser to help Vancouver umpire Meghan McLennan go to the Junior Pan Am

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The local umpiring community is rallying behind Vancouver umpire Meghan McLennan who was recently appointed to represent Canada at the the upcoming Junior Pan American Championships, April 10-18, in Bridgetown, Barbados. Meghan needs to fund her travel down to Barbados and needs the community’s support.

If you can share in your networks or consider contributing to support Meghan, it would be greatly appreciated. Any additional funds that are raised will be donated directly to the Field Hockey Canada Officials Committee, where it will be specifically used for Officials ONLY development.

Donate or share: https://gofund.me/0012c54a