Canada: Women’s Junior World Cup summary

Canada shows resilience and growth in Santiago

The 2025 FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup concluded in Santiago, Chile, after almost two weeks of competition with 24 countries in an expanded format.

Canada entered the event in Pool E alongside Australia, Spain and Scotland, aiming to build on its three consecutive World Cup qualifiers. The team consisted of 18 athletes from British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, representing 13 different clubs and universities. With several returning players from 2022 plus a core group fresh from the Junior Pan American Games in Paraguay, the team arrived ready and excited for the challenge.

Highlights of the tournament

While results did not always go Canada’s way, the team delivered some standout performances and showed the depth of talent in the junior program:

• First international caps: Zoe Furber, Mary Yang, Pascale Pottier and Megan Shienbein earned their first international junior appearances, marking an exciting milestone in their careers.
• Veteran Leadership: Katie Gibb, Kenzie Girgis and Nicole Poulakis, each with senior team experience, played important roles during the tournament. Poulakis and Girgis led the attack with two goals each and consistently looked dangerous in the opposition half of the tournament.
• Exciting young goalkeepers: Debutante goalkeepers Mary Yang and Pascale Pottier impressed all week. Their combined efforts were crucial in Canada’s 1-1 draw against Scotland and the thrilling shootout victory over Malaysia, where Yang made a save to secure the victory. The duo also stood strong in the placement match against New Zealand, keeping Canada competitive until the final whistle.

The shootout win over Malaysia was a highlight and demonstrated Canada’s composure under pressure and ability to deliver in critical moments.

Looking ahead

Consistently qualifying for the World Junior Championships and providing international opportunities remains a cornerstone of Field Hockey Canada’s development strategy. These experiences are invaluable as athletes transition to senior hockey, bringing with them the speed, skill and confidence they acquired on the world stage. With a strong pipeline of talent and a commitment to international exposure, the future of Canadian women’s hockey is bright and exciting.