2023 FHBC Provincial Program Pathway
Field Hockey BC is excited to announce key dates and information about the 2023 FHBC Provincial Program Pathway. FHBC will hold a series of athlete evaluations throughout the Province to select Team BC Provincial teams (Tier 1) and if viable, Regional-representative teams (Tier 2) to compete at the 2023 FHC National Championships in Ontario this Summer.
Female Provincial Athlete Talent ID, Evaluation, and Selection
Stage 1 Evaluation
The Stage 1 athlete evaluations are the beginning of the selection process for athletes interested in being selected to a Provincial team. Athletes will need to be nominated by a club, PSO, NSO, high school and/or private academy coach.
Note: NextGen athletes and CSI Provincial Targeted Athletes are exempt from the Stage 1 evaluation. Targeted Athletes for 2023 will be notified of their status via email before Christmas 2022.
Athlete Nomination window: January 11th – 31st
More information on how coaches can nominate athletes will be released in January.
Once nominated, Island & Mainland athletes will be invited to register for the evaluations between February 1st – 15th. The registration period for Interior athletes is March 1st – 15th.
Evaluation Dates
The Stage 1 evaluations will be held in regional hubs to reduce travel costs:
- Island
- March 2nd – 3rd at UVic
- Mainland
- March 24th – 26th at UBC
- Interior
- April 23rd at CNC
Exact dates and locations will be released before athletes are invited to register.
Selected athletes from the Stage 1 evaluations will be invited to attend the Stage 2 evaluation. Other athletes may be considered for selection to a Regional (Tier 2) team, should Regional-representative teams be deemed viable.
Stage 2 Trials
The Stage 2 evaluation is for previously identified athletes (NextGen or CSI Targeted athletes) and those athletes selected from Stage 1 evaluations.
Stage 2 evaluations for both U16 and U18 athletes will be held at the University of Victoria in a tournament format from May 20th – 22nd, 2023 (athletes will be drafted into teams prior to the event).
FHBC is also pleased to announce the addition of an optional 4-week training program in April, ahead of the Stage 2 evaluations. This training program is designed to better prepare athletes tactically for the competition element of the Stage 2 evaluation, thus improving the experience of the athletes and the overall quality of the event.
More information about registration for Stage 2 and the preparation training program will be released in March.
Please note that the number of Provincial teams selected will depend on the competitive depth of the athlete pool at Stage 2. FHBC will select as many teams as they feel can be competitive in Tier 1 of National Championships.
To find out more information about the evolution of Stage 2 evaluations from the 2022 program to the 2023 program, please click here.
Male Provincial Athlete Talent ID, Evaluation, and Selection
Due to the estimated number of male U16 & U18 athletes, there will only be a single, centralized athlete evaluation event per age group.
U16 & U18 Male Provincial Program Evaluations: April 7th – 10th @ Tamanawis
U16 and U18 male athletes that are interested in being selected to a Provincial Team will need to be nominated for the evaluation event by a club, PSO, NSO, high school and/or private academy coach.
Athlete Nomination window: January 11th – 31st
More information on how coaches can nominate athletes will be released in January.
Note: NextGen athletes and CSI Provincial Targeted Athletes will receive a direct invitation to the evaluation and do not need to be nominated. Targeted Athletes for 2023 will be notified of their status via email next week.
Nominated athletes will be invited to register for the evaluation between February 1st – 15th.
Regional (Tier 2) Teams
FHBC will consider Regional-representative (Tier 2) teams, pending viability and interest from the athlete pool. Should a Regional Representative Team be considered viable by FHBC, selection for a Regional (Tier 2) Team may include both Stage 1 athletes that were not invited to Stage 2, as well as Stage 2 athletes that were not selected to a Provincial (Tier 1) team.
If you have any questions about the representative and/or stage of development difference between a Team BC Provincial (Tier 1) team and a Regional-representative (Tier 2) team, please contact a member of staff.
Provincial & Regional Team Training
Provincial team training will begin after June 23rd. Regional Tier 2 team training on the Island and in the Interior may start at the beginning of June.
As a reminder, Provincial programming is prohibited for FHBC during the Greater Vancouver Junior Field Hockey League Season as mandated in 2020 by Lower Mainland community clubs. These same restrictions do not apply to the Island or Interior, as such training may begin earlier in those regions.
For more information, please reference the Final Report from the 2020 Provincial Athlete Pathway Review Project.
2023 FHC National Championships
U18 Female & Male National Championships
July 25th – 30th
Cassie Campbell Community Center, Brampton, Ontario
Athletes born in 2005 & 2006
U16 Female & Male National Championships
August 8th – 13th
Cassie Campbell Community Center, Brampton, Ontario
Athletes born in 2007, 2008 & 2009
As families begin to plan their Winter, Spring & Summer vacations, we thought it prudent to provide an estimate of the levy for the 2023 Provincial Program, which could range between $2700 and $3500. This figure includes expenses such as team training, as well as National Championship travel and accommodation to Ontario.
This estimated levy does not include costs associated with the Stage 1 or Stage 2 Evaluation Pathway but FHBC will look to keep these costs to a minimum wherever feasible Athletes will travel to Ontario for National Championships as a team and stay in team accommodation for the full duration of the Championships.