Field hockey is one of the world’s most widely played sports, but here in Quebec, the game is relatively unknown.
As one of only four high schools in the province still fielding teams, Chateauguay Valley Regional High School (CVR) has long been a powerhouse when it comes to producing athletes that excel at the provincial level.
Quebec’s women’s teams are stacked with Valley girls. During this summer’s Field Hockey Canada National Championships, eight of the 15 players selected for the U16 provincial team play for CVR, while seven of the 15 women on the U18 team attend the Ormstown-based school or have recently graduated. Even the coaching staff reflects the strong tradition of the sport at CVR, where teacher and coach Lisa Evans took over behind the bench for the U16 team, accompanied by CVR alumni Jodi Wallace and Katherine Caza as assistant coaches.
Evans, who travelled with the team to Calgary for the tournament with her two daughters who both made the roster, said the team did a fantastic job despite starting out at a disadvantage.
“We have no access to turf in the Valley, so we have to go into the city. Every time we have a training or practice, it costs between one and two hundred an hour to rent the field,” Evans explained, noting the players cover all the costs including uniforms, flights, and accommodations. “We run things on a very tight budget, and we don’t practice a lot before we get there,” she added.
Despite their inexperience playing together, the squad managed to stand out in the tournament. Chloe Wallace (Jodi’s daughter) was named to the “Tournament 11” after an outstanding series of games where she played every minute, and Jalyn Furey (Evans’s eldest), served as the team’s co-captain.
The Quebec team was also part of a unique moment when the girls organized a line dancing competition at halftime versus the team from New Brunswick. Field Hockey Canada sanctioned the event and even provided the speakers. When the match ended in a 0-0 tie, the officials allowed the game to be decided by an unofficial shootout. “The kids had a great time, and we ended up scoring a goal, finally!” Evans exclaimed.
Evans noted that the U18 women’s team did better on the scoreboard in their tournament, which took place in Surrey, British Columbia. The team, which was co-captained by CVR grad Olivia McColm, finished fourth in their pool.
Evans explained that CVR will continue to have a strong presence on the Quebec teams as the school remains very dedicated to its field hockey program. A series of successful clinics took place in the spring to allow girls coming into Grade 7 from area elementary schools to discover the sport. “We had a great turnout, and the kids that came loved it,” she said, noting practices will begin after school during the first week of September.