Great news for Canadian field hockey fans! After a long drought, international hockey returns to home soil with October’s Seven Test Super Series between Canada and India. The games will be played on 9 and 11 October in Victoria and on 14, 16, 18, 21 and 24 October in Surrey.

“The Indian team has a special place in the field hockey world, with an unmatched number of Olympic and World Cup medals. Matches involving the Indian team are always eagerly awaited by the fans around the world, and the next Hero Honda FIH World Cup organized in Delhi in March 2010 will be a spectacular competition played in front of large crowds.

Canada are the current Pan American Champions and holder of the Pan American Cup, beating on both occasions their arch-rival Argentina, and are automatically qualified for the Hero Honda FIH World Cup 2010. This series against the prestigious Indian opponent is part of the innovative training approach designed by Canadian coach Alan Brahmst.

“A 7-test series is certainly unique”, says Alan Brahmst, “and it offers us a framework in which to test some innovative approaches to competition. There are many benefits to leverage from such a series. In particular, we feel that we can trial and advance different tactical concepts over such a duration and also focus on shaping our team’s mentality. We tested a new, collaborative approach to training in February that paid dividends. As such, we are always looking for methods that allow us to think differently and shift away from the status quo”.”

Check out the full story here, and check the Field Hockey Canada website for more details.