Three spring youth excursions mirror the creating athlete pathway for youth and junior hockey in Canada
This spring Subject Hockey Canada is happy to have three ladies’s youth excursions on the go this spring in Europe. The primary two touring teams went out final weekend headed to Czechia and Wales. The final one goes out initially of Could, heading to France. These excursions mirror the rising success of the Subject Hockey Canada-led youth and junior expertise pipeline in Canada.
Observe the spring youth excursions right here
Vancouver’s Rylie Novaka member of final yr’s Junior Pan American Cup Roster stated that the expertise happening youth excursions over the previous three years to Europe and the US ready her to make the soar to the junior worldwide stage and now school hockey on the College of Iowa.
“You’re uncovered to so many various gamers who’ve totally different abilities, and you’re uncovered to totally different types of play. To get that have at such a younger age is actually essential,” she stated. “Going to the U18 tour, having that have from the U16 tour and bringing it with me, it was actually useful, and I felt much more assured in my sport.”
She is a product of Subject Hockey Canada’s rising expertise system which is supporting younger athletes constructing incremental worldwide expertise for athletes throughout Canada. This implies a participant like Novak is already carrying 30+ worldwide matches on the youth and junior stage. It’s the sort of different competitors and worldwide expertise that prepares Canadian athletes to enter the senior atmosphere with extra preparedness. Novak stated that going through totally different types of play and getting aggressive reps at this stage was essential to her improvement as a participant.
“Whenever you might be uncovered to one thing so totally different, it opens your thoughts up. Whenever you play with the identical folks and do the identical drills, it might get repetitive. Whenever you go and play in opposition to different groups and gamers, it prepares you for future video games,” she stated. “The (U16 and U18) excursions had been a giant a part of my pathway. Having the ability to have these experiences earlier than attempting out for the U21 staff was actually essential as a result of I knew what i used to be stepping into and the work, I needed to put in. It was a step up however I already had a really feel for what was coming.”
Rylie Novak, from Vancouver, BC, represented Canada on the 2024 Junior Pan American Championships in Vancouver, BC.
Subject Hockey Canada has two excursions (Czechia and Wales) already underway and the France U18 tour will begin initially of Could. Three groups of 18 plus reserves and training workers means there are over 70 folks from the Canadian atmosphere getting worldwide publicity — constructing abilities in hockey and life for his or her future journey. The Subject Hockey Canada expertise pathway leaders imagine these youth excursions are very important for exposing Canadians to worldwide competitors, setting expectations and creating professionalism within the athletes and coaches all through the system.
Ellie Mullinsfrom PEI, will embark on the U18 tour to France initially of Could. Final yr, she went with the U16 staff to the Netherlands, marking her first worldwide area hockey expertise. She stated that she is proud to be one of many few representatives from the Atlantic provinces and that on high of gaining precious expertise, she additionally stated she likes to deliver again learnings from these excursions to assist the expansion and improvement to hockey in PEI and the Atlantic provinces.
“We all know France goes to be a extremely expert staff, and I’m excited to take a few of the issues they do on the sphere and produce it again to PEI,” she stated. “I need to exhibit the extent of play that’s taking place on the market and produce again the stuff I study taking part in in opposition to France and see if we are able to get the extent of play increased right here too.”
Mullins grew up in Charlottetown, PEI, and needs to pursue area hockey on the college stage, both within the US or Canada. She stated that the worldwide expertise is particular on and off the sphere. She stated she develops connections with different athletes across the nation and is uncovered to totally different sport cultures world-wide. She’s much more ready this yr to deal with the worldwide velocity and ability, as she’ll lean on expertise from final season.
“I’m actually excited to see all my associates that I made final yr. I noticed them at Calgary in Nationals, however I made actually shut relationships with these women. I’m additionally excited to satisfy a few of my new teammates,” she stated, highlighting the significance of off-field connection to the game. “From my expertise final yr taking part in in opposition to Netherlands and people European groups, I’m going into this tour with extra data to how they play the sport, and it’ll assist me be extra ready.
Ellie Mullins represents PEI on the 2024 Nationwide Championships in Calgary, AB.
Olive Bodel is a grade-11 pupil from West Vancouver who has already dedicated to taking part in school hockey at Wake Forest College. She made her worldwide debut within the US, taking part in on a Canadian U16 tour then backed it up with taking part in within the Netherlands final summer time. She now enters the France U18 tour with the expertise of back-to-back worldwide excursions. Bodel stated that exterior of the worldwide expertise, the place perhaps solely 50-75 athletes per yr might be chosen, the Subject Hockey Canada Nationwide Championships provides an excellent home alternative for gamers to compete and be evaluated.
“After I began taking part in provincially, it’s what actually opened so many doorways for me and led me to be the place I’m right here at present. It put me by way of the pathway, linked me with coaches as nicely,” she stated. “Nationals is a extremely enjoyable event to take part in the place I get to satisfy new folks yearly as nicely.”
As gamers transfer by way of the NextGen pipeline, the extra skilled gamers can even tackle management roles as they advance. That is one other optimistic of the continuity that the Subject Hockey Canada management is attempting to emphasise with their youth tour applications.
Bodel stated the management side is one she’s attempting to enhance on this season as she seems to be ahead to the France tour initially of Could. As a returning participant of a number of worldwide excursions, she desires to assist her teammates perceive the tour life, teaching type and expectations.
“France is among the finest groups on the planet so it’s going to be cool to play in opposition to them and evaluate the place we stand,” she stated. “I’m wanting ahead to taking extra of a management position throughout the staff. Final yr, I used to be one of many youngest gamers on the staff, however this yr I’ll be one among 4 returning gamers. I need to assist the opposite gamers.”
Olive Bodel will as soon as once more signify Canada in France initially of Could on a U18 Canadian aspect.
These excursions present precious worldwide expertise, making ready athletes like Bodel, Novak and Mullins for increased ranges of competitors. Novak credit these excursions for her transition to junior worldwide and school hockey, whereas Mullins and Bodel emphasize their position in creating connections and abilities. All three athletes echo the sentiment that these excursions additionally assist them develop connection off the sphere with athletes and associates throughout the nation. The excursions spotlight Subject Hockey Canada’s dedication to fostering professionalism and management in younger athletes.
Observe @fhc_youthhockey for behind the scenes, coaching pictures and movies from the worldwide excursions this month.
PROJECTED YOUTH TOUR SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
DATE
TIME
MATCH
RESULT
U16 TOUR – Czechia
Wednesday April 16
2pm-4pm
Canada vs Czechia U18
0-4
Friday April 18
1pm-3pm
Canada vs Czechia
Saturday April 19
2pm-4pm
Canada vs Czechia
Sunday April 20
9am-11am
Canada vs Czechia
U18 TOUR – Wales
Tuesday April 15
6pm-8pm
Canada vs Swansea College
0-2
Thursday April 17
4pm-6pm
Canada vs Wales
Saturday April 19
2pm-4pm
Canada vs Wales
Sunday April 20
Midday-2pm
Canada vs Wales
U18 TOUR – France
Monday Could 5
7pm-9pm
Canada vs France
Tuesday Could 6
4pm-6pm
Canada vs France
Thursday Could 8
2pm-4pm
Canada vs France
Friday Could 9
9am-11am
Canada vs France
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