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Field Hockey Canada
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Field Hockey Canada
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May 1:  Emily Menzies | May 2:  Katie McNeil | May 3:  Laura Balakshin | |||
May 4:  Ali Johnstone | May 5:  Mo O'Connor | May 6:  Ashley Reaburn | |||
May 7:  Kate Lindsay | May 8:  Stephanie Jameson | May 9:  Julia Morton | |||
May 10:  Stephanie Quinn | May 11:  Lucy Shaw | May 12:  Robin Leslie | |||
May 13:  Lauren MacLean | May 14:  Erin Morton | May 15:  Suzanne Simpson | |||
May 16:  Nicole Perry | May 17:  Alisa Carey | May 18:  Elise Roberts | |||
| May 19: Erin Morton / Mo O'Connor | May 20: Emily Menzies | ||||
| May 21: Julia Morton | May 22: Erin Morton | May 23: Room 514 | |||
| May 24: Ali Johnstone | May 25: Erin Morton | May 26: Erin Morton | |||
| May 27: Julia Morton |
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 Back to Schedule and Results |
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| Lauren MacLean | Ashley Reaburn | Robin Leslie | ||
| Stephanie Jameson | Elise Roberts | Stephanie Quinn | ||
| Erin Morton | Nicole Perry | Julia Morton |
I have been a part of the Junior National Team for two years. I was picked up in my rookie year at the University of Victoria. Unfortunately, my first year as a Canadian athlete was not all that it should have been for me: during my first training camp in February, I could not play half the time because of an injured ankle. The following April was when the Qualifier was being held in Barbados. Up until that point I had been sticking to my training schedule and assumed that I was in decent physical condition. However, I only had the chance to play in one tournament game because the morning after I got a blood test and discovered that I had mono... The experience that I got from watching my teammates play against teams such as Argentina and Chili was incredibly beneficial. I saw how tough the competition was and how strong you had to be mentally. My next chance to play with Canada was in December during our training camp in Cuba. For the first time I was completely able to play at my full potential. The camp was difficult but I had a good time just because I was playing hockey.
I think that playing for Canada has taught me how hard you have to work to get what you want. The numerous hours of training during the summer and training during your days off on the weekend pay off, even though you may not always think they will. Playing for Canada has also given me pride in myself that I am able to play with the most elite athletes of this country.
I have been a part of the Junior National Team since the winter of grade twelve, four years ago. The past four years have been some of the most rewarding, fun, interesting, demanding and challenging times in my life. When I think back to four years ago, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that one day I would be preparing to play at the Junior World Cup for Canada. I think that it was hard to dream that big dream because I was afraid to fail but without those big dreams I don't think life is as interesting or as challenging.
The past four years haven't all been easy and I have had many ups and downs but the experiences, whether good or bad, have allowed me to grow as a person. Playing on this team has also been a great opportunity to improve my technical skills and to learn new skills and to learn that I still have a lot more to learn.
Now, in looking towards the Junior World Cup, which is a short three weeks away I am both nervous and excited. In fact, I am so excited that it is almost impossible to studying for my final exams! I am also really excited about meeting everyone again in Waterloo and doing lots of fun team activities. It will be such an honour and privilege to play with such great players at the Junior World Cup. I know that we have all worked hard to be here and that we have all experienced different things but the neat thing is that we can all come together and work to achieve a common goal. It will be a very special experience to represent Canada and I can't wait for the opportunity.
I want to thank my parents and all my family; my teammates, coaches, and sponsors for their help in helping me achieve this goal.
For many of us, it has been a long adventure lasting almost four years, for others maybe only three, two or even just the beginning for others. Whatever the case and regardless of when the adventure began, we are altogether now and are lucky enough to be representing our country at the Junior World Cup. Not many people our age or our status get to accomplish something so wonderful. We are all very lucky girls and should be proud of our accomplishment only hoping to reach for more in the future. Regardless of how we may do in Argentina, it will be no measure of how hard we have worked and the endless hours of training we have dedicated to this team. We have worked hard for this so lets make this experience worth it!
I would also just like to thank all my teammates, coaches, trainers, family, boyfriend and friends for having gotten me to where I am today. Without any of you and your support I would not have been privileged enough to represent Canada at such an amazing event. Thank - you!!!
The Junior National Program has been a huge part of my life for the last three years, and I can't believe that the Junior World Cup is only a couple of weeks away. It always seemed so far away... it has really snuck up on me!
When I look back on the last 3 years, there are a lot of memories, but what stands out in my mind the most is how much I have learned about myself. Although the tournaments and training camps are what we have aimed towards, it is really the everyday training that has influenced me the most. I have learned about my own psychology... on how Mondays are so important... I have learned how to push myself and how to get myself out the door for a run, even when I felt so tired... I have run countless 5000s and lived to tell about every one of them... and most of all, I have learned how to incorporate all of this training into my daily life and keep a decent amount of sanity! I have grown not only as a player, but also as a person, and I think I have come a long way since that first training camp in Waterloo in 1998. It hasn't always been easy, but it has all been worth it.
I have met some wonderful people along the way, and made some friendships that will last a lifetime. A few things jump to mind when I think about our various trips... our stroke off with Chile to win the bronze medal in Barbados, having the field in Brandon watered by the fire department for our test series against the USA, surviving on peanut butter for a week in Cuba and scoring a goal against Venezuela in my first junior cap!
Being new to the program, it is difficult for me to reminisce, since I really haven't had very many experiences with the squad. From the time we spent in Cuba, one thing stuck out to me that I think is really important: everyone really got along. It's a rather amazing thing to be in an experience such as Cuba, and of course the time we will have in Argentina, with a group of people that make it special.
Being able to travel and play hockey is an opportunity that I feel really lucky to have, and I know that there is so much to learn and experience. I'm just really excited to play 
My journey to the Junior World Cup has been both long and exciting. It first started when I was 15 and received a letter from the provincial office notifying me about the 2001 Junior World Cup. At that point, the year 2001 was in the distant future, but I set it as a long-term goal for myself. Unfortunately, when the first Squad was named, I had a broken arm and wasn't able to try out. A number of years went by and I continued to fall short of my goal.
In my first year at the University of British Columbia, I failed to make the Varsity Team. I felt like my hopes of making the Junior National Team were crushed. Determined, I worked as hard as I could as a Red Shirt for the UBC team, and in the fall of this year I made the team. As I entered my second year at UBC, I felt well prepared for the Canada West season. In November of 2000, I was named Canada West Rookie of the Year. Shortly thereafter, I was named to the Junior National Squad to travel to Cuba over the school break in December. The Cuba training camp was my first stint with the team and it provided me with an intense introduction to international hockey.
Although I have not been with the team for long, I have been working hard to make the Squad. The fact that my goal has been realised makes me extremely happy. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I am excited to be able to represent Canada at the 4th Junior World Cup. Thank you to my family, my friends and of course, my coaches. I could not have done it without you!!
Juniors… the experience of a lifetime! It began in 1998 and will end in 2001, four years of memories and valuable lessons that I will cherish forever.
What I remember most: meeting tons of girls at the first camp… the realization that it takes discipline and diligence to train at this level every single day… playing the USA in five games and getting our picture taken with Pumper #1… having my worst camp in Vancouver and realizing that I had to demand more from myself… all the endless timed 5kms… boogie boarding in Barbados… the flooding toilets and countless ants in Cuba… appreciating how fast those Cuban girls can run with the ball, and having to mentally force myself to keep going even when the legs were tired… and the lead up and preparation for the Junior World Cup just around the corner.
If it wasn't for my parents, then I would not be able to share these experiences. They have followed me from day one, on my quest to play for Canada and when I lost my footing along the way, they were ALWAYS there to pick me up and put me back on track. They have been there in the stands to cheer me on and they have been there everyday of my life to encourage and support me along the way. They have and always will be my #1 fans.
After four years, I can truly say that my path to my dream was not traveled alone. It takes a mature athlete to be able to recognize that others have helped you get where you are today.
For the last few months my life has had a certain monotony that I can't really complain about. Get up, go to school, go to the gym, practice, study. (There has been time in there to eat and sleep too.) I must say though, that I loved it and I can't complain. After being named to the Junior National Team my training had a goal, an end result - the Junior World Cup in Buenos Aires Argentina.
With the stress of exams finally done, I have had a few days to get prepared for the trip. The excitement is just starting to hit me full force. When people at school asked what I was doing for the summer, my face would light up and I would literally start jumping up and down. Thinking about this amazing opportunity in front of me made these exams some of the hardest to write as I was thinking past them.
The opportunity to play at a tournament of this caliber and against some of the best young players in the world, some that have just been to the Olympics, is something not everyone will experience. I am one of the lucky 18 girls that has been selected to represent Canada at this level. The pinnacle of the junior experience.
My local community has also been a great source of support. I have received congratulations, phone calls and cards from people in Penticton, BC, wishing the team the best of luck at the World Cup. The feeling of having your community behind you as you strive to reach your goals and dreams at the international level is wonderful and I can't thank these people enough.
Tomorrow the adventure starts and I can't wait. It can't come soon enough. Ever since I was a little aspiring field hockey player in grade 8, this has been a dream of mine. Now, it is finally going to come true!
The most incredible thing happened to me in 1998. I was named to the Junior Canadian field hockey team. Blood, sweat, pain and tears have been devoted to this team for the last four years. Any regrets? NONE. I have been afforded so many experiences through field hockey and have formed many life long friendships. I have had the opportunity to travel with this team to Barbados and Cuba and now Argentina. This team has never been the same team over the last four years. There is always someone new, but this is what has made us better, each new athlete brings what they can offer to the team and in turn makes us better as a whole.
Just to recap on the last four years… I will never forget the food at Wilf’s when we were at our first training camp in Waterloo. We spent half of our time in TCBY trying to satisfy the hunger pains. Then there was the memorable Barney’s Motel that can be best described as the hole in the wall with TeePee Village just around the corner. This is where I met Mo-Dog and became Nurse Julia as I watched her get rid of her food poisoning. Right Mo? How can I forget the U-Haul disengaging itself from the van and watching as some of the girls had to play chicken with traffic and role it into a parking lot. Then there was the run to the hay field when the Porta-Potties became too full. I got my first taste of International competition at this camp when we played the States in a five game series. I will never forget the feeling I had when I put that jersey on for the first time. I was hooked!
Next there was BC… then Barbados. This was where I was faced with the harsh reality that it was Canada who was playing catch up to the rest of the world. It would take hard work and determination from 18 willing girls to make it to the next level. From Malibu Rum to Azelia’s save that clinched us the bronze medal it was a learning experience for everyone.
Cuba… With a parasite crawling around in my body for most of the six days, I spent a lot of time in the Cuban bathrooms, or what there was of them. The day of the 5k I stepped out onto that turf to run and I can tell you that I still don’t remember 5 of those laps that I ran. This camp was by far the most demanding camp that I have ever been to. Maybe this was because I have learned to demand the most from my body, even in extreme conditions. I learned how to play through exhaustion and still demand more.
And now we are here… 18 athletes joined together to live out their dream. I am honoured to be able to put on the Canada jersey and walk on to that field with every one of these girls. New or old additions on the team, everyone is worthy of this amazing experience and we are determined to give it everything we have.
I have goals and dreams but I have not achieved these alone. I want to take this opportunity to thank family, friends and sponsors because without you all I would not be where I am today. To my Mum and Dad and sisters who have been my motivation and inspiration and will continue to be long after field hockey is over. 
You have been there for the success and also the disappointment and have never hesitated to pick me up each time. To Kath, Liam and Cam for loving me unconditionally. To Paul who has been there through good and bad and has always pushed me to dig that much deeper. To my many sponsors who have helped make this possible with all of their support. To all my friends who have stuck by me and allowed me to be the person that I want to be. And finally to Tia, who I met through some of our many experiences on this team together. Due to a chronic injury she will not be
able to travel with us this time. But, I just want you to know, Tia, that you will not be forgotten out there. I am doing it for both of us now!
Day One for those eight of us leaving from Vancouver started off at about 6:00am, in the wee hours of Tuesday, May 1. Amid the tumult of last good-byes, hugs from coaches, parents and friends, spiked with the anxiousness of temporarily misplaced tickets, (and teammates!), we all managed to get on the plane in fine form, with plenty of time to spare. Nic had joined Suzanne and those of us from U.B.C. (Mo, Steph J., Steph Q., Alisa, Laura and I), travelling from her school-time residence at the University of Alberta to fly with us to Toronto. The flight was generally uneventful - no crash landings or even all that much turbulence to report, it seems, from any of our teammates, but we each spent it in our own way. I spent it reading notes from those we had just left, which contained wishes of luck, fun, strength and determination in the weeks ahead, sending their votes of confidence along with us for the ride.
I cannot speak for more than myself, but I am sure more than one of us felt the day to be one full of conflicting thoughts regarding those at home, from whom we were parting with for four full weeks, and the places and experiences we were flying towards. While many on the team have been involved in the program for four years, I just got picked up for the training camp in Cuba last December, (which was a grueling 7 days of five games against the Cubans, double two hour training sessions per day, a timed five kilometre run, etc...) I didn't know quite what to expect from this ominous-sounding training camp here in Waterloo. Would we be training five hours a day, sweating under the merciless sun and the critical eye of selecting coaches bent on determining how tough we could possibly be, or would we be preparing carefully and reserving ourselves for the Junior World Cup? Would we be competing against each other as opponents, and vying for playing time, or coming together fully as mutually supportive friends and teammates in pursuit of a common goal?
These thoughts were cut short by our arrival in Toronto, a whirl of luggage and meeting up with long unseen faces; Ali and Lucy, up from school in the states, Kate, Elise, Lauren and our assistant/goalie coach Krista from UVic, and Ashley from U of Alberta all arrived in quick succession after us. We were all welcomed at the airport and guided via bus by Erin and Julia, to their home turf of Waterloo, two hours away. Katie and Robin, also from Waterloo, met us there, and we all started to get settled into our residence dorm rooms, and the stifling heat! We dined in the luxurious cafeteria and then finally came together as a unit, for most of us, the first time in four months; for some of us, the first time ever.
Formally called to order, our team meeting consisted of welcome and greetings, an outline of the week's schedule, and presents! Well, we all felt like kids at a Christmas bash with all the new playing socks, track suits and travel uniforms, graciously donated Gatorade bars and Gatorade water bottles, adidas travel bags, and the best part - our uniforms! I don't know if I can adequately describe the feeling of first looking at a red and black and white jersey, with my name and number and the word "CANADA" blazing across the top of it. Magical. Its one thing to try and work and play and think like a team wearing pinnies in drills; I imagine it will be a lot different playing against teams like Korea and England, united in the job of representing and playing for Canada in proper uniforms.
With these thoughts in our heads, we drifted off to our rooms, chatting and unpacking, re-acquainting ourselves with one another, and getting our gear ready for the first day of training, though the second day of our endeavour. From our meeting it seemed that the week will be one of a balance between training and preparation, teamwork, and competition for playing spots. We must prove to ourselves, to our team mates and to our coaches that we are
ready for international level hockey; that we are ready to play, to compete, and to win - together, and for each other.
The first item on the schedule for the day was weights. We went in two different groups in hopes that we wouldn't over crowd the weight room. After weights we ate, and prepared for our first team practice which would begin at 2pm. It was great to be together again and it only took a short time to remember how to play together as TEAM CANADA! We spent some time on tactical drills, while Emily and I became well acquainted with the ball machine. Practice went until 4pm and we then departed and headed back to residence where the cold showers were waiting for us!
We spent the rest of the evening resting up before the next day of training. The majority of the team enjoyed a HUGE supper at East Side Marios, where we were supplied with ALL YOU CAN EAT salad, bread and water! It was great to be together again…and the rest of the evening was spent in the luxurious South 7 hanging out, watching TV, and enjoying each others company.
We are all looking forward to the challenges we will face over the next three and a half weeks as we come together and strive for common goals and objectives that we established the day we began this journey to represent Canada.
The day started off with our complimentary breakfast at the caf. The food included as part of the breakfast seems to vary depending on the day, or maybe the cashier? Anyway, we were allowed extra food compared to yesterday - a bonus!
After breakfast we headed to a meeting to discuss team goals, strengths, and weaknesses, and we also voted on captains. Results are so far unknown…
Practice from 2 to 4 went well overall - drills, short corners, 9 on 9 - but was extremely hot. I don't know what the actual temperature was but it felt hotter than it ever gets in Vancouver, even in August. Fortunately I have (so far) escaped being sunburned, but some of us haven't been so lucky. After practice Jonathon came to lead us in our running (7 x 200m) and cool down. Being the newbie on this team, I hadn't met him before, but he makes our training programs and has contributed a lot to the team over the years. So we gave him a big thank you!
The evening consisted of a team bonding TV night as we simultaneously watched Survivor and the Toronto hockey game. Ashley won $35 in her Survivor pool for correctly predicting Tina as the winner, and all were happy that TO won the game, although what was with Domi's elbow? Brutal.
Today consisted of weights in the morning and practice in the afternoon. We started out with corners and then worked individually with the defence while the offence was working on their own thing. The defence had the opportunity to work with Alan Brahmst. This was a wonderful experience for the defenders because we had a new look at how we are going to defend the top teams in the world. With his help, new plays were brought to our attention. At the end of practice we found some roles had been switched. Instead of hearing Sharon say "one more", we found her saying "no more". Everyone is trying to get the most of these practices because we have so little time together. Everyone wanted to do just one more. It is starting to come together. The positive attitude on this team is what is bringing us together and to be a strong team by the time we arrive in Argentina.
I want to take this time to thank Krista and Steph Q. for the advice they gave me today. "Wave your hands in the air… and rub your tummy like you just don't care". Thanks guys it has been working, however I am about to give up and just go for the cat stretch. What do you think about that Lucy? Everyone else, sorry you had to deal with all that crap. After the ordeal, we all watched the Leafs and the Raptors. Don't you just love the playoffs!? Cheers!
Despite the fact that it rained last night, the hoodlums from the youth convention were out and about again last night. As luck would have it, we were fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to share a residence complex with 1000 (I'm not exaggerating) loud and obnoxious teenagers who seem to come out in full force every night, as soon as we turn out our lights. (The early morning construction taking place 25 feet from our rooms is also something that we could do without). Needless to say, this rather unfortunate living situation makes for some sleepless nights and grumpy teammates. Although sleeping in might subsequently seem to be a great solution, anyone who has ever slept in a hard and bumpy residence bed knows that it's not too hard to leave. Thus, it was not to hard to get up this morning for out morning practice session.
We spent a large chunk of time perfecting our short corner options which are definitely making progress in terms of both execution and consistency. The latter portion of the practice was spent working on the new offensive pressure system that we are to be implementing. (I'd love to give you more details, however, as this is all classified, Team Canada information, I'd have to kill you soon thereafter).
Our morning session was followed by lunch and some team bonding before playing a game against a team comprised of current and ex-national team members, as well as a few of our own teammates. Though we lost the game, it proved to be a good opportunity for us to employ the new defensive and offensive patterns that we're currently working on, in preparation for the tournament. It also gave us a good idea of what fine tuning still needs to be done before our first World Cup game on the 15th. WOW - ten days to go!
| Team thought for the day: "Success is a journey, not a destination." |
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Today we began our journey to Argentina. We woke up this morning and we got to do a 45 minute run to start and then the bus was supposed to pick us up at 2:00 so we were all ready to go to the Morton's for a good bye barbecue. The bus didn't get to our residence until 3:30 so needless to say we had team bonding time outside in the parking lot at the residences. Finally the bus came to get us at 3:30 and we were on our way. We had a great time at the Morton's eating lots of food and of course laughing a lot.
We left the Morton's for the airport at 7:00 and the bus was right on time. We checked in early and waited for the plane to take off. Everyone was really excited and nervous about the flight and for some of us it was our first long airplane trip. We took off at 10:00 and began our 15-hour journey to Argentina.
The plane ride was fairly uneventful but I have decided that they need to change the seats on the airplane because it would make it much easier to sleep. We went to sleep with the thoughts of airplane food in our stomachs and a great adventure just beginning. Tune in to day 7 for the continuation of our plane trip and thanks for following us, you guys are great.
For some this is just the beginning and for others it is the end point to a long and amazing three years. We are finally here, Junior World cup 2001, something I first heard about at a U-14 Provincial Camp. And to be in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a city that lives and breathes field hockey.
For most of us, the 15-hour flight is probably the longest we've been on a plane. Luckily we had an hour layover in Brazil to get of the plane and stretch our legs a bit. As we grew closer to Buenos Aires, anticipation was building; we were all so excited. The city loomed below and seemed to go on endlessly before we finally landed.
A bus was waiting for us when we arrived and we loaded and headed to our hotel. After the initial shock of the small rooms and virtually two person capacity elevator, we were happy to have arrived. We unpacked and decided to explore, while we had a good walk to get our legs moving. The city is unlike any other I've been in before. We are situated right downtown and it was amazing to watch how busy and different and exciting it all is. We were quick to find an Internet Café near by and have sadly admitted already that we will be spending way too much time there.
I am thrilled to be here and am looking so forward to the tournament. We begin practicing tomorrow at one of the 4 turf's being used for the 16 teams.
Today we woke up to a light drizzle which was a definite contrast to the hot and sunny weather that sunburned us all in Waterloo! We had the morning to ourselves, so most of us went walking around the streets of downtown Buenos Aires. We are in a great location - right in the heart of the city, so there are lots of good places to eat, many things to see, and a great Internet Café. I spent the morning attempting to speak Spanish at all of the places we went… I think I am seriously lacking an accent, but it is fun to try
| Steph's phrase of the day: "Camarero! Quisiera emparedado con jamon y queso, por favor! |
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We went for a twenty five minute run and then practiced at 4pm, after an hour long bus ride out to the turf in San Fernando. There are five different fields being used for practices, but only two will be used for the Junior World Cup. Today's field was nice and wet, and we worked on corners, getting the ball out of the backfield, and then played a half field scrimmage. After our practice an Argentinean Junior Club team took the field, and we can certainly see why the Argies are so good as there were some pretty skilled 13 year olds… reverse chips and everything!
We also met our hosts for the tourney - two Argentinean girls who both play hockey and speak some English - and they are going to be travelling with us to all of our games and practices. It is strange being below the equator as it gets dark really early here since it is fall. So we rode the bus home in the dark today through some crazy Argentinean traffic and a lot of honking horns. (Has anyone mentioned how crazy the traffic is here? Well the streets and sidewalks are incredibly narrow, people use their horns a lot, and it is almost impossible to cross the street!).
Anyway, that's all for today - thanks for the support back home!
There is a lot of excitement in the air... We play India in a test match tomorrow afternoon. It is hard to believe that after today's practice we will be playing our first international game leading into the tournament. As each day goes by, the full realization of our dream is coming true.
A team of 18 driven and dedicated athletes has come together as one to compete against the world. Sixteen teams will represent their countries with pride over the next 2 weeks. We will be among the best in the world. In preparation for tomorrow and the next two and a half weeks of competition, we practiced our pressure defense, short corners and ended the day off with sprints.
It was a quiet day for me in the Waldorf Hotel. I had a date with the physio table and then on to the grocery store I went. It took "Baby" (Suzanne) and I a long time to find The Disco but, when we did, it was heaven. All the fruit you could think of, but then came the hard part, the trek back home.
After practice we did the usual, those who were lazy left for supper, led by Mo-Dog of course, and those who felt like being clean showered. It all works out though as no one is ever in a rush to shower. Don't worry though, Mum, I am still bathing.
The night ended with a team building session courtesy of Emily Rix. Thanks Em for giving us the strength to be confident in our abilities, no matter what happens. Once the puzzle was complete we chose our favourite quote and I must say that this quote reflects the last four years on this team.
| 'You gain strength and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." You must do the thing you think you cannot do.' |
There have been many highs and low's in the last four years, but no regrets. As with every team and in every sport there will always be the good and the bad, it is what you do with these experiences that make each one positive. As we were told in our first team meeting together in Waterloo we will do things that we will not think our bodies are capable of. We will push ourselves to limits beyond our wildest imagination.
I just wanted to thank everyone back home for their continuous support through all the good and the bad. And thank you for making my day with your e-mails, you all know who you are. I miss you all!!! Can't wait to see you Mum and Dad, hope that the flight treats you a little better. Lis, e-mail me, I miss you!!!
OLA! We had our first game today since we have been in Buenos Aires. This was an exhibition game against India to get ourselves sorted out and working together as Team Canada! In preparation for the game, we focused on being well nourished, well rested and all psyched up! At our meeting in the morning, we watched video of the Olympic Gold Medal game between Australia and Argentina. What better teams to watch than the two top teams in the world! Watching the tape helped us to mentally prepare for the game versus India, but it also showed us basic skills performed to perfection. It offered us inspiration as well as tactical ideas for our game.
We boarded the bus which took an hour to get to the pitch. The girls from India proved to be good competition. They are quick, they have excellent individual stick skills and they have good ability to put the ball in the net. The final score was 0-2. All of us played extremely well, we even had some good opportunities in the last 20 minutes of the game. We are looking forward to our next game against Wales to show our stuff!
After the game, it seemed as if hundreds of young Argentinean girls flooded the turf. It was time for their practice. Lots of them would come up to us and ask us where we were from in their broken English. I think it is exciting for them to see girls from other countries playing hockey and they really like using the little bits of English they know.
As the tournament approaches, the excitement builds. Soon we will be joined by more parents, and it will be great to have our own little cheering section. Apparently, there is a school in Buenos Aires called Canada School. We are hoping to get in touch with them and ask them if they would support us at our games. We look forward to playing our hearts out in front of our fans, whether they are here or at home. Thanks for your support! Miss ya lots!
This morning we hit the turf early for a 10am practice. We played at yet another facility, this one being, in my opinion, the best we have seen. Practice went as per usual, with work needed in the areas of pressure defence, penalty corners and spinning away from our defenders. Goalkeepers worked on both baseline drives and strong flat clears (thank you Emily). Wales and New Zealand were set to play after our practice, so we were able to do a bit of scouting for tomorrow's match.
Upon our return, most of us headed for the showers, while Mo chose to stick to tradition and remain somewhat "unclean". The afternoon remained free and we were able to do as we pleased. Most of us could be found strolling Florida Street, at the Internet Café or in a café somewhere eating (my particular choice for a large portion of the afternoon).
At seven, we had a team meeting, of which we watched game tape of our match against India. We were joined tonight by our team doctor Trevor Hall, who managed to make it off the plane looking somewhat decent... (sorry Trev, the truth hurts, eh?). Dinner was eaten at different locations and then it was off to bed to dream of scoring goals. The bus leaves tomorrow at 6:45am. We'll be up... I just hope Wales is ready for us!
Hope the homeland is treating everyone well, special hi to all the kids in Carolina!
Well today began with a very early morning with us boarding the bus at 6:45am on our way to our exhibition match against Wales. Although we were all quiet, the bugs on the bus woke us up pretty quickly. For some reason our bus today seemed to be cockroach infested and every which way we turned another cockroach appeared.
Once we got over the bug situation, we made it to the turf for the game. We ended up tying 3-3 against Wales. Our whole team played well and was able to work on some things in preparation for our up and coming games. Goals in the game were scored by Lauren MacLean and two by Quinners (aka. Steph Quinn). We had the lead until the last 20 seconds when Wales popped one by us to make it a tie. Overall, it was a good game and next time we'll just have to hold onto the lead.
After the game the rest of the day was ours. Some people did some shopping or just relaxed in their rooms. But about six of us went to watch our hosts, Geraldine and Mecha, play hockey. This was quite interesting and a sporting experience like no other. The sports complex is huge and has roughly eight different sports going on simultaneously with the host club playing the same away team all day long. It was very interesting to see a different culture and how they celebrate their sport.
Tomorrow is our day off which we are all looking forward to! As for those of you at home... Thanks for all the support! Miss you all and keep cheering loud!
First off, I would like to say Happy Mother's Day!!
Today was our day off. We took advantage by going sightseeing. We went down Florida Street and found our way to a park where artists painted the surrounding landscape. Then we visited the war monument where we couldn't decide if the guards on duty were soldiers or sailors due to their hats. From then on we wandered around the streets, looking into cafes and stores. The streets were bare as Sunday's are a day off work for the local Argies. Some girls went to the movie Chocolat. Luckily it was in English and had Spanish subtitles. They highly recommend seeing it with your "boys".
A highlight for many athletes was when their parents arrived. Part of the afternoon was spent showing them around town, advising them on "the ways of the street".
At night we had a team "bonding" activity. We passed around sheets of paper with our names on it and each of us wrote a positive and inspiring thing about each of our teammates. After that activity we discussed the upcoming games and events. We talked about how we will cope with the highs and lows that the tournament will inevitably bring.
Today... the day before tomorrow... the day before we play our first game at the Junior World Cup... the day before our dream finally materializes into reality!
Most of us spent the morning getting more fruit and water to last us for the next few days. Then we were back on the bus at 11:45am ready to go to yet another turf for practice. This turf is supposed to be the other tournament turf and although it too was dirty and very wet like the rest, I think the majority liked it the most. We worked on bits of everything in order to prepare ourselves and get our minds around playing England tomorrow. We worked on defensive pressure, moving the ball out of the backfield, rolling off defenders, tackling and short corners. We ended the practice with some jogging, striding and sprinting, and the usual ball search!
When we returned to the hotel, we were greeted by more parents having just arrived today. Although they all looked a little tired after long flights, they were all thrilled and excited to be amongst the excitement of watching our dreams come true. We spent the evening showing them around and getting some food into the system ready to use for energy come tomorrow. This evening we had a team meeting to discuss the coming game, reinforcing what we have been learning and working on over the past 4 years.
We are all excited and ready to get onto the bus tomorrow and step out onto the turf wearing Canadian colours and our names on our backs. In less than 24 hours we will have the chance to look around and realize just how huge this really is... and to actually be a part of it all will be the pure thrill and joy of it all. We will have the chance to actually be able to look around and know that we are here... and we have NOTHING to lose. And most importantly, the opportunity to understand just how important it has been to have the support financially and emotionally from those around us, whether they are here with us for the adventure, or cheering from a far, waiting for us to return. I want to take this chance to say thank you to EVERYONE from EVERYONE here... we wouldn't be here without you. Thank you... Miss you all!
Starting off at 6am, the blaring alarm abruptly awoke us up, bringing us to awareness of a new day and new challenges. We played our first "real" game against England, who is ranked fourth in the world entering into the tournament.
After a long bus ride we finally arrived at the stadium over an hour before game time to prepare ourselves. With 16 parents waving their Canada flags in the stands, Team Canada took the field with our heads held high and some butterflies in our stomachs.
The defence was very solid only giving up four short corners to England in the first half. Moving into the second half, we were 2-0 down but still determined. The second half proved to be very successful for us. We generated many offensive opportunities and only allowed one shot on net. We ended up losing 3-0 after a hard fought battle. It is very exciting to see the team come together so quickly. After a post game meeting, we became "students" of the game watching Korea take on Russia. Two teams that we will face in the next couple of days.
The night brought many surprises for our birthday girl Ashley who is 21 years old. With fine dining in the Pacifico Mall food court as a team and with our parents, we sang in our beautiful voices "Happy Birthday". After eating cake and Ashley opening her little red number, we all headed home to our beds. It has been a long day, the start to our dream come true. We are preparing ourselves for what is to come tomorrow against Korea. We are determined and we will not give up without a fight!
Thank you once again to all those who have joined us on this journey to our dream. We could not have gotten here without you!
The day started off at a leisurely pace with everyone up and finished breakfast by about 9:30. At 10:00 we had a meeting with the coaches to go over the game plan for our next rivals: the Koreans. We were aware of their quickness on and off the ball, as well as the running patterns and their technical skills. We left the meeting feeling good and ready for the test in front of us.
After lunch, we got on the bus for the hour long ride to the pitch. I spent the hour how I usually do: dozing and dreaming about the game that was to take place in less than 2 hours. When we arrived at the pitch, we knew there was something amiss as you could not walk on the walkway but had to walk on the sides because of the influx of water... it was flooded. Getting into the stadium proved to be more of a challenge than it should have been. There was also no game going on at the time. England and Russia had only played 9 minutes before the game was called for rain delay. The pitch was covered in an excess of water.
Our game was supposed to be played at 3:00pm... as we arrived, we had no idea if our game would even be played. We were confined to our locker room, but we made the best of it. We played some games such as the stick game, the hand game and the ever cognitive - "I'm going camping and I'm bringing nickels and pennies... anyone else care to play?" After about an hour and a half, we were allowed to leave the locker room with the news that the game would now be played at 5:00pm. Some of us went and grabbed something to eat and others wondered around the field, getting their legs ready for the fast paced game we were about to play.
Game time. Warm up went well and we felt ready to face the Koreans. We had all heard about the speed of the Koreans but now we were about to face it. Not only were they fast but technically skilled, that can be a deadly combination. At half time we had held them to a 2-0 score. After our halftime talk we felt confident in our own abilities that we could hold them and even get a few chances ourselves. We started off the second half with a new wind and even had the first attack of the half, which I think took the Koreans by surprise. On defence we were patient and did not run at the Koreans, making them work for their chances on net. In the end, the difference proved to be the efficiency of the penalty corner, with the Korean conversion rate being around 50%. It showed us that in international hockey, one cannot afford to give up penalty corners.
On the bus ride home, things were quiet as most of us "had left everything on the field" and we were tired.
To everyone at home and abroad supporting us, we wish you a buenos noches.
Well, things today started off with a team meeting at 10am for about an hour. It consisted of watching around half of Russia's game against England, and then going over some tactics for tomorrows's big match.
Then we had our team practice and went over things that would help us in tomorrows's match. The highlight of the bus ride to practice was Julia "making friends" with the assistant bus driver. Needless to say it entertained us for a good portion of our day.
The rest of our day consisted of our usual visit to the mall (some exceptions) to drink some fluids and have some good grub in preparation for the game tomorrow. Of course, we had our usual entourage of men watching us eat our dinner. Us Canadians... what can I say. We finished the evening with a water war that went on between the five rooms from our bedroom windows... the war will recommence tomorrow!
Enjoy for now, I hope everyone back home is doing well.
Today was a great day!! It all started at about 8:15 as our alarms want off and we went down for breakfast. After our usual escapades of trying to take extra bread from the breakfast table for lunch, we went up to our nine o'clock meeting to discuss the upcoming game against Russia. The meeting was kept short however, since we all needed a little bit of time to relax and get our things together before boarding the bus at 10:45.
The buses that take us to the field always make for interesting journeys and today was no exception. Today's transportation was similar to a double decker bus, except there were no lower seats. The top level had seats right up to the window, where we got an up close and personal view of the crazy driving style of this country. "Watch out for the dog".
As we arrived at the field the excitement was building within the team and we could all feel the energy. We dressed, warmed up, and prepared ourselves to play. From the opening whistle of the game, there was a definite energy and excitement in our play. The game went really well! WOOOOHOOOO we won!!! It was a real ice breaker to score a few goals and once the momentum was going, we all felt really good.
After the game, we watched a little bit of the game between England and Korea, and then made the trek up to our awaiting bus and headed home. The evening consisted of a good meal and some time to relax, as we all prepare for tomorrow... Wales. Everyday, we are bonding more as a team, and each game we are improving.
No need for an alarm clock this morning - the blaring car alarms from the streets below sufficed quite nicely. So we marched down to our daily breakfast of champions consisting of bread, meat and cheese. (Whoever said variety is the spice of life has obviously never enjoyed the fine dining found here at the Waldorf Hotel in Argentina). This magnificent spread was followed shortly thereafter by a team meeting in preparation for our game against Wales. Prior to game time we did the usual... eat and rest.
Just before 2pm, it was time to hit the road. Today's match was held at the National Sports Center (pitch 2), so the number of spectators was significantly lower, but our devoted fans (consisting primarily of our parents) more then made up for the lagging numbers.
We came out strong in the first half scoring two quick goals. However, the second half looked a little different with Wales making some changes to their system. We were caught off guard and could not convert on the chances that we were given around the net. Wales managed to convert on two of their short corner options and finished the game with a third goal to go ahead 3-2. I'm sure most can fathom the pain and disappointment we endured when the final whistle was blown.
Although we lost this game, the battle is not over yet. We are working together as a team to pick ourselves back up and focus on the next game. We learned a lot of crucial and valuable lessons from this game that will help us with not only the rest of this tournament, but the rest of our field hockey careers.
Thank you everyone for all of your support... we are in a must win situation against India on Monday and we will need your support and belief throughout those 70 minutes of hockey.
Well, here we are - day 20 - and back to the beginning of the roster for our daily journal. Today was declared an official rest day, and also happened to be a Sunday - so not only did we have little hockey to physically concern ourselves with - but most of the stores were closed too! We structured our day around our mid-day team meeting, nicely placed to discourage any day-long treks to museums, exhibits or shopping sprees that we might have been contemplating.
Thus we stayed close to the hotel, alternately raging and cursing ourselves for not beating Wales, and trying to refocus our minds and refresh our bodies for the big game against India. We managed a short excursion to an open-air market which was extremely enjoyable. There were buskers and hippies and performers of every sort, hundreds of stalls full of arts and crafts, and tons of people picnicking, lounging and taking part in the festivities. We scooted around, buying souvenirs and gifts for those at home, and though we couldn't always understand the words of the comedians or the merchants, body language and gestures managed to suffice in both cases.
We piled into cabs for the short ride home and met the parents for a fun-filled team dinner, punctuated with people jumping up to take photos. I personally had a rather limited selection in terms of menu chooses, being a vegetarian in a restaurant that displays both the entire carcass of a cow and a pig as a means of aiding diners in their choice of meal. I had a vegetable omelette; spinach and eggs. Again, body language was used to help us in getting what we wanted; the waiter asked if Steph Q. wanted a chicken thigh or breast by motioning to the corresponding regions on his own body.
We trouped towards what has become home, even if our rooms are rather stinkier and more crowded than the real McCoy, to dream of stopping speedy little Indian girls and claiming victory for ourselves.
Today was a day we will never forget in our field hockey lives... The alarm for most went off at the ungodly hour of 6am, for most that is. It just so happened that room 114 did not have an efficient alarm clock so we woke up to the banging of Lucy at our door. As you have probably guessed, I am one of the guilty party, and to make matters worse I convinced my roommates the night before that my alarm clock was the best that you could get. So, the day began for some a little less stressed and for Ali, Suzanne, and myself in a complete daze.
We arrived at the field at 7:30 am, record timing for the gynormous bus that serves as our daily chariot, considering the Buenos Aires' traffic laws (or lack thereof). We were not surprised that it was once again raining for what was to be a very important day for the Canadians. As we headed onto the field to start warm up, the rain took a turn for the worse. Sticks ended up at the back of the net, with the ball still at our feet. Identifying your teammates was impossible as the rain poured into our eyes and flooded the field. Finally, we were all completely wet to the skin and we were called in for a rain delay.
As we amused ourselves with Lucy's dancing and card games we were called back out to warm up. As we went through the procedure again the rain came again and again until the field resembled more of a lake. We marched back into the change room where we spent an hour and a half, waiting and stretching for the next call to warm up. This was our last warm up and we were sent home with further instructions.
We will now resume play against India on the 23rd, the tournament rest day. This means that we will play three games in a row. This is a challenge that we must overcome while still demanding the best from our bodies at the end of it all. These games are crucial, especially the India game. In order for us to qualify for the 9 through 12 positioning, which is our ultimate goal we must beat India. This is not impossible, but it will take a very disciplined team to play the perfect game. No one ever said that we were perfect, if we were we would be in the top 4. We are here for the challenges and the experience of playing the best in the world and if perfect is what is required then perfect is what we will all give.
The remainder of the day was spent resting our bodies for the challenges to come. Hard work awaits us but we have been working hard for four years now for this one moment to be able to play as best as we can and not leave anything on that field.
The day has come to an end and everyone is very tired after a long day of warming up. Once again, I want to take this chance to say thank you to everyone for your continuous support and encouragement, we couldn't have done it without you.
 | a very Happy 21st Birthday for tomorrow. I'll be thinking about you! |
After another wonderful breakfast at the Waldorf Hotel, we boarded the bus at 9am and were off to practice... our last practice. Practice consisted of working on several areas of the game in preparation for India. We finished with jogging, striding and sprinting.
After practice, rather then heading back to what we now know as home, we headed straight to the tournament turf. Today was the day that we would have the opportunity to watch some of the other teams from around the world face each other in their own battles. We had the chance to watch Australia vs. Argentina. We were surrounded by the Argentina colours and hundreds of school children cheering for their role models and idols. We witnessed the defeat of the home team in a 1-0 win for Australia. Next we watched New Zealand play England and South Africa face off against Germany. Throughout the course of the afternoon, we also had a chance to buy souvenirs, while also being swarmed by kids asking for autographs.
We then made the trip back to the hotel where we headed straight for dinner followed by an evening of rest and sleep in prep for the next step... India.
I would also like to note that the Dirty Pig Dog Award that was once held by Mo, has now been passed on to Quinners and Kate, who to our surprise "forgot" to shower for 48 hours. Congratulations chicas!
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As we arrived at the field and piled off the bus, we were greeted by a full complement of security guards. We were the only teams at the field, therefore, we were their only responsibility and they were very attentive. They carefully escorted us from the bus to the turf.
Team Canada warmed up for this game for the third time (the first two were on Monday), and started the game off strong. The score at half time was 2-0 for India, so we felt a comeback was well within our reach. We changed our formation to 4 forwards to create more offence. It was successful at first, generating 2 short corners, but left us vulnerable to counter attacks. After 2 quick goals by India, we switched back to our original formation, but India was just too strong for us. The final score was 6-0.
We came home, showered (at least most of us did; those in the pigpen may tell a different story...), napped, e-mailed, hydrated, etc... A handful of our players have come down with a bug... interesting since we've been fine for 2 and a half weeks and our eating habits haven't changed. So the relaxing day felt good.
We've had our pre-game meeting for tomorrow's match again against Russia. We've mixed things up and changed some people around to take the Russians by surprise. We are in a do or die situation, as the winner of this game advances to play the States for 13th/14th place while it is the last game of the tournament for the loser.
The Russians can expect to see "fire in the eyes of Team Canada". Tomorrow we're going to use a little bit of survivor inspiration, as we plan to outplay, outwit and outlast our opponents.
At 11am this morning we played what could have been our last game. We were not about to lose this one! Our line up has changed around to create some sparks. We arrived at the field with ample time to prepare. A few headed to the change room for a pre-game dance party while others played around with a football. With an hour till game time we performed the human knot. It was a great success!
The game against Russia went as planned... to play together and at speed. We recorded our first shut out of the tournament. Congratulations Emily and Katie! There is nothing like the silly bus ride home after a win and a shutout (no need for explanation... eh Robo?!)
The rest of the day was spent at the Quilmes Stadium to watch the semi final matches. As we pulled up to the stadium to watch Argentina vs. Holland, it was packed full of Argentinean fans waving their flags and chanting together. The atmosphere was outstanding, young athletes were watching in awe over their country winning the semi finals to go to the finals. The energy in the stadium could be felt for miles. After the Holland game, Australia played Korea. This game went into overtime. The winning goal was a straight shot on the Korean corner. It was perfect and nothing could have stopped it. There were tears of joy and of sadness. The emotions of these teams were felt by all.
We are now preparing for the USA... one of our goals we set from the start was to finish ahead of them... so here we go!!
SUCCESS... four years are over... and the day ended with pride and unity as we stepped out onto that field wearing red and white and defeating the long known rival... USA. It was a day to remember... the end to the last chapter of this book.
The day was filled with excitement as we knew that we had a job ahead of us, waiting to prove to ourselves and others that we had the ability to end this tournament on top. We were fired up and the Canadians dominated the game. It wasn't until the second half when we were awarded a penalty stroke, that the goalie was left to pick up the ball from the back of the net once Steph J had finished burying it away. The final whistle went and among the excitement and cheering from our dedicated family fan club, we were also left with the reality that it was all over. For some, it was four years of dedication, and for others just a year or a few short months. But however long it may have been, it was a road that each of us took and stayed on from beginning to end.
Once again, thanks to EVERYONE for all of the continuous support and encouragement that you have shown from beginning to end. Not only for this trip, but from the day this dream began in 1998. For all of you who have continued to follow us on this journey, thank you for being there to experience our dreams come true!
Today... the last day of the tournament. We spent the day at the field, from beginning to end, watching teams face off against each other for their own victories. The atmosphere in the stands was outrageous, as the fans continued to pour into the stadium. With limited seats for the hundreds of people, many stood, while others surrounded the fence waving their flags and screaming for their home team. The final outcome saw Korea win the gold medal. With tears in their eyes, they celebrated and rejoiced together. The closing ceremonies led us all onto the field where we watched the medal presentations, listened to national anthems, and watched fire works. A night to remember FOREVER!
The rest of the evening was spent packing and getting organized ready to leave come tomorrow. 
Later in the evening we went out with the Germans, Dutchies, Kiwis, South Africans and Aussies for a night of dancing. An opportunity to say good bye to the friends who we have acquired from all over world.
| Special Report: Korea upsets Argentina to win the Junior Women's World Cup |
Today we go home... For some it has taken four years, and for others a few short months. It is now time to close this chapter of our lives and become seniors. Looking back on the tournament, there were definitely the ups and the downs. It is what you come away with from each experience though that counts. The morning was filled with packing, last minute shopping and pictures.
Saying goodbye to Geraldine and Mecha (our liaisons) was difficult for us all as they have been a part of our lives for the last month. They have become true friends!
After getting everything organized we made our way through passport control and then on to our final destination, HOME!!! The plane ride was long with a short layover in Brazil and then a 10-hour flight home to Toronto. We arrived in Toronto at 6am to pouring
rain, something we thought that we had gotten away from after leaving Argentina. As we said our goodbyes to one another the full realization of this journey being over hit us. We are no longer the Junior Canadian Team...
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