Canada is having a tough time keeping up with other countries when it comes to field hockey, partially due to de-emphasizing the indoor game.
So says University of Victoria women’s head coach Lynne Beecroft, a member of Canada’s bronze medal-winning team at the 1981 world indoor championships.
Four-on-four hockey will be on display this weekend during the eight-team UVic Indoor Tournament at the Ian Stewart Complex.
“I think it’s a great game,” Beecroft said of the fast-paced variant, in which players cannot lift the ball or wind up for a shot on goal and play on a surface the size of a basketball court.
“The Germans have been doing it forever and I think that’s why they continue to be one of the top teams in the world, both on the men’s and women’s sides.”
The rules help build players’ finesse skills, she said
Games get underway at 9 a.m. tomorrow and 8 a.m. Sunday, with the final slated for 1 p.m. that day. Spectators are welcome.
ddescoteau@vicnews.com