News and Announcements

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At the mid-day break of the 2022 Bridgman Cup tournament, hosted Oct. 7-9 at the University of Victoria, two Victoria players were named co-winners of the prestigious Stephanie Doney (Johnston) Award. This award is presented annually during the Bridgman Cup to a graduating high school player who best exemplifies the traits of Stephanie.

Congratulations to Lynx players Katie Bentley (Oak Bay High School) and Shyana Ringma (Mount Douglas Secondary). Bentley and Ringma follow recent winners Nora Struchtrup of Oak Bay (2020) and Janet Dawson of Mount Douglas Secondary (2019), while the award was not presented in 2021. This is also the return of the Bridgman Cup that has not been held since 2019 due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Final games take place on Oct. 9 at UVic and a full schedule is online here: https://www.bridgmancup.com/schedule

2022 Co-Winner: Katie Bentley, Oak Bay High
Katie Bentley is yet-another superb product out of the Oak Bay High School athletics program. As talented at soccer as she is at field hockey, the sport is grateful she chose to pursue hockey in her post-secondary pursuits. Katie is a first-year UVic Vikes women’s field hockey team member, showcasing her skills in the midfield and she fits right in after demonstrating such great athleticism, work ethic and leadership through her high school athletics career. Katie and her Oak Bay teammates worked hard for four seasons become provincial champions and have an undefeated season in 2020, while in 2019 they won the Bridgman Cup in a shootout for the first time in 60 years. Outside of Oak Bay Katie was a dedicated regional and provincial player in the elite Field Hockey BC programs and was both a captain and Tournament 11 all-star at the 2019 National Championships. Katie was selected to Canada’s NextGEN programming and was a designated Provincial Development Level 1 player in the CSI Olympic pathway. Katie is invested as an athlete but also finds time to be a dedicated academic and community member. Katie coaches, referees soccer and was a member of Oak Bay’s Athletic Leadership group for two years. Katie was a member of the Fast & Female Youth Advisory Council and takes part in numerous initiatives, clubs and activities that support the growth and empowerment of women. Katie is pursuing civil engineering at UVic and is a most deserving co-recipient of this award.

2022 Co-Winner: Shyana Ringma, Mount Douglas Secondary
Shyana Ringma has been playing field hockey since the age of seven. A long-standing member of Victoria’s Junior League, Shyana is now an avid contributor as a coach to several youth teams and has been for several years. Now a member of the UBC Thunderbirds women’s field hockey team, Shyana can look back fondly on her high school years with Mount Douglas Secondary and her many appearances on provincial and Canadian junior national squads. Shyana represented B.C. at national championships in Toronto and Calgary and then was selected for Canada’s NextGEN program, named to a top U16 Canadian team to tour in San Diego and compete against the USA. While the COVID pandemic disrupted several opportunities leading in to her university start-up, that didn’t seem to de-rail Shyana’s spirit. In grade 10, Shyana was named MVP of the field hockey team she went on to captain the program in grade 11 and 12. She is also a competitive dancer, having trained in a variety of dance types for nearly 12 years, and dedicates a lot of her time to giving back to the communities that have helped build her up. In addition to coaching in the junior field hockey league, Shyana is also a dedicated field hockey umpire and she earned the Foley Shield for the most improved umpire in the Vancouver Island Ladies league. Shyana intends to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce at UBC while continuing with her field hockey pursuits with the Thunderbirds. Shyana is well-deserving to be a co-recipient of this award.

About Stephanie Doney Johnston
Stephanie was a graduate of Esquimalt High School where she excelled at Track and Field and Field Hockey. She went on to complete her teaching degree at the University of Victoria where she was a valuable member of the Vikette’s Field Hockey team. During Stephanie’s teaching career she was the coach of several school teams taking them to the provincial championship level.

Stephanie was an active member in the Vancouver Island Ladies Field Hockey Association right up until she was diagnosed with leukemia.

As an athlete she excelled in all sports, and could turn her hand to anything. She was competitive, hardworking and inspirational and demonstrated good sportsmanship at all times. As a person, she was loving, genuine, generous and beautiful inside and out. As a mother of three small children, she was devoted; as a friend, unforgettable. She died in March 1991 at the age of 39, but her amazing qualities as a person and athlete live on in the memories of her family, friends and students and are valued by the recipients of the Stephanie Johnston (Doney) Memorial Scholarship.

View a full list of winners here: https://www.bridgmancup.com/about

Photo (L-R): Nancy Mollenhauer (Brigman Cup organizing committee), Katie Bentley, Shyana Ringma, Shelley Andrews (Bridgman Cup tournament chair)

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After a two-year hiatus, the prestigious Bridgman Cup high school field hockey tournament will finally return to the University of Victoria campus this weekend, Friday, Oct. 7 to Sunday, Oct. 9. In addition, it will be the first major event on the newly-laid water-based pitch at UVic that opens just this week.

The tournament brings together several of the province’s best high school girls field hockey programs and is a showcase for island hockey talent. It’s also an opportunity for local officials (technical and umpires) to take part in a three-day tournament. The last edition ran in 2019, while the tournament has been running since 1937.

Island teams taking part this year include Cowichan Secondary, Shawnigan Lake, St. Michael’s University School and Oak Bay, while several historic programs like Handsworth, Collingwood, South Delta, Argyle and Kelowna help round out the 12-team tournament.

The Bridgman Cup is the oldest field hockey tournament in North America. The silver cup donated by Commander Montague Bridgman, was a trophy to be played for annually among the few teams in Victoria and Duncan. Specially designed pins were presented to the winners, the prototype kept on file at Birks, and the pin ceremony tradition continues to this day.

In 2019, Oak Bay won the Bridgman Cup title for the first time since 1937 knocking off Handsworth in an exciting shootout after a 1-1 regulation time score. Also happening at the tournament will be the presentation of the Stephanie Doney (Johnston) Award, last awarded in 2019 to Nora Schrutrup.

This year the tournament is chaired by Shelley Andrews and is organized by a fabulous group of volunteers including Gillian Braun, Nancy Griffin, Denise Hall, Pat Hall, Bunny Hughes, Alanna Martin, Nancy Mollenhauer, Brenda Rushton, Alison Sweeten, Carrie Trumpy, Sandy Zinkowski.

Everyone is encouraged to come out to watch and support the return of one of B.C.’s favourite hockey tournaments. In addition, Hockey King Sports, a Vancouver-based field hockey equipment provider, will be on site on Saturday, Oct. 8.

For the full schedule visit: https://www.bridgmancup.com/schedule
Follow along at: instagram.com/bridgmancup

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Last night, Sept. 17, a small group of the Vancouver Island field hockey community gathered to have a belated celebration of Pat Hall’s 2020 induction into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame.

Read more: https://gvshof.ca/inductees-2/all-inductees/11-builders/336-pat-hall-2020.html

The evening featured an impressive display of articles, photos and memorabilia spanning Pat’s involvement in field hockey. Long time friend Shelley Andrews, who was coached by Hall at Oak Bay High, emceed the event in entertaining fashion, while an impromptu open mic followed. Kind words followed from former VILFHA president Denise McGeachy, current Umpires Association President Alison Sweeten, as well as remarks from Anne Batey, Denise Hall and players who have been coached by or played with Pat. It was truly a community evening with representation from all current clubs as well as past members including Craig Wilson, Liz Munn and Ev Sigalet.

VILFHA hosted the event so that all donations and ticket contributions could support the FHBC Pat Hall Officials Development Award. This award is designed to promote the development of Vancouver Island umpires and technical officials. An award of up to $500 will be allocated each year to successful applicants. In order to be eligible for this award, applicants must be a member in good standing with Field Hockey BC and an active official within National, Provincial or Club based programming.

The award was created by VILFHA when Pat retired from a long, long-standing term on the executive.

VILFHA is pleased to announce that $1,160 was raised last night.

Thank you to everyone who contributed in congratulations to Pat!

See photos from the event last night on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/vancouverislandladiesfieldhockey

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Due to umpires moving away and moving into retirement, all island field hockey leagues will be short umpires for this coming season. Those umpires who have not returned umpired about 20% of Spring 2022 games. Gillian Batey will continue to allocate umpires for VILFHA games this coming season but there may be times when she doesn’t find an umpire.

Teams may need to provide an umpire for half a game or a full game using players or capable spectators. The team umpire doesn’t have to be team member, but they need to be competent to blow a whistle and support their other umpire. The allocated umpire will NOT be left to umpire the game by themselves.

If teams aren’t prepared to provide an umpire, then the game will not happen.

To get more certified umpires, Field Hockey BC and Field Hockey Canada are offering umpire courses free to registered members. See FHBC website: https://fieldhockeybc.com/officials/umpire-education/

This is a good chance to understand the rules as a player, too.

If clubs or teams want an education opportunity organized just for them, please contact Alison Sweeten: asweeten@shaw.ca. The Umpires Association need at least 6 people to give a Provincial course. There are several people on Vancouver Island who can do this so don’t be afraid to ask how the Umpire’s Association (VILFHUA) can help with your education.

If you have questions or comments, please contact
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Alison Sweeten_
President, Vancouver Island Umpire Association (VIFHUA)
asweeten@shaw.ca

Gillian Batey
Umpire Coordinator
bateygk@gmail.com

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The season is fast approaching and we would like to draw your attention to the start of season Annual General Meeting. Date, details and zoom link are below. There will be no in-person meeting. Agenda to follow.

Please note: As per 4.1 c) iv. your team will be fined $25.00 for not having a Team Rep at Council Meetings and/or General Meetings

Tentative season start date: Sunday, Sept. 18 in Cowichan, followed by Sept. 24-25 in Cowichan, and then hopefully by Oct. 1 UVic will be open

VILFHA AGM Notice
Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 at 7:00 pm
via Zoom

Topic: VILFHA Annual General Meeting (2022-23 Season)
Time: Sep 13, 2022 07:00 PM Vancouver

Join Zoom Meeting
https://uvic.zoom.us/j/83469267739?pwd=ajdWY0lyN2Z2SkNqcHlaYjhZNHAyQT09

Meeting ID: 834 6926 7739
Password: 199990
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Meeting ID: 834 6926 7739
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Questions: vilfha@gmail.com