The USFHA Festival 2026 tour

The USFHA Festival originally started in 1922 and is the major field hockey event in the USA attracting players for teams from U10 to U19. The weather is usually warm and the games will be played at the state-of-the-art Paradise Coast Sports Complex  in Naples, Florida, featuring nine turf fields with an additional four turf fields at the neighboring North Collier Park.

The tournament offers a great competitive experience and fun for hockey players of all age groups. The atmosphere with so many teams from all over USA gives girls an opportunity to compete in the appropriate competitive age group.

This event is truly a North American high performance tournament which also offers a fantastic opportunity for athletes looking to make an impression on recruiters from a wide variety of American Universities and Colleges.  Athletes may be identified by recruiting coaches and are offered scholarships to universities and colleges to pursue both academic and field hockey. A large number of USA college coaches attend the event to identify potential athletes.

TOUR DATES:

  • 24-29 November 2026

AGES

o    Age groups based on age as of Jan 1st of this year.

ITINERARY

  • November 24th —Depart YVR in the morning
  • November 25th —Practices & Shopping Time
  • November 26-28 – US Festival games – usually 2 per day
  • November 29 —Return to YVR in the evening

TEAM DETAILS

  • U14 is 11 v 11 – full field – similar to our league played on field turf

PARENTS ON TOUR

We highly encourage and enjoy having parents join the team on tour. Join the team coaching staff for nightly gatherings, meals and watch your daughter compete on the field.

Registration

A tour deposit of $500 is required for all athletes to confirm your interest.

We will host a players & parents meetings to provide updates and answer any questions. We will share our competition philosophy and our Success in Recruiting.

Included in Tour (information already provided in an earlier email)

  • Pre-Tour Training
  • Highly Qualified & Proficient Coaching
  • Recruiting – for those interested  athletes and parents  – Our Proven Success Model that includes ongoing consulting, key introductions, advice and guidance
  • Tournament Entry
  • Items Not Included:
    • All meals, items of personal nature,  Polar Bears Training Kit
    • Hotel Accommodation – Stay and Play is a tournament requirement
    • Flights – book your own flights
    • Ground Transport during tournament – we will coordinate ground transport and costs will be shared
    • Purchase USFHA U19 membership

A Valid Canadian Passport is required.

Travel Health Insurance & Cancelation Insurance Policy

Polar Bears strongly recommends that all athletes and parents travelling with us purchase or have medical and travel insurance to cover any emergency that may arise while travelling with the team. Medical treatments can very expensive and all athletes and parents must have sufficient coverage. Please consult your local insurance broker to purchase a plan that suits your needs. Please ensure that you are covered for playing sports (some plans exclude sports participation).

Payment & Cancellation Policy

  • Once the team is registered with USFHA, then the tour deposit becomes non-refundable.
  • A payment schedule will be sent out for balance of the Polar Bears payment. These e-transfers are due according to the payment schedule.
  • All payments are non-refundable.
  • Please be advised that Polar Bears Field Hockey Ltd. reserves the right to cancel the tour. In the unlikely event that this occurs, all athletes will be notified immediately and a full refund will be issued.

Tour Cost

Tour cost has been established in earlier email to parents.

Parents to book their own flights, and details about sharing rooms or players staying with parents, shared ground transport, etc.)

If the tour is extended due to unforeseen circumstances, any additional costs including hotel,  transport and other charges will be billed back based on final cost.

Our Programs

Questions?

If you have any questions we are happy to hear from you. Contact Us

Making quality players

Recent Testimonials

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!

Colleen & Taka – Parents of Taylor Katsube, NCAA Div. 1 committed - Class of 2022
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.

Kim & Sinder Gill – Parents of Avani Gill #16, University of Maine 2021

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!

Gillian and Gavin Reynolds – Parents of Georgia Reynolds , Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
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!

Nick Kuefler , Saylor's dad - 2023 U18 Polar Bears

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!

Jennifer Baird & Leith Dewar , Parents of Jocelyn Dewar- St. Andrews University class of 2023