Men’s field hockey team of Canada to visit England
The Men’s field hockey team of Canada arrived in England to hold a preparatory tournament for the upcoming Pan American Games scheduled to be held in October 2011.
It is the beginning for a series of tournaments, lying ahead for Canada. However, they will have to continue their hard-work if they want to retain their number one position in the region.
The winner of the Pan American Games gets an automatic entry in the 2012 London Olympic Games. However, Canada will have to struggle hard to get a direct spot in the mega event. Argentina, the world number eleven, is the main competitor of Canada in
the region. Canada is currently holding the 10th place in the world rankings and number one in the Americas.
Canada and Argentina are traditional rivals and faced each other seven times in the finals of the Pan American Games since 1983, of which Canada won four gold medals and lost three games.
Robin D'Abreo, the chief coach of the men’s national hockey team, is working hard to upgrade the team’s level. Since his appointment from October 2010, he is making changes in the squad in order to improve its ranking.
Canada, in the recently concluded trip to USA (United States of America), displayed impressive games and won two matches besides tying a game against the host team. During the same tour, it had also produced two victories over France.
The men’s squad of Canada is fixing their eyes at the gold medal in the upcoming mega events. Thus they are organising preparatory events. The recent visit to England is part of the preparatory chain. They will play some eight games against three countries
including England, Ireland and Scotland.
It will contest a couple of Test matches against England which are also winners of the European Championship. Following that they will play three matches each against Scotland (Russel Garcia) and Ireland.
The coach of the Canadian team through this tour wanted to enhance the technical and psychological stamina of players. The trip to England will surely boost up the morale of the Canadian players for the upcoming fixtures.
Canada, in the month of July, will meet Chile at the Vancouver, the renowned hockey centre of the country. Chile is also one of the best hockey playing counties in Pan America. They will partake in another tournament based in Europe in which they will
play against Spain, Russia, Belgium and the Netherlands. Prior to the Pan American event, another home series is also expected, but the participants have not been finalised so far.
The Pan American Games are scheduled to be held in the first week of October in Mexico City.
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