2018 Field Hockey BC Annual Award Winners:

Senior Female Player of the Year:      Natalie Sourisseau (Unable to Attend)

Madge Johnson accepted the award on behalf of Natalie Sourisseau.

The Senior Female Player of the Year award is presented to Natalie Sourisseau for 2018.

Natalie receives this award as recognition of her commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. She was first selected to the Senior National Team in 2011, achieving a near podium performance at that year’s Pan American Games in Rio. A podium finish came quickly thereafter as Natalie helped Team Canada to a bronze medal at the 2013 Pan Am Cup, followed up with a further bronze medal on home soil at the 2015 Pan-American Games.

Field Hockey BC is proud to recognise the 127 representative caps Natalie has achieved for Canada to date, and it is Field Hockey BC’s pleasure to name Natalie as the 2018 Senior Female Player of the Year. Regrettably, Natalie was unable to be with us as she is competing in Europe, so Field Hockey BC Vice-President Margaret Johnson accepted the award on her behalf.

Senior Male Player of the Year:       Taylor Curran

Taylor Curran, 2018 Senior Male Athlete of the Year.

The Senior Male Player of the Year award was presented to Taylor Curran for 2018.

Taylor received this award as recognition of his on-going commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. We are extremely proud that we can add ‘Olympian’ to Taylor’s achievements, a crowning glory in his field hockey journey to date, a journey with the National Team which began in 2009. Since then Taylor has represented the Canadian National Team in World Cup competition, at the Pan-American Games and at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Field Hockey BC is proud to recognise the 147 representative caps Taylor has achieved for Canada to date, and we are pleased to present the 2018 Senior Male Player of the Year award to Taylor Curran.

Senior Under-23 Female and Male Player of the Year:     Audrey Sawers and Jamie Wallace (Unable to Attend)

Brenda Rushton (left) accepted the award on behalf of Audrey Sawers; Gurjit Sidhu (right) accepted the award on behalf of Jamie Wallace.

The Senior Under 23 Male and Female Player of the Year awards are presented to Jamie Wallace and Audrey Sawers respectively for 2018. Their Team BC Coaches write:

Jamie demonstrated great leadership on the pitch and drove the U23 Men’s BC team to the gold medal in the final. His great work rate, ability to influence and decide games, next to his high advanced skills are only some of the outstanding qualities Jamie has to offer. Jamie has been rewarded for all his efforts this past year with selection to the FIH Men’s 2018 World Cup squad.

Audrey was an outstanding performer for the U23 Women’s team and her impact during games and in practice was evident. Her effort level and technical ability resulted in her being named to the Field Hockey Canada U23 All-Star team at National Championships in Toronto. Not only that, she has since been rewarded with inclusion in the Field Hockey Canada National NextGen talent identification program.

With Jamie away with the National Team at the FIH World Cup and Audrey at school in the States, these awards were accepted on their behalf by Field Hockey BC’s Coaching Director, Gurjit Sidhu and Domestic Director, Brenda Rushton.

Junior Under-18 Female Player of the Year: Nora Goddard-Despot

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Nora Goddard-Despot, 2018 Junior Female U18 Athlete of the Year.

The Junior Under 18 Female Player of the Year award was presented to Nora Goddard-Despot for 2018.

The summer of 2018 was a busy one for Nora. She was first chosen to represent Team BC at National Championships, then chosen to attend the National Junior Development Squad summer training series, and finally selected to travel to Belgium as part of an Under 23 squad which participated in a 6-team tournament.
Nora is a great example of someone who is truly dedicated to the hard work and the willingness to be tested outside of your comfort zone that is required to be a high-performance athlete. She is a young woman of great character who possesses a first-class attitude and it is a pleasure to see her journey grow as a field hockey athlete. The future certainly looks bright.

It is our pleasure to award the Under 18 Female Player of the Year award to Nora Goddard-Despot.

Junior Under-18 Male Player of the Year: Naman Sharma

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Naman Sharma, 2018 Junior Male U18 Athlete of the Year.

The Junior Under 18 Male Player of the Year award is presented to Naman Sharma for 2018.

Naman showed continued improvement over the length of the program and performed at the highest level as a striker demonstrating sensational finishing skills. Game awareness is a difficult skill to teach and the coaches were especially impressed in Naman’s ability to consistently find the right outlet pass and spread team play. Naman is an exciting player to watch and we are confident that his commitment combined with an improving skill set will take him a long way in the future.

It is our pleasure to present the Under 18 Male Player of the Year award to Naman Sharma.

Junior Under-15 Female Player of the Year:  Tessa Everett

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Tessa Everett, 2018 Junior Female U15 Athlete of the Year.

The Junior Under 15 Female Player of the Year award is presented to Tessa Everett for 2018.

Tessa has shown herself to be a focused, determined athlete with a drive for excellence.  She is an impact player every time she steps over the line whether it is in training or a game and helps raise the standard of play of all those playing around her.  Tessa is a true holistic athlete, a strong leader and holds herself to the highest character and accountability.   She is a great example of what a provincial athlete should be and is wholly deserving of the player of the year award.

It is our pleasure to award the Under 15 Female Player of the Year award to Tessa Everett.

Junior Under-15 Male Player of the Year:    Jagjot Hayer

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Jagjot Hayer (left), 2018 Junior Male U15 Athlete of the Year.

The Junior Under 15 Male Player of the Year award is presented to Jagjot Hayer for 2018. Jagjot’s Team BC coaches write:

It was a pleasure to coach Jagjot this past year. He is a strong competitor who was able to step into a leadership role for his provincial team. At the beginning of the year, we challenged him to not only be his best at each training session and match, but to also make the players around him better. He took that challenge head on and improved his game, and his teammates, each time he stepped on the field. The future certainly looks bright and we all look forward to witnessing Jagjot’s continued growth in the future.

It is our pleasure to award the Under 15 Male Player of the Year award to Jagjot Hayer.

Barbara Schrodt Award: Denise McGeachy

Denise McGeachy, 2018 Barbara Schrodt Award Winner.

The Barbara Schrodt Award is presented to Denise McGeachy for 2018 and is an award presented to “someone who has made a difference to women’s field hockey in BC”.

Denise has been a leading advocate for field hockey across Canada for over twenty years. Denise has served as an Executive Member with the Vancouver Island Ladies Field Hockey Association, with the Victoria Junior Field Hockey Association, and was instrumental in the vision to create the umbrella Society Field Hockey Victoria. Not only did Denise drive the vision for Field Hockey Victoria, she also agreed to serve as President and continues to this day as an executive member. But Denise’s impact is not only highlighted in areas of governance and leadership but also in her passion for field hockey officiating. Denise has been a long serving member of the Vancouver Island Umpires Association, has served on numerous National and Provincial Umpiring Committees, and continues to give back as an officiating learning facilitator and as an umpire assessor and mentor. For a great many years, Denise was seemingly ever present at local, regional, provincial, national, and international events as both an umpire and as a passionate field hockey volunteer.

Denise continues to give back in so many ways and it is Field Hockey BC’s pleasure to recognise such commitment in presenting Denise with the 2018 Barbara Schrodt Award.

Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award:    Udham Hundal

Udham Hundal, 2018 Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award Winner.

The Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award is presented to Udham Hundal for 2018.

Udham Hundal has made a tremendous impact on sport and cultural activities for adults and children alike. With his dedication he has enriched the lives of many generations especially youth by serving as a role model, and mentor within all aspects of club field hockey. Udham has been instrumental in building field hockey in his local community and has been the leading light in realizing a vision to create an annual international field hockey celebration that not only provides a sporting experience but also celebrates the positive impact sport has within the community. Such a vision was first realized in 2008 and has now developed from a predominantly male targeted event to include male and female participation at all levels. The International Canada Cup Field Hockey Tournament celebrated its tenth anniversary this year and Udham has been ever present at the helm of what is considered one of the most significant events in the Canadian calendar. Working tirelessly behind the scenes and doing so in such a humble manner, Udham is the first to offer his assistance to further opportunities in field hockey and has been of great assistance to both Field Hockey BC and Field Hockey Canada over a great many years.

We are pleased to present the 2018 Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award to Udham Hundal.

Coach of the Year:    Ben Fecht

Ben Fecht, 2018 Coach of the Year.

The Coach of the Year Award is presented to Ben Fecht for 2018.

Ben has been a Head Coach for the Interior Regional Athlete Program since 2014.  The 2018-19 season marks Ben’s fifth consecutive year coaching with Field Hockey BC across multiple levels. With his strong connections to the Interior field hockey community, Ben has shown consistent leadership for our Interior programs and has been an essential resource to athletes and parents alike. Ben has committed each year to travelling to Regional and BC Tournaments in support of Interior teams and individual Interior athletes and continues to do an excellent job coordinating all logistics with parents and with Field Hockey BC. Ben remains a key contact between Field Hockey BC and our Okanagan community and we are extremely grateful for all he does on behalf of the region.

In recognition of his leadership and ongoing contribution, it is my pleasure to present the 2018 Coach of the Year Award to Ben Fecht.

Umpire of the Year:    Harpreet Singh Jhamat

Harpreet Jhamat, 2018 Umpire of the Year.

The Umpire of the Year Award is presented to Harpreet Singh Jhamat for 2018.

Harpreet has seemingly been ever present at Field Hockey BC, Community Club and League, and Field Hockey Canada events throughout the year. Whether it is a junior or senior event, Harpreet’s name is often the first to appear on an officiating roster. Always professional and always conscious of the need to assist developing umpires, Harpreet is an invaluable asset to field hockey in BC and beyond. Over the last twelve months Harpreet has officiated at the Field Hockey BC high performance events, the club championships, the VIT, BC Club Invitational events, the Junior National Championships and of course is active within the male and female junior and senior leagues in BC.

Our thanks and congratulations go to Harpreet for his ongoing contribution and it is our pleasure to recognise this contribution in naming Harpreet as the 2018 Umpire of the Year.

2017 Field Hockey BC Annual Award Winners:

The Senior Female Player of the year award is presented to Kaitlyn Williams for 2017.

Kaitlyn receives this award as recognition of her commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. She was selected to the Senior National Team in 2011, achieving a near podium performance at that year’s Pan American Games in Rio. A podium finish came quickly thereafter as Kaitlyn helped Team Canada to a Bronze Medal at the 2013 Pan Am Cup, followed up with strong performances at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and another podium finish and bronze medal on home soil at the 2015 Pan American Games. Kaitlyn continues to train hard and develop her craft as a goalkeeper, making her a formidable opponent for any international offense.

Field Hockey BC is proud to recognize the 95 representative caps Kaitlyn has achieved for Canada to date, recognizing her as our 2017 Senior Female Player of the year.

The Senior Under 23 Female Player of the year award is presented to Lindsay Cole for 2017.

Lindsay is a current member of the Women’s Junior Development Squad and represented Canada at the Junior Pan American Championship in 2016. Blessed with speed and the ability go past opposition players, Lindsay was an exciting and impactful member of this year’s Under 23 group. A natural forward, she had a willingness to play all over the pitch and led team defence to win the ball. When on the ball, she relished the opportunity to eliminate opponents, which brought an exciting attacking dimension to the team. Off field, Lindsay was a quiet and unassuming leader who helped gel the group into a team and we look forward to following her career as there is no doubt she will continue to dazzle as she transitions into senior squads.

Field Hockey BC is proud to recognize Lindsay Cole as the 2017 Senior Under 23 Female Player of the Year.

The Senior Female Player of the year award is presented to Sara McManus for 2016.

Sara receives this award as recognition of her commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. She was selected to the Senior National Team in 2011, achieving a near podium performance at that year’s Pan American Games in Rio. Sara’s career highlights include a silver medal at the 2012 Junior Pan American Championships, participation in the 2013 Junior World Cup, senior representation at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, and a bronze medal finish at the Pan-American Games in 2015 on home soil.

Field Hockey BC is proud to recognize the 111 representative caps Sara has achieved for Canada to date, recognizing her as our 2016 Senior Female Player of the year.

The Senior Under 23 Male Player of the year award is presented to Rowan Childs for 2016.

Indy Sehmbi, Canada’s Junior National Coach writes; “Rowan has been an outstanding addition to the Canadian Men’s junior squad. Rowan joined us after a successful India Club tournament with the BC Train to Compete team. He has shown tremendous commitment to his physical and technical improvement, especially over the past 5 months. His teammates describe him as a pivotal part of our team and an up and coming leader within our team. Rowan is extremely deserving of this recognition and we hope he will continue to make great strides in the years to come.”

Field Hockey BC is proud to recognize Rowan as the Senior Under 23 Male Player of the Year. We wish him luck as he competes at the 2016 Junior World Cup in Lucknow, India in December.

The Senior Under 23 Female Player of the year award is presented to Thora Rae for 2016.

Thora has been part of our regional and provincial program in recent years, having been selected into our Team BC Provincial Blue teams at both the Train to Train and Train to Compete level.  Resuming training with us for the 2015/16 season, Thora was set to become one of our leading lights again at the 2016 Nationals, however early in the year she was selected into the Women’s National Team program and so progressed out of our programming into Field Hockey Canada’s centralized training environment. A huge achievement in itself. However, her successful season did not stop there, with Thora continuing her progress and ticking off another landmark to gain her first Canadian cap as a 16 year old during the tour to New Zealand in March.

Whilst extremely happy of Thora’s progress, we are not surprised. She has an outstanding work rate, a fantastic attitude and a high level of ability. Although it is unusual for us to recognize a junior player from outside of our Provincial team ranks, Thora’s outstanding progression into the Women’s National Team more than warrants recognition in this new Awards Category, an award that we are pleased to align, from next summer onwards, to the new Under 23 National Championships.

Field Hockey BC is proud to recognize Thora Rae as the 2016 Senior Under 23 Female Player of the Year.

The Junior U-18 Male Player of the Year award is presented to Arjun Hothi for 2016.

Arjun’s Team BC Coach writes; ‘This year Arjun was our unsung hero. He showed the ability to play as part of the team, by stepping up and taking charge, and by leading by example both on and off the pitch. He showed his professionalism by working on his craft at each and every practice.  He was extremely coachable and showed the ability to understand and execute his multiple roles and responsibilities while making the necessary tactical adjustments.  Arjun showed great maturity under pressure.  When you use the words like consistent, hardworking, ability to execute under pressure, Arjun comes to mind.  All the coaching staff that worked with Arjun this year can agree that we anticipate a great future for Arjun as he continues to develop to what we hope will be a real asset for our National program. He is truly deserving of this award.’

The Junior U-18 Female Player of the Year award is presented to Anna Mollenhauer for 2016.

Anna’s Team BC Coach writes; ‘In a team game, on a team of our top athletes, it is hard to find one athlete that stands out.  This year Anna was an athlete that took things to the next level.  Her commitment to the team and her hard work shone through both on and off the pitch.  At nationals this year it was Anna’s fitness, her ability to stay calm under pressure, and her competitive drive that helped lead the team.  Her ability to know how and when to use her skills helped the team to capture Gold at U18 Nationals.  Anna, is a very intelligent, creative and coachable athlete. She was a credit to her team and fully deserves this recognition.’

It is Field Hockey BC’s pleasure to announce Anna as this year’s U-18 Female Player of the Year.

This Award was presented along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada.

Junior Under-15 Male Player of the Year:    Roopkanwar Dhillon

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The Junior Male Player of the year is presented to Roopkanwar Dhillon for 2016.

Roop was selected to the top Under 15 BC Team competing at this year’s Under 16 National Championship in Brampton Ontario, with the team bringing back the gold medal.  His Team BC coach writes, ‘Roop was the captain of BC Blue, and was instrumental in leading the team both on and off the field. His leadership skills grew from strength to strength throughout the National Championship, culminating in a goal in the final – his third of the tournament, which gave BC Blue an early lead in the gold medal game. Roop is a worthy winner of this year’s award and can take great satisfaction in his efforts both in training and during the 2016 Nationals’.

It is Field Hockey BC’s pleasure to announce Roopkanwar Dhillon as this year’s U-15 Male Player of the year.

This Award was presented along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada.

Junior Under-15 Female Player of the Year:  Aerin Park (Unable to Attend)

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The Junior Under 15 Female Player of the Year award is presented to Aerin Park for 2016.

Aerin has shown outstanding progress in all aspects of her development during the past 2 seasons in the Field Hockey BC program. Quiet and unassuming, Aerin works hard in all sessions; she is brave, technically very strong, a brilliant shot stopper and always keen to learn and improve. Last year Aerin’s work saw her selected into the Train to Train Team BC Provincial Blue team, where she played an outstanding tournament, helping BC Blue reach the final. Her performances have seen her promoted into Field Hockey Canada’s Junior Development Squad for this season and it is for this progress and these achievements that we are pleased to recognize Aerin this year.

It is Field Hockey BC’s pleasure to announce Aerin Park as this year’s U-15 Female Player of the year. Unfortunately, Aerin was unable to attend as she was competing at a tournament in Florida. Eric Broom accepted the award on her behalf.

This Award was presented along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada.

Barbara Schrodt Award: Ronnie Lee  (Unable to attend)

The Barbara Schrodt Award is presented to Ronnie Lee for 2016 and is an award presented to “someone who has made a difference to women’s field hockey in BC”.

The Sailors Field Hockey Club is the oldest women’s league club on Vancouver Island – over 50 years and counting. Now grown to include a women’s team in each of the three divisions, as well as two men’s league teams, the Sailors Club has been fortunate to have Ronnie Lee as both a player and its club president for an impressive 31 years. Outside of her regular duties as Sailors club president, Ronnie has spent time on the VILFHA executive, originally as Director of Membership and now as Director of Operations. Ronnie was a volunteer at the 2008 Women’s Olympic Qualifier tournament, and is a prominent volunteer on the technical table at National Championships, Canada West Games, Bridgman Cup and any other Victoria-hosted tournaments. Ronnie has helped organize a team to attend the Vancouver International Tournament and the Master’s Tournament for a number of years and organizes weekly summer drop in sessions for Victoria. Her efforts, dedication and commitment to the sport of field hockey were honoured by VILFHA as the Christine Trophy Winner for Ability, Sportsmanship and Service in 2013. A travel agent by day and a committed field hockey volunteer for life, Ronnie is most deserving of the Barbara Schrodt Award.

Field Hockey BC is proud to recognise the commitment Ronnie continues to give to players, coaches and officials alike. Ronnie was regrettably not able to attend the Awards Dinner. Ian Baggott, Field Hockey Canada Presiedent, accepted the award on her behalf.

Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award:    John McBryde

The Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award is presented to John McBryde for 2016.

John has an incredible history in Field Hockey both as a representative athlete with both Hockey Australia and Field Hockey Canada, and as a builder and supporter with the FIH, the Pan-American Federation and closer to home with Field Hockey BC and with the Vancouver Hawks Club. Whilst recognising John’s multi-faceted career, it is his recent leadership in reigniting master’s hockey in Canada that brings Field Hockey BC to honour John with this award.

Three years ago John made it his mission to assess whether there was an avenue to return men’s masters hockey to the annual calendar. With a top down strategy, John convinced Field Hockey Canada to commit to a master’s program and in doing so, provide the platform for master’s athletes to represent Canada at the Masters World Cup. This they did with both men’s and women’s teams travelling to Australia for the Masters World Cup earlier this year. Such opportunities owe a great deal to John’s vision and commitment, and there seems to be no letting up as he continues his efforts towards the next Masters World Cup in Spain in 2018.

Field Hockey BC is proud to recognise the commitment John continues to give to Field Hockey in BC and across Canada, recognizing him as the 2016 recipient of the Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award.

Coach of the Year:    Paul ‘Bubli’ Chohan

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The 2016 Coach of the Year Award is presented to Paul ‘Bubli’ Chohan.

Hall of Famer, Bubli Chohan has been coaching within our regional and provincial programs for more than 10 years. He receives this award in recognition of his outstanding success and leadership in coaching the Train to Compete BC Blue Team to Gold at the National Championships, beating the current national title holders and hosts Ontario on their home turf.

Bubli is no stranger to leading Team BC teams to success, but what makes this year’s success worthy of this award is the manner of BC’s win. Going to Ontario without BC’s identified Junior Development Squad players, BC faced a full strength Ontario team which included 5 junior national team players. This did not disturb BC, who played an outstanding game to record the win, picking up the Gold Medal and re-gaining the accolade of being National Champions in the process.

Field Hockey BC is pleased to recognize Bubli for his continued efforts and commitment to BC athletes, recognizing him as the 2016 Coach of the Year.  The award was presented by Field Hockey BC’s Coaching Director, Eric Broom.

Umpire of the Year:     Tyler Klenk

The Umpire of the Year Award is presented to Tyler Klenk for 2016.

Tyler is seemingly a young hockey umpire, yet he’s blown a whistle for almost ten years already.  Starting at the age of 14, Tyler has worked hard to challenge himself and move up the hockey ranks, both as a player and an official.  His work ethic paid off as a player, with selection to the University of Victoria Vikes in the Vancouver Men’s Premier Division and caps with the Junior National Team.  He applied that same drive to his umpiring career with appointments to National Championships, Premier Men’s Division, BC Provincial Championships, CIS, Canada West, the 2015 Canada Cup, and the 2015 California Cup.  He was named the 2015 Canada West Umpire of the Year. Tyler’s big debut onto the international stage came this past May, at age 23, with his appointment to the Junior Men’s Pan Am Championships in Toronto.  He surpassed all expectations of a rookie international, with well-earned nods to both a semi-final and the bronze medal match.  Tyler has since followed that up with a great performance during the Canada-USA Test Series.  It’s obvious that both the FIH and PAHF have taken notice, as Tyler is now booked to umpire at the 2017 Men’s Pan Am Cup in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  And this just the beginning for Tyler.

Field Hockey BC is proud to name Tyler as our Umpire of the Year Award Recipient. The award was presented by Field Hockey BC’s Umpiring Director, Alan Waterman.

The Barbara Schrodt Award is presented to Gail Williams for 2014 and is an award presented to “someone who has made a difference to women’s field hockey in BC”.

Over the last 6 years, Gail has been technical advisor, judge, officer and director for a multitude of local, regional, provincial, and national events across BC. Technical officiating across the World is still very much a voluntary occupation and Field Hockey BC is extremely fortunate to have a number of dedicated and extremely knowledgeable technical officials. Gail is one of a team of individuals committed to giving of their time to create a first-class environment for athletes and their coaches to play and compete. It is fitting that Gail follows other technical officials that have been honored to receive this award.

Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award:  Colbin Wong

A long-time supporter of the Vancouver Men’s Field Hockey League, Colbin agreed to step into the considerable shoes of Patrick Oswald and take on the position of President to the league’s Board of Directors for the season 2011-2012. As with many of our community volunteers, Colbin has continued in this role, now entering his third year in office, and we sincerely hope that this award goes some way to recognising his on-going contribution to our sport.

Coach of the Year:  Indy Sehmbi

Indy continues to nurture athlete development at a club, provincial, and national level and Field Hockey BC is proud to recognise this, as well as, his significant contribution in leading the Canadian Youth Olympic team at this year’s Youth Olympic Games in China. I asked Peter Lawless of the Canadian Olympic Committee for his thoughts and he summed up Indy’s impact at the Youth Olympic Games perfectly:

Player Recognition Awards:  2014 Youth Olympic Silver Medalists

[Left-Right] Indy Sehmbi (Coach), Amrit Sidhu, Brandon Pereira, Harbir Sidhu, Vikram Sandhu, Balraj Panesar

Although there are many umpires across BC who play an integral role in the development of our sport, there is none more deserving over the course of the last year than Julie Brereton. Julie has been active at more events across BC than any other female umpire during the last year, has worked as an umpire mentor at both the club and provincial level, and took on a leadership role in the hosting and officials management of our largest club festival of 2014.

Philip receives this award as recognition of his on-going commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. Philip achieved his first cap against Netherlands Antilles in London Ontario in 2004. Nine years later, Philip has represented the Canadian Team at the Commonwealth Games, the World Cup and the Pan-American Games. Field Hockey BC is proud to recognise the 126 representative caps Philip has achieved for Canada in naming him the 2013 Senior Male Athlete of the Year.This award is presented by Ian Baggott, Board Chair for Field Hockey Canada.

Senior Female Player of the Year:      Abigail Raye

Abigail too receives this award as recognition of her commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. Abigail was selected to the Senior National Team in 2009, achieving her first cap against Ireland in Dublin. Abigail’s career highlights to date include multiple FIH events, as well as, representation at the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Field Hockey BC is proud to recognise the 91 representative caps Abigail has achieved for Canada in naming her the 2013 Senior Female Athlete of the Year.

This award is presented by Mark Saunders, Executive Director at Field Hockey BC.

Junior Under 18 Female Player of the Year:       Samantha McILwrick

Samantha, or Sam as she is better known, was selected to the top BC Team competing at this year’s Under 18 National Championship, the team bringing back the gold medal. Her coach writes, ‘Sam is a tremendous athlete she is reliable and dependable and one that you can always count on to compete against anyone. Sam has a team first attitude and is very coach-able. Sam has a bright future in field hockey’. It is Field Hockey BC’s pleasure to award the Junior Under 18 Female player of the year award to Samantha McIlwrick.

This Award along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada is presented by Wendy Hughes, General Manager of Kukri Sports Canada and Susan Ahrens, Provincial Coach at Field Hockey BC.

Junior Under 15 Male Player of the Year:     Micheal Brown

Michael was selected to the top Under 15 BC Team competing at this year’s Under 16 National Championship in Brampton Ontario, with the team bringing back the silver medal. His Team BC coach writes, ‘Michael is an athlete with a great natural ability. His offensive and distribution skills are at an extremely high level and he has the ability to single-handedly change the course of a match. Michael is a versatile player who although best suited to play in the midfield, proved at Nationals that he can be very influential and score some important goals as a forward. If he keeps working hard and improves his defensive techniques, Michael can reach any level he sets his mind on. Michael is very deserving of this award’. It is Field Hockey BC’s pleasure to award the Junior Under 15 Male player of the year award to Michael Brown.

This Award along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada is presented by Jamie Williams, Sales Director for Kukri Sports Canada and Philip Wright, Senior Male Player of the Year and member of Team Canada.

Junior Under 15 Female Player of the Year:     Nathalie Hunter

Nathalie was a leader for the Under 15 BC Blue team that captured Bronze at this year’s U16 National Championship. From the trials to the first practice to the very last game, Nathalie constantly led by example. Her work ethic, dedication to the team and sport as well as her ability to make her teammates laugh was a key part of this year’s BC Blue team. Nathalie was voted one of two captains on the team and regardless of the honour she could always be counted upon to set the tone. Nathalie values her team mates, understands what it is to compete and was a superb role model for the high performance program. It is Field Hockey BC’s pleasure to award the Junior Under 15 Female player of the year award to Nathalie Hunter.

This Award along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada is presented by Wendy Hughes, General Manager for Kukri Sports Canada and Abigail Raye, Senior Female Player of the Year and member of Team Canada.

Barbara Schrodt Award:    Brenda Rushton

The Barbara Schrodt Award is presented to Brenda Rushton for 2013 and is an award presented to “someone who has made a difference to women’s field hockey in BC”.

Over the last 10 years, Brenda has been technical advisor, judge, officer and director for a multitude of local, regional, provincial, national, and international events across BC and Canada. Technical officiating across the World is still very much a voluntary occupation and Field Hockey BC is extremely fortunate to have a number of dedicated and extremely knowledgeable technical officials. Brenda is one of a team of individuals committed to giving of their time to create a first-class environment for athletes and their coaches to play and compete. It is fitting that Brenda follows other technical officials that have been honored to receive this award. In fact every one of our annual athlete, coach and official award winners this evening will have been involved in at least one event officiated under Brenda’s guidance.

Sue Jameson accepts the award on behalf of Brenda Rushton, presented by Sue Demuynck, President of Field Hockey BC.

Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award:    Mark Baggott

Rumor has it that Mark and in fact all the boys in the Baggott household were born with a field hockey stick in their hand, and that it was agreed at an early age that ‘field hockey for life’ really did mean just that!

Mark has taken on many roles as a player, coach, and volunteer at both club and league level on the Lower Mainland but it is for his commitment to junior boy’s field hockey development and thereafter junior field hockey development with the Victoria Junior League that Field Hockey BC recognises Mark this evening. At a time when the numbers of boys participating in field hockey on Vancouver Island and indeed within the Victoria Junior League were diminishing, Mark played an active role as both coach and administrator in an effort to turn things around. I am sure Mark will recognise the members of the Vancouver Island community who assisted in the upturn of numbers over the course of the last three years, but it is Field Hockey BC’s pleasure to recognise Mark’s commitment and continued role in developing junior and in particular boys field hockey on Vancouver Island.

This Award is presented by Michael Brown, Under 15 Male Athlete of the Year and member of Field Hockey Victoria.

Female Coach of the Year:    Sarah Barclay

This award is in recognition of Shiv’s contribution to coach development and mentorship over the course of the past two and a half years. Shiv has been instrumental in leading the development of sustainable high performance coaching programs that have directly improved the technical, physiological and tactical standards of our BC high performance athlete pool. Shiv has assisted both provincially and nationally in strategically identifying key elements that would allow for the implementation of the Long-Term Field Hockey Development Model across Canada and has a very clear view of the necessary steps required for our sport to improve locally, regionally, provincially, nationally and internationally. Shiv will be continuing to lead coach education within our Field Hockey BC Learn to Train Program and it is our pleasure to recognise Shiv’s contribution by naming him the 2013 Male Coach of the Year.

This Award is presented by Eric Broom, Coaching Director at Field Hockey BC.

Tyla receives this award as recognition of her commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. Tyla was selected to the Senior National Team in 2009, achieving her first cap against Ireland in Dublin. Tyla’s career highlights include multiple FIH events, as well as, representation at the Commonwealth and Pan-American Games.  Tyla recently retired from the National Team and it is field Hockey BC’s pleasure to be able to recognise a career spanning 8 years and 70 caps for Canada, in naming Tyla the 2012 Senior Female Player of the Year, award being presented by Sue Demuynck FHBC President

Brandon was selected to the top Under 18 BC Team this past summer, the team winning their division at the 2012 Canada Cup. His Team BC coach writes, “Brandon is a very rounded player in all aspects of the game. He played a key role in his center midfield position and never disappointed. Brandon’s skills, good decisions, and good work ethic made him the team’s most valuable player and fully deserving of this years’ award”. This Award along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada being presented to Brandon by Mathias Ahrens, Men’s Junior National Head Coach Head Coach and Jamie Williams, Sales Director for Kukri Sports Canada

Junior Under 18 Female Player of the Year:       Emma Mackie

Emma was selected to the top BC Team competing at this year’s Under 18 National Championship, the team bringing back the gold medal. Her coach writes, “Emma was co-captain of the Train to Compete BC Blue Team and played an integral role in the team’s success. She controlled the midfield with her crafty elimination skills and accurate passing. Emma also scored key goals in key games and was named to the tournament XI at the National Championship”.
This Award along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada will be presented on behalf of Emma to Tyla Flexman by Wendy Hughes, General Manager of Kukri Sports Canada

Junior Under 16 Male Player of the Year:     Harkirat Ahluwalia

Harkirat was selected to the top Under 15 BC Team competing at this year’s Under 16 National Championship, the team bringing back the silver medal. His Team BC coach writes, “Harkirat was the Captain and backbone of the Boys Train to Train BC Blue Team. He led by example with his work ethic and passion for the game which was evident in his skill set. Harikirat’s leadership on and off the field was important to the team and pushed everyone to be their best. He is very deserving of this award”.

This Award along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada will be presented to Harkirat by Kinder Gill, Field Hockey BC’s Regional Head Coach and Jamie Williams, Sales Director for Kukri Sports Canada

Junior Under 16 Female Player of the Year:     Chelsey Cleemoff

The Junior Under 15 Female Player of the Year award is presented to Chelsey Cleemoff for 2012.  Chelsey was selected to the top Under 15 BC Team competing at this year’s Under 16 National Championship, the team bringing back the gold medal. Her Team BC coach writes, “Chelsey was an integral part of the success of the Girls Train to Train BC Blue Team and she acted as co-captain. Her complete range of speed, strength, tackling and distribution skills made her a mainstay on defense while also adding an important attacking presence. She was always enthusiastic and positive with her teammates and was one of the key reasons for the team’s cohesion and effectiveness. Chelsey demonstrated the key traits required of an athlete at this stage of development and fully deserves this recognition”. 
This Award along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada will be presented to Sydney by Shiv Jagday, Field Hockey BC’s Technical Head Coach and Wendy Hughes, General Manager for Kukri Sports Canada

Barbara Schrodt Award:    Sue Robertson

The BARBARA SCHRODT AWARD is presented to “someone who has made a difference to women’s field hockey in BC”. In fact it was Barbara Schrodt who introduced Sue to the sport of field hockey whilst Sue was a student at UBC.  For many years, Sue coached and umpired at David Thompson Secondary School and for the Burnaby Ladies League, she also assisted in the organisation of the Vancouver Secondary Schools High School League and in the running of Secondary School Tournaments, and it was here, under the tutelage of Jenny John, that Sue was first introduced to the art of technical officiating. Some would say ‘the rest is history’ but bear with us….Over the last 12 years, Sue has been technical director for both AA and AAA girls high school championships, she has been a technical official for Field Hockey BC club championships, Field Hockey BC high performance tournaments, and for both Senior and Junior National Championships. In fact, Sue has been part of the technical team and ever-present for all Field Hockey BC high performance events dating back to 2005.
In recognition of Sue’s on-going support for field hockey and most significantly her lead in ensuring athletes have the best competitive environment possible, it is our pleasure to present the Barbara Schrodt Award for 2012 to Sue Robertson presented by Sue Demuynck FHBC President and Sue Jameson FHBC Accounts Manager

Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award:    Don Paterson

Don has for the last 7 years served as the “Discipline Chair” for the Vancouver Men’s Field Hockey League, which gobbles up a tremendous about of his time and energy.  Discipline issues arise on a very regular basis.  Don gathers the reports from umpires, players and other witnesses, calmly considers the nature and extent of the alleged infractions, reviews the league by-laws and code of conduct, consults with the League’s Executive, and invariably comes up with the appropriate response.  In addition to this, a great deal of the credit for improving the league’s playing and umpiring environment also must go to Don. Patrick Oswald, Past President of the Vancouver Men’s League writes, “ I personally relied heavily on Don’s sound judgment and wisdom while I served as President of the Men’s League, and cannot thank him enough for the extraordinary contribution that he has made”, “thank you to Field Hockey BC for recognizing Don at this year’s dinner.  He absolutely deserves it and the recognition is long over-due”!
Don sends his regrets at not being able to celebrate with friends at the dinner this evening and adds his congratulations to all those being recognised this year. This Award will be presented to Ian Baggott on behalf of Don by Mark Saunders, Field Hockey BC’s Executive Director

Women’s Umpire of the Year:    Denise McGeachy

Female Coach of the Year:        Ali Lee

2012 saw Ali take on coaching roles within both the regional and provincial programs. Concentrating on the train to train Under 15 group, Ali was a technical coach to the Island athletes in the Regional Program and Coach to the top Under 15 provincial team during the summer. Her team won gold at the prestigious India Club Tournament and repeated this in winning gold at the Under 16 National Championship. It is our pleasure to recognise Ali as our 2012 Female Coach of the Year. This Award is presented on behalf of Ali to Eric Broom, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Coaching by Paul Chohan, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Business Development

Men’s Coach of the Year:    Bubli Chohan

Over the course of the last four years, Bubli has been ever present in our Regional and Provincial programming. His role as a provincial coach has brought success with national titles at both the Under 16 and Under 18 age groups. In 2012 Bubli coached within both the regional and provincial program leading the Train to Compete Under 18 development team to fifth place at the Senior National Championship and the Bronze Medal at the Under 18 Nationals. Through the years, a large percentage of athletes under the tutelage of Bubli have gone on to receive representative Canadian honours and Field Hockey BC is very proud to have such a knowledgeable and experienced coach giving back to the next generation of athletes. It is our pleasure to recognise this contribution in naming Bubli the 2012 Male Coach of the Year.
This Award is presented to Bubli by Eric Broom, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Coaching.

Male Player of the Year:

2011    Scott Tupper

Scott receives this award as recognition of his on-going commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. Scott achieved his first cap against Scotland in Vancouver in the summer of 2005. Six years later, Scott has represented the Canadian Team at the 2008 Olympic Games, at the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup and most recently at the Pan-American Games in Mexico taking his tally of international caps to 143. Field Hockey BC is pleased to recognize Scott as our Senior Male Athlete of the Year.

Award presented to Scott by Mark Saunders, Field Hockey BC’s Executive Director.

Senior Female Player of the Year:

2011    Diana Roemer 

Diana receives this award as recognition of her on-going commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. Diana was selected to the Senior National Team in 2007, achieving her first cap against South Africa in Stellenbosch. Diana’s career highlights include the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and most recently the Pan-American Games in Mexico. Diana currently has a total of 71 caps for Canada. It is FHBC’s pleasure to recognize Diana as Field Hockey BC Senior Female Player of the Year.

Award presented to Diana by Sue Demuynck, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Women’s High Performance.

Junior Under 18 Male Player of the Year:

2011    Gurteg Gill

Bill Sandhu, Team BC Head Coach writes; “Gurteg Gill has performed exceptionally well in 2011. His skill level is extremely high. He has excellent game sense and his ability to perform under pressure was evident in every competitive situation”. It is FHBC’s pleasure to award the Junior Under 18 Male player of the year award to Gurteg Gill.

Award, along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada, presented to Bill Sandhu, Gurteg’s Team BC coach, by Kinder Gill, Field Hockey BC’s Regional Head Coach and Jamie Williams, Sales Director for Kukri Sports Canada

Junior Under 18 Female Player of the Year:

2011    Kendra Perrin

Andrea Rushton, Team BC Head Coach writes; “Kendra was a great leader for our BC group this summer – she lead the group by example with her effort, skill, and grit, had a very positive tone with the team encouraging her teammates, yet was directive and specific when needed, and she was committed to learning from every moment”.  It is FHBC’s pleasure to award the Junior Under 18 Female player of the year award to Kendra Perrin.

Award, along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada, presented to Kendra by Sue Demuynck, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Women’s High Performance and Wendy Hughes, General Manager of Kukri Sports Canada

Junior Under 16 Male Player of the Year:

2011    Balraj Panesar

Minder Gill, Team BC Head Coach writes; “Balraj was our team captain and most consistent player in 2011. He showed great leadership on and off the field, was able to play different positions when needed and was able to take his game to another level when the challenge demanded”. It is FHBC’s pleasure to award the Junior Under 16 Male player of the year award to Balraj Panesar.

Award, along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada will, presented to Balraj by Kinder Gill, Field Hockey BC’s Regional Head Coach and Jamie Williams, Sales Director for Kukri Sports Canada

Junior Under 16 Female Player of the Year:

2011    Sydney Veljacic

Bubli Chohan, Team BC Head Coach writes; “Sydney is the sort of player a team can count on when the pressure is on. Sydney is reliable, dependable, coachable and has a good skill set, Sydney is a quiet leader who leads by example and is thoroughly deserving of this recognition”. It is FHBC’s pleasure to award the Junior Under 16 Female player of the year award to Sydney Veljacic.

Award, along with a $300 clothing voucher from Kukri Sports Canada, presented to Sydney by Sue Demuynck, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Women’s High Performance and Wendy Hughes, General Manager for Kukri Sports Canada

Barbara Schrodt Award:

2011    Tammy McComb

The BARBARA SCHRODT AWARD is presented to “someone who has made a difference to women’s field hockey in BC”. The Barbara Schrodt Award winner for 2011 has been actively ‘making a difference’ for as long as we can remember. As a leader, manager, administrator, coach and advocate for all aspects of hockey development; whether it be within the club setting or at a provincial level, Tammy has helped advance the sport of field hockey in both a presidential and voluntary role with Delta Falcons Field Hockey Club and at a regional level with Field Hockey BC. It is our pleasure to present the Barbara Schrodt Award to Tammy McComb.

Award will be presented to Tammy by Shayne Dyrdal, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Finance

Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey Award:

2011    Patrick Oswald 

Patrick Oswald continues to be an inspirational force in the promotion of field hockey at all levels of our game.  Patrick has been instrumental in the development of athlete, coach and league based programming. Patrick is Past President and Current Board member to the Vancouver Hawks Field Hockey Club, Current President to the Vancouver Men’s field hockey league, past Field Hockey BC Board member and Team BC manager, and continues to assist field hockey programming in numerous ways.  Our sporting community certainly continues to benefit from his experience, leadership and expertise. We hope that this award goes some way to recognizing his on-going contribution to our sport.

Award presented to Patrick by Mark Saunders, Field Hockey BC’s Executive Director

Women’s Umpire of the Year:

2011    Deb Moynahan

Deb Moynahan for the last six years seems to have been ever present at FHBC and Club events across the province. Whether it is a junior or senior event, Deb’s name is often the first to appear on an officiating roster. Always professional and always conscious of the need to assist developing umpires, Deb is an invaluable asset to field hockey in BC. In recent years Deb has officiated at the Field Hockey BC high performance events, the club championships, the VIT, the BC High School Championships, and of course is active within the female junior and senior leagues in BC.  Our thanks and congratulations go to Deb for her ongoing contribution and it is our pleasure to recognize this contribution in the form of the Women’s Umpire of the Year Award

Award presented to Deb by Paul Chohan, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Umpiring

Men’s Umpire of the Year:

2011    Damien Deefholts

Damien Deefholts, like Deb, has for the last six years been ever present at FHBC, Club, and National events across the province. Always professional and always conscious of the need to assist developing umpires, Damien has passed on his expertise to all levels of umpire and is an invaluable asset to field hockey in BC. Certified in 2010 as a learning facilitator, Damien assists off the field in teaching new umpires at a provincial and community level, and has begun to instigate a provincial on-field mentor-ship program. In recent years Damien has officiated at the Field Hockey BC high performance events, the club championships, the VIT, BC Club Invitational events, the 4 Nation Classic and of course is active within the male and female junior and senior leagues in BC.  Our thanks and congratulations go to Damien for his ongoing contribution and it is our pleasure to recognize this contribution in the form of the Men’s Umpire of the Year Award

Award presented to Mark Saunders on behalf of Damien, by Paul Chohan, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Umpiring

Women’s Coach of the Year:

2011 Jenn Beagan

Jenn has been a significant presence within the FHBC Regional and Provincial Program in recent years. She has graduated from an Assistant Coaching role at the Canada Cup in 2010 to a Regional Program lead coach in 2010-2011, and in the summer of 2011 led the U18 White team to a bronze medal at the National Championships and the U18 Western Canada Summer Games team to Gold in Kamloops. Field Hockey BC is pleased to recognize Jenn as our Women’s Coach of the Year.

Award presented to Jenn by Eric Broom, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Coaching

Men’s Coach of the Year:

2011    Bill Sandhu

Bill has made a significant contribution to Men’s Team BC programming in each of the last 4 years. Bill has led the Under 19 boys to a gold medal in 2008, the Under 18 boys to a series victory versus the USA in 2009, the Under 18 boys to a gold medal at the 2010 Canada Cup, and a further gold for the same age group at this year’s National Championship. It is a pleasure to be able to recognize the impact Bill has had on so many BC athletes by naming him the Men’s Coach of the year for 2011

Award presented to Bill by Eric Broom, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Coaching

Please click below for the links to watch the video footage on You Tube
Part 1
Part 2

For Volunteer Recognition video footage, please click here

Male Player of the Year:

2009 Peter Short
2010 David Jameson

Peter Short receives this award as recognition of his significant contribution to, and achievement with, the Canadian National team. Peter’s career spanned no less than nine years from a first cap versus Belgium in Brussels on July 8th, 2001 to a highlight as a member of the Olympic Team in Beijing in 2008. 132 caps for Canada, Peter retired in 2010 and it is our pleasure to recognise these and the many other honours and achievements in naming Peter as the 2009 Male Player of the Year.

David Jameson receives the 2010 Male Player of the Year Award as recognition of his on-going commitment and achievement with the Canadian National Team. Mirroring Peter’s first international cap, David achieved his milestone against Belgium in Audergheim on September 30, 2002. Eight years later, David represented the Canadian Team at the World Cup in India taking his tally of international caps to 139. ‘Man of the Series’ at the 7 Test Super Series versus India in 2009; Field Hockey BC is now pleased to recognise David as our Male Athlete of the Year for 2010.

Award presented to Peter and David by Eric Broom, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Coaching

Female Player of the Year:

2009 Katie Rushton
2010 Thea Culley

Katie and Thea were selected to the Senior National Team in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Katie achieved her first cap against a formidable Australian team in 2005 in Vancouver and Thea followed suit a year later in a test match versus Wales in Cardiff in 2006. Katie and Thea share career highlights that include the Commonwealth Games in 2006 and the Olympic Qualifier in Victoria in 2008. Katie has 69 caps for Canada and Thea has 51. They are both fully deserving of this recognition and it is our pleasure to recognise these and their many other honours and achievements in naming Katie and Thea as Field Hockey BC Female Player of the Year award recipients.

Regrettably, neither Katie nor Thea were able to attend this event. Accepting the award on their behalf is past Female Player of the Year award winner, Stephanie Jameson.

Award presented to Stephanie by Sue Demuynck, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Women’s High Performance.

BARBARA SCHRODT AWARD:

2009 Yvonne Anderson
2010 Cindy Sacré

The BARBARA SCHRODT AWARD is presented to “someone who has made a difference to women’s field hockey in BC”. The Barbara Schrodt Award winners for 2009 and 2010 have both been actively ‘making a difference’ for as long as we can remember. As leaders, managers, administrators and advocates for all aspects of hockey development; whether it be within the club setting or at a provincial level, both Yvonne and Cindy have helped advance the sport of field hockey in their respective roles both within their clubs and especially as representatives for their regions. It is our pleasure to present the Barbara Schrodt Award to Yvonne Anderson and Cindy Sacré.

Award presented to Cindy Sacré and to Cheryl McCreary on behalf of Yvonne Anderson by Sue Demuynck, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Women’s High Performance

Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey:

2009 John Nolan
2010 Alvin Bissett

John Nolan continues to be an inspirational force in the promotion of field hockey at all levels of our game.  John has been instrumental in the development of athlete, coach and league based programming. An executive member, coach and official to the Burnaby field hockey club and executive member to the Vancouver men’s field hockey league, our sporting community certainly continues to benefit from his experience and expertise. We hope that this award goes some way to recognising his on-going contribution to our sport.

Alvin Bissett has played a significant role in the success of the provincial junior men’s program for the last 3 years. Field Hockey BC would like to recognise the ‘behind the scenes’ managerial support Alvin has shown during this time, not only recognising the significant amount of work involved but most significantly the benefit this work has had on the programs as a whole and especially on the positive environment created for the coaches and athletes within the respective programs. Alvin has been manager to the Team BC – US Series in 2008; manager to the Team BC national championship program in 2009; and manager to the FHC/FHBC Pan-American Program in 2010. As if that was not enough, Alvin has now taken on the managerial role with the National junior men’s program.

Award presented to Alvin Bissett and to Patrick Oswald on behalf of John Nolan by Eric Broom, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Coaching

Women’s Umpire of the Year:

2009 Lelia Sacré
2010 Meghan McLennan

Lelia Sacré began on the BC officiating pathway in 2006 gaining her provincial award in the same year and achieving Regional status in 2008. Since 2006, Lelia has been invited to umpire at Field Hockey BC high performance championships, the BC club championships, the BC high school championships, the VIT, the BC/US Challenge, the BC Invitational Tournament and the National Championship program. Lelia is currently one of the short-listed BC candidates for National recognition. Our thanks go to Lelia for her contribution in recent years and it is our pleasure to recognise her development in the form of the Women’s Umpire of the Year Award for 2009.

Meghan McLennan is our Female Umpire of the Year Award winner for 2010. Meghan achieved provincial status in 2004, regional status in 2007, her Canadian badge in 2008 and her FIH badge this past year in 2010. En route to these milestones, Meghan has assisted as a senior umpire to the BC high school championships and as an active umpire at Senior and Junior National Championships; the BC Invitational Tournament; the BC Club Championships; FHBC High Performance Championships; the VIT; CIS; the FHBC Junior Indoor Championships and of course at a local league level. Our thanks and congratulations go to Meghan for her contribution and achievements in recent years and it is our pleasure to recognise this contribution in the form of the Women’s Umpire of the Year Award for 2010.

Award presented to Meghan McLennan and Cindy Sacré on behalf of Lelia Sacré by Paul Chohan, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Umpiring

Men’s Umpire of the Year:

2009 Al McBeth
2010 Patrick Dunn

Al McBeth, our award winner for 2009, was certified as an officiating Course Conductor in 2008 and has since led clinics for over 100 new umpires.  Al has taken the role of head umpire at FHBC events, volunteered in 2008 and 2009 to run umpire update clinics around new rule implementation in both the Lower Mainland and the Interior and continues to step forward as an active umpire for FHBC and Club junior and senior events alike. This award recognises the impact Al has had as an educator, mentor and support for official’s development in BC.

Patrick Dunn for the last five years seems to have been ever present at FHBC and Club events across the province. Whether it is a junior or senior event, Patrick’s name is often the first to appear on an officiating roster. Always professional and always conscious of the need to assist developing umpires, Patrick is an invaluable asset to field hockey in BC. Over the last two years Patrick has officiated at the Field Hockey BC high performance events, the club championships, the VIT, the BC Invitational Tournament, the BC Summer Games, BC Club Invitational events, a National Series and of course is active within the male and female junior and senior leagues in BC.

Award presented to Al McBeth and Patrick Dunn by Paul Chohan, Field Hockey BC’s Director Umpiring

Women’s Coach of the Year:

2009 Andrew Rushton
2010 Krista Thompson

Recently retired from the Women’s National Team Program, our 2009 Women’s Coach of the Year, Andy Rushton plays a crucial role in FHBC’s High Performance and Team BC Programs in athlete and talent development. She is currently completing her Level 4 coaching certification with the National Coaching Institute in Victoria. Her thoughtfulness and calm demeanour are true strengths when working with excitable, but technically and tactically gifted Team BC athletes; consequently her athletes are very well prepared for competitive events. She coached the Under 18 Blue Women to a Gold medal finish at the 2009 Canada Cup, and a 4th place finish at the 2009 FHC Senior National Championships. She coached the U16 Island program in 2009-2010 and was recently appointed as Head Coach of FHBC’s U16 Island Foundations Program.  Many congratulations to Andy.

Our 2010 Women’s Coach of the Year Krista Thompson is a significant contributor to all levels of FHBC programming.  Krista contributes to development programming for all junior age groups, including mentorship assistance within the local, regional and provincial program. Krista would no doubt say that the rewards in coaching at the local and regional level outweigh the competitive honours at a provincial level where her senior team in 2010 were successful in winning the Senior Women’s National Title. It is our pleasure to be able to recognise Krista’s contribution and the impact she has had on field hockey athlete development locally, regionally and provincially in naming her the Women’s Coach of the Year for 2010.

Award presented to Sue Demuynck on behalf of both Andrea and Krista by Eric Broom, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Coaching

Men’s Coach of the Year:

2009 Minder Gill
2010 Robin D’Abreo

Our 2009 Men’s Coach of the Year, Minder Gill accelerated very quickly through FHBC’s coaching pathway, and has contributed important coaching knowledge to FHBC’s Men’s High Performance Programs over the past two years. He coached in the Men’s Elite Program, working with BC’s best junior talent. That same year he led the 2009 Under 16 White Men’s Team to a Bronze medal finish at the Canada Cup and at FHC’s Under 16 National Championships, missing the final gold medal match in a sudden death shoot-out. He then followed up his successful year, as the Assistant Coach of FHBC’s National U17 Men’s Pan American Program. The Pan Am Team trained from September 2009-March 2010 and finished 4th at the first ever Youth Olympic Qualifier, held in Hermosillo, Mexico. Minder has the ability to deliver tactical knowledge that is appropriate and meaningful for Team BC players. His meticulous game planning and ability to motivate his athletes, allowed him to significantly raise the standard of play within the BC Men’s Program.  Congratulations to Minder Gill, 2009 Men’s Coach of the Year.

The 2010 Male Coach of the Year Award goes to the recently appointed Men’s Senior National Coach, Robin D’Abreo. This award though is in recognition of his contribution to provincial coach development and the significant impact Robin has had on BC athletes over the past five years. Robin has taken the head coach lead for no less than eleven Team BC squads since 2006. His teams have been successful at the Senior and Junior National Championships, the BC Invitational Championships, The Can-Am Challenge and most recently at the Pan-American Championships in Uruguay. Outside of his then employment obligations with Field Hockey BC, Robin over a period of nine months led squad and individual training sessions for the 2010 Pan-Am Program, resulting in the team winning the silver medal at the Pan-Am Championships. In his time with Field Hockey BC, Robin has continually gone above and beyond to create extended opportunities for coach development and to meet the ever increasing demands of the BC high performance athlete base.

Award presented to Robin D’Abreo and to Paul Chohan on behalf of  who will also receive this award on behalf of Minder Gill by Eric Broom, Field Hockey BC’s Director of Coaching

The BARBARA SCHRODT AWARD – presented to “someone who has made a difference to women’s field hockey in BC”. This year’s Barbara Schrodt Award winner has been actively ‘making a difference’ for as long as we can remember. A leader, coach, manager, administrator and advocate for all aspects of hockey development; whether it be within the club setting or at a provincial level, it is our pleasure to present the Barbara Schrodt Award to Deneen Asano.

Award presented by Sue Demuynck to Deneen Asano.

Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey – ROBIN RICHARDSON

Robin Richardson continues to be an inspirational force in the promotion of field hockey at all levels of our game.  He has been President of the Men’s League, Field Hockey Victoria and Co-Chair of the junior league. On field hockey’s behalf Robin is currently a Pacific Sport Victoria trustee and was part of the voluntary team instrumental in bringing the Olympic Qualifier to Victoria earlier this year.  Robin continues to play a managerial role in the promotion and development of the men’s national team program as well as taking a lead in initiatives to further field hockey opportunities in Victoria and across the province. It is our pleasure to present the contribution to Men’s Field Hockey to Robin Richardson.

Award presented By Ian Baggott to Robin Richardson.

Coach of the Year – Women – LAUREN MACLEAN

Having coached both Regionally and Provincially over the last 3 years Lauren MacLean has been a fantastic addition to the High Performance Coaching staff.  A former National Team athlete, Lauren brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and drive to her teams and creates a very positive and supportive learning environment for all her athletes.   In 2007/08 Lauren Head Coached both the South East U18 Regional Squad to a bronze medal finish at the U18 HP Championships as well as the Provincial U19 BC White Team that captured a silver medal at the U18 National Championships in Winnipeg.  It is our pleasure to present the Women’s Coach of the Year Award to Lauren MacLean.

Award presented by Sue Demuynck to Lauren MacLean.

Coach of the Year – Men – AARON GUEST

Aaron Guest has become a staple of the men’s high performance coaching at Field Hockey BC.  He has coached regularly with the Junior Boys U18 and U16 Elite programs since their inception 3 years ago.  Aaron brings a simple no nonsense approach to his coaching that stresses excellence and individual accountability with all his athletes.  In 2008 Aaron Head coached the U16 Provincial Men’s team that captured the Gold medal at the FHBC Invitational tournament as well as a 3 Match USA Challenge Series win in Moorpark California over the US U17 National Squad. It is our pleasure to present the Men’s Coach of the Year Award to Aaron Guest.

Award presented by Ross Stewart to Aaron Guest.

Umpire of the Year – Women – ALISON SWEETEN

Alison ‘gives back’ in so many different ways to field hockey on Vancouver Island and across BC and Canada. Alison is not only a nationally rated umpire, she is also a course conductor, assessor and mentor for umpiring development. Last year saw Alison officiate at the Senior and Junior National Championships; the BC Invitational Tournament;  BC Club Championships; BC High Performance Championships; the VIT; the BC Junior Indoor Championships and of course at a local league level. Our thanks and congratulations go to Alison for her contribution over the past year and it is our pleasure to recognise this contribution in the form of the Women’s Umpire of the Year Award.

Award presented by Paul Chohan to Julie Brereton on behalf of Alison Sweeten.

Umpire of the Year – Men – GAVIN CALDECOTT

Over the last three years Gavin has risen through the umpiring ranks. Gaining his Regional Award in 2006/2007; Gavin was invited to umpire at the Senior National Championships in 2008 gaining his certification as a Canadian Umpire. The last year saw Gavin umpire at the Field Hockey BC high performance championships, the club championships, the VIT, the BC/US Challenge, the BC Invitational Tournament, the Junior and Senior Nationals and of course within the men’s and women’s league. Our thanks and congratulations go to Gavin for his contribution and significant achievements over the past year and it is our pleasure to recognise his development in the form of the Men’s Umpire of the Year Award.

Award presented by Paul Chohan to Gavin Caldecott.

Player of the Year – Women – CHRISTINE DE PAPE

Christine has been a part of the Women’s National squad since 2006, and has played 48 games for Canada.  She represented Canada at the 2007 Pan American Games and more recently at the 2008 World Hockey Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Victoria. Notable honours include the 2007 Premier’s Athletic Award and the 2007 CIS player of the year award. Christine has played provincially since her days in grade 10 and has played for both the University of Manitoba and the University of British Columbia, graduating in 2007. It is our pleasure to recognise these and the many other honours and achievements in naming Christine as this year’s Female Player of the Year.

Award presented by Sue Demuynck to Christine De Pape.

Player of the Year – Men – BINDI KULLAR

Bindi is a veteran of the Canadian Men’s National Team having represented the senior men’s team since 1996. Bindi has 155 senior caps to his name and was a member of the Canadian Men’s team who recently finished 10th at the 2008 Beijing Games in China. Bindi has represented Canada at two Olympic Games, two Commonwealth Games, two Pan-American Games and a World Cup. Some would say it is about time he won this award!  It is our pleasure to recognise these and the many other honours and achievements in naming Bindi as this year’s Male Player of the Year.

Award presented by Ian Baggott to Narinder Sangha on behalf of Bindi Kullar.

Stephanie Hume (aka Barney) has been a part of the Women’s National squad since 2002, and has played 48 games for Canada.  She has played in the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, and was recently named to the 2007 Pan American Games Team following a successful series against Chile.  She has played provincially for BC since 1997, and last summer was an integral part of the BC team that captured gold at the 2006 Senior National Championship.  Steph grew up playing for the West Vancouver Field Hockey Club, and has given many hours of her time to help coach junior teams within the club.  She played for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds from 1997-2001, and now pla

Barbara Schrodt Award – JANE KOZNIUK

The BARBARA SCHRODT AWARD – presented to “someone who has made a difference to women’s field hockey in BC”. This year’s Barbara Schrodt Award winner has been actively ‘making a difference’ for as long as we can remember. A leader, coach, manager and advocate for all aspects of hockey development; whether it be within the club, provincial or national field, it is our pleasure to present the Barbara Schrodt Award to Jane Kozniuk.

Award presented by Madge Johnson to Jane

Contribution to Men’s Field Hockey – SUMESH PUTRA

Sumesh Putra, undoubtly Canada’s top international umpire, has enjoyed a distinguished career that includes officiating assignments at the Olympic Games, the World Cup, the Pan-Am and Commonwealth Games and the prestigious Champions Trophy. But it is not his international experience that leads Field Hockey BC and the field hockey community to nominate Sumesh for this award. Our nomination is for the contribution and the continued impact Sumesh brings to the development of officiating in BC and Canada. Despite his international experience, standing in over 100 international matches, Sumesh is the first to assist the development program in BC and can be seen at venues across the lower mainland mentoring league officials at weekends and assisting with the provincial tournament calendar. Sumesh also volunteers his time as an advisor and coordinator to the local leagues and as a member of the Field Hockey BC umpiring committee. Sumesh continues to give back to the sport he loves and in particular give back to the community that gave him the opportunity to fulfill his potential. Sumesh continues to umpire, assess, mentor and coordinate at all provincial levels and we hope that this award will go some way to expressing our gratitude for the contribution he continues to make.

Award presented by Madge Johnson to Sumesh Putra

Coach of the Year – Women – KRISTA THOMPSON

Krista Thompson is Field Hockey BC’s Regional Head Coach for Vancouver Island and a significant contributor to all levels of FHBC programming.  She was a head coach within the women’s Regional Program for both the 05-06 and 06-07 seasons coaching a U18 Island team on both occasions.  She was also Head Coach of the Senior Women’s provincial team leading them to a silver medal finish at the National Championships.  In her capacity as Regional Head Coach, Krista also contributed to development programming for all junior age groups as well as to the U18 Elite Boys program running local training for our Island contingent.  Her tireless commitment and dedication to the program continue to make a very positive impact on the field and it is our pleasure to be able to recognise Krista’s contribution with the women’s Coach of the Year Award for 2006/2007.

Award presented by Sally Bell to Krista Thompson

Coach of the Year – Men – KIMO LINDERS

In 2006 Kimo contributed his expertise to all aspects of our high performance system coaching men and women within our Development, Regional, and Provincial Programs.  In the spring he ran Women’s U21/ Senior development sessions and also head coached the SE U18 Women in the Regional program.  He then took on the Senior Men’s Provincial Team leading them to a gold medal finish at the Senior National Championships.  In the fall Kimo also made a significant impact on our Elite Boys programming by Head coaching the squad through the 2006-07 season.   His significant experience and passion for the game are always a huge asset to FHBC and the talented athletes we have participating in our programs. It is our pleasure to be able to award the men’s coach of the year for 2006/2007 to Kimo.

Award presented by Patrick Oswald to Kimo Linders

Umpire of the Year – Women – GILLIAN BATEY

Over the last three years Gillian has risen through the umpiring ranks. Gaining her Regional Award in 2005; Gillian was invited to umpire at the Senior National Championships in 2006 gaining her certification as a Canadian Umpire. Gillian has umpired at the Field Hockey BC high performance championships, the club championships, the VIT, the Can-Am Challenge, at Junior Nationals and more recently the Canada/Chile series here in BC. It is fitting that we are recognising, in both of this years umpire of the year categories, individuals that we hope will be the next generation of top flight Canadian officials. Our thanks and congratulations to Gillian for her contribution over the past year.

Award presented by Madge Johnson to Megan Robertson (on behalf of Gill)

Umpire of the Year – Men – JON STOLLER

Jon has been one of BC’s up and coming umpires over the past few years and has progressed quickly through the umpiring ranks. Awarded his Regional Rating last year; Jon has had a busy year umpiring at the BC High performance Championships, the Can-Am Challenge, the BC Challenge, the VIT and the Club Championships to name but a few. The culmination of this hard work has been an invitation to umpire at both the senior and junior national championships this summer where Jon will be assessed for his national certification. We wish him luck and a debt of gratitude for his contribution over the past year.

Award to be presented by Sumesh Putra to Jon

Unfortunately both our player of the year award winners are attending family Pan-Am Games send off’s and are unable to be with us but both have nominated peers to accept these awards on their behalf.

Player of the Year – Female – STEPHANIE HUME

Stephanie Hume (aka Barney) has been a part of the Women’s National squad since 2002, and has played 48 games for Canada.  She has played in the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games, and was recently named to the 2007 Pan American Games Team following a successful series against Chile.  She has played provincially for BC since 1997, and last summer was an integral part of the BC team that captured gold at the 2006 Senior National Championship.  Steph grew up playing for the West Vancouver Field Hockey Club, and has given many hours of her time to help coach junior teams within the club.  She played for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds from 1997-2001, and now plays for the Meralomas club in Vancouver.

Award presented by Sally Bell to Stephanie Jameson (on behalf of Stephanie)

Player of the Year – Male – RAVI KAHLON

Ravi Kahlon started playing field hockey in the Victoria league at the age of 12, he was selected as a Provincial BC athlete at Under 18 level and was selected to represent the junior national team in 1999. Ravi’s first international cap came in 2000 against Malaysia and since then Ravi has represented Canada on no fewer than 106 occasions. Last year saw Ravi compete at both the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia and the 2006 World Cup Qualifying Tournament in China. On the domestic front, Ravi continues to play for the Victoria Selects and commits a great deal of time to developing junior players in his region and across British Columbia.

Award presented by Madge Johnson to John Sacre (on behalf of Ravi)