Why this Program:
Pathway to representative teams – High School Varsity Team, Provincial, University
Polar Bears offers focused training sessions by our committed and experienced coaches who know the game and make field hockey fun by creating a positive learning environment.
Skills are taught for appropriate development in each age level based on:
- Set plays including penalty corners (offence and defence), free hits in attack zone etc.
- Team tactics for press, pocket press, outlets
- Training for specific positions – goalie, defence, midfield and forwards
Who Should Participate
Athletes who are committed to field hockey and want to play at the highest level possible.
Athletes who will strive to dedicate themselves to the program’s practice and match schedule.
We will enter teams into the appropriate divisions between U11 and U18 (depending on the number of players registered.
New players to field hockey
Please register for the program and train with us. New players may be asked to only train until their skills are up to a minimum standard to play matches.
Please note that the athlete age is as of 01 January 2025.
The spring field hockey season runs April – June. We ask that all athletes attend training (to build individual skills) and games (to develop team cohesion, consistency and of course to ensure that we have sufficient players for each game). Inconsistent attendance at practice or the missing of games affects the entire team’s performance. Please let us know early if you have any conflicts that will affect your attendance.
Coaching Staff
Polar Bears athletes and teams will be coached by experienced Polar Bears coaches and training staff.
Training dates & times – all at Crofton House School:
U12-U18 – Monday & Wednesday – 6:00 to 8:00 PM
Notes/Exceptions
- No training on Easter Weekend and also, no training on Victoria Day Weekend
- Training dates and times may change depending on number of athletes registered for the teams and field availability.
Program Details:
Tiering and pre-season training:
- U11-U14
- Monday 10th March – 7:15 to 8:30 PM at Wright Field, UBC.
- Thursday 13th March – 7:00 to 8:30 PM at Wright Field, UBC.
Team Training: Starts week after Spring Break on Wednesday 2nd April. Training sessions are 2 hours long. There will be a 30-minute field hockey specific movement and fitness session that is included in each training session.
Matches
Our home matches will be played on Saturdays or Sundays at Crofton or UBC. Away match times will be announced once scheduled.
New this year: Please note that all our U13-U18 athletes will play in the Greater Vancouver Junior League and we will also enter rep teams every week to compete in appropriate age groups FHC sanctioned Youth League.
Tournaments:
If there is enough interest, we will look to enter each team into their respective Provincial Championship Tournaments (Dates TBC) & the India Club Tournament (TBC).
What is Included:
- Training – Between 11 and 12 weeks of team training (44-48 + hours)
- Game Coaching – coached matches of about 9-10 (18 + hours)
- Tournament Entry fees – FHBC provincial Championships in Lower mainland. Additional charge for tournaments on Vancouver Island or interior.
Registration:
- Registration Deadline February 15th (or when space is full)
- Important for Goalies: Anyone interested in learning and playing as a goalie – please contact us at info@polarbearsfieldhockey.com prior to registration for a discount.
Not included:
- Polar Bears Training Kit – Please visit Buy Training Kit
- Polar Bears Match Uniform for U11 – U18 Team players – Please visit Junior/Uni/Adult Match Package
- FHBC & FHC Membership – Each athlete must register, pay the membership fee and complete the waiver prior to participating in the league.
PLEASE NOTE LEAGUE RULES STATE THAT A PLAYER CAN ONLY PLAY FOR ONE CLUB DURING SPRING LEAGUE
Our Programs
Questions?
If you have any questions we are happy to hear from you. Contact Us
Making quality players
Recent Testimonials
Choosing the Polar Bears program was a pivotal moment for our family. Shiaz and Arif embraced Saylor and were crucial in her development as an athlete and as a young woman (which is too often taken for granted).The commitment on and off the field by the coaches, and senior Polar Bears players, was instrumental in developing the skills and mindset to achieve her goal of playing NCAA Div. 1 school. Having just returned from watching my daughter play for University of Maine Black Bears in her rookie season, I could not be more proud of my daughter and thankful to Shiaz, Arif and the entire club for truly enabling her to achieve this goal. The experience of playing for the Polar Bears in the Premier Division was priceless for Saylor to experience the game at speed and made transition smooth to Div. 1
Finally, I would personally like to thank Shiaz for his support of Saylor, and her parents , throughout the university recruitment process. We could not have done it without you.
I strongly encourage anyone looking at the Polar Bears program to join the club even if the drive is long (we were from Port Moody) as it was completely worth it!
Shiaz, Andrew & the Polar Bears program have been a fantastic part of our daughter’s field hockey development. They have been supportive and encouraging throughout, from starting as a Cub to giving her the opportunity to play Premier Division field hockey, preparing her for varsity field hockey. Shiaz was incredibly helpful with guidance about the different university programs, and seems to know every coach out there! We’ll always be grateful for the advice & help with university programs. Thank you Shiaz, Andrew, Arif & Polar Bears!
Shiaz and Arif absolutely live for field hockey! Their passion for the game is endless and a lifetime of experience is truly evident on and off the field. Their love for the game creates a dynamic atmosphere and the players are always fully engaged.Shiaz’s insight with the post-secondary recruitment process over the last few years has been instrumental in guiding us through the process of our daughter’s field hockey career. He was with us step by step and it made things so much easier for us. We are so happy to be part of the Polar Bears Family.
We are very grateful to Polar Bears Field Hockey for the amazing program it has offered Georgia! It paved the way for her journey from Grade 7 to being recruited to play NCAA Div. 1 Field Hockey. The coaches are committed and professional, and they care deeply for all of their athletes. The training sessions, US tournaments and the opportunities to play within higher divisions at a young age were instrumental in Georgia’s development and confidence. A special thanks to Shiaz and Arif for their guidance and invaluable assistance during the recruitment phase which was daunting, to say the least. We strongly recommend the Polar Bears program for any young aspiring field hockey players to learn the game, to love the sport and to enjoy the competition!
Choosing to move our daughter from the local program to Polar Bears Field Hockey was the best decision we made in regards to her development as a player. Competition level and the speed of the game at this level pushed players to grow. Dedicated and knowledgeable coaching from Shiaz and Arif allowed our daughter to develop her skills which has now led her to achieve her goal of attending an NCAA Div 1 school in the fall of 2022. Shiaz’s experience in dealing with post-secondary schools was pivotal in the decision making process. A big thanks to Shiaz, Arif and the Polar Bears Program!