National field hockey player Nora Struchtrup is thrilled to compete overseas in the junior world championships next month.
A huge part of the excitement though is focused on others B次元官网网址� her coach and peers she grew up playing with. Struchtrup, a Willows elementary and Oak Bay High grad, now plays for the University of Victoria alongside former secondary school team co-captain Libby Hogg. Hogg, a defender who was named to the Field Hockey Canada Tournament 11 All-Star Team three consecutive years, is in pre-business studies at UVic. Forward Struchtrup is working toward an undergrad in sciences. Both are also members of the womenB次元官网网址檚 U21 national team headed for the world cup in South Africa B次元官网网址� where head coach Patrick Tshutshani was born and raised and hasnB次元官网网址檛 visited in more than two years.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 excited to see him be home and see his family,B次元官网网址� Struchtrup said. ItB次元官网网址檚 a sentiment shared by her teammates. When they qualified for worlds, the players ran up to him chanting and cheering.
READ ALSO:
However, a handful of those players are off the roster for worlds. With a shift in age eligibility for the coming world cup, older players must drop off the roster. It does make room for some peers StruchtrupB次元官网网址檚 played with in the past.
B次元官网网址淎 bunch of my childhood teammates from the Island will get their first international cap in South Africa,B次元官网网址� she said. Struchtrup herself played her first international game on Aug. 1 B次元官网网址� her 19th birthday B次元官网网址� at the Junior World Cup. A win over Chile in the semi-finals there clinched their position at worlds but they went on to win the tournament, defeating Uruguay.
Her personal goal for worlds is that the team makes the top eight, getting out of the pool phase of the competition B次元官网网址� ironically featuring Uruguay, Belgium and England.
B次元官网网址淚 think we can do it and it would be pretty huge,B次元官网网址� she said, noting field hockey tends to be a bottom tier sport in Canada while itB次元官网网址檚 the third most popular sport in the world.
READ ALSO:
The national program is self-funded and a trip to South Africa is pricey, especially during COVID-19, Struchtrup said. Players are fundraising to cover flights, accommodation (limited to two players to a room because of pandemic measures) and associated costs such as regular COVID-19 testing.
The Vikes womenB次元官网网址檚 field hockey team is Canada West Field Hockey Champions, finishing 7-0-1 to claim the conference title for the third consecutive season.
The Junior World Cup takes place in Potchefstroom, South Africa Dec. 5 to 16 and each player has her own fundraising page to make the trip manageable. Support Hogg at or Struchtrup at .
Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on and and like us on
