Westerly field hockey tournament returns to Cowichan

A long-running field hockey tournament returns to the Cowichan Valley the first weekend in September.

This year’s organizer, Kristie Sykes, said the Westerly tournament started in 1981 and was intended to give small communities on the island without leagues the opportunity to play, socialize and connect with other clubs.

“The tournament rotates between Comox, Nanaimo and Cowichan two years in a row,” he said. “The spirit of the tournament is fun and joyful and teams often loan each other players or goalkeepers – especially on Day 2 when we are all tired and need an extra player or two!”

Although the tournament is geared towards players aged 19 and over, Sykes said this year the 15-year-old referees set out to gain some experience while receiving mentorship from experienced players.

Cowichan started the event with a 3-0 loss to Nanaimo but responded with a 1-0 win over the Victoria Rebels. The next day, Seattle defeated the local team 6-1, but Cowichan toppled Comox by a score of 4-0.

Nanaimo, which completed the tournament undefeated, took first place in the general classification, while Seattle and Cowichan came second and third, respectively. Comox and Victoria rounded out the final table.

The high school field hockey season ramps up with the Friendship Cup played at Shawnigan Lake School on Sept. 13-14, the Ferreira tournament and Bridgman on Sept. 27-28 at the John Ferreira Turf Field at the Cowichan Sportsplex. The cup is in Victoria on 11-12 October.