Depth in talent pipeline on display in Paraguay
As the Junior Pan American Games wrapped up in Paraguay last week, Canada’s Junior National Teams delivered performances that reflect a growing legacy of strength and depth in the nation’s junior field hockey programs.
The Junior Women’s National Team held their seed from last year’s Junior Pan Ams on home soil, finishing fifth overall. Their campaign included wins over Paraguay (2-0) and Guyana (4-0), and a rained-out draw against Mexico in the fifth-place match. Canada lost matches to Argentina and Uruguay. These athletes have come through youth (U16 & U18) programs which includes domestic training and annual international tours as part of the NextGen talent pathway. The Junior Pan American Games has built further international experience that will serve athletes well as they continue in their journey in domestic and international university, club, junior national teams. as well as future transition into senior hockey.
Canada’s Junior Women finish fifth at the Junior Pan American Games in Paraguay. Photos/Rodrigo Jaramillo.
The Junior Men’s National Team continued their streak in the Pan American region, reaching the gold medal match for the fourth consecutive time. After a tight loss to Mexico, the team bounced back with wins over Chile, Trinidad & Tobago, and a particularly impressive 1-0 semifinal victory over the USA. They ultimately fell to Argentina 4-2 in the final, but the performance marked a step forward, especially considering the youth of the squad.
This year’s JMNT roster reflects a program which has grown and developed in recent years, building strength and depth across Canada. This is evident in squad selection. Where previous selections such as the 2013 Junior World Cup squad, the squad was almost entirely comprised of BC athletes and only couple from Ontario, the 2025 JPAG squad featured players from across the country. Four players came from Ontario, 3 from Alberta, 8 from BC, as well as 1 from the UK. This emerging depth and performance across the national youth pathway bodes well for the future.
Notably, both junior teams finished in the same positions as last year’s Junior Pan American Championship. One key difference however is reflective this ever-strengthening performance development system. This year’s squads were selected from a broader athlete pool of 30 identified age group athletes, building international experience across a broader pool during this year’s three key international touch points: centralization camps, the Junior Pan Ams or the upcoming Junior World Cup.
The Junior Men finish second place in Paraguay at the Junior Pan American Games. Photos/Rodrigo Jaramillo.
The junior national teams are also noticeable architects of another critical element for our future success: shifting national team expectations from one of qualification as success to an expectation of qualifying for every major. The upcoming Junior World Cups are the third consecutive world-level events that both junior teams have qualified. In doing so, these teams, have set a bar and expectation. The focus sharply shifts now towards performances in the majors themselves.
With this next stop for these rising Canadian hockey stars just a matter of weeks away, focus is now on the Junior World Cup in November/December, where Canada will look forward to the opportunity to make the next step.
Canadian Officials
Congratulations to Pamba Manikandan (umpire), Nora Struchtrup (umpire) and Sanjay D’Silva (TO) for their performance at the Junior Pan American Games. Field Hockey Canada is proud to send Canadian officials to international competitions all over the world.
