Sikhs in Hockey in Canada

Hockey has been played in Canada since 1896 (The Vancouver Ladies Hockey Club was founded in 1896). Vancouver Hockey Club (Men) were Champions of British Columbia in 1902.

Sikhs first came to British Columbia in 1903. Sikh pioneers Lushman Singh Gill and Sardara Singh Gill founded The India Grass Hockey Club in 1932 and the Club joined the Mainland Grass Hockey League. They played against four established teams - The Vancouver Club, The Cricketer's Club, The Varsity Club and University of British Colombia Club. After only two years in Vancouver Field Hockey League, they were the League Champions, winning the Mainland League Cup and the O B Allan Cup for the next three consecutive years. Sardara Singh Gill, Jagir Singh and Mangar Singh Gill were selected to represent Vancouver during this period.

India Club's Harinder Jit (Pandit) Singh Rai, who also played for University of British Columbia during the 1956/57 season, was selected to represent the Canadian National Team against the USA, in Rye, New York, in Canada's first official international match on 21 October 1962. He scored Canada's first international goal in this match which Canada won 1 - 0.

Kuldip Singh Gosal, Paul Bubli Singh Chohan and Sarbjit Singh Dusang represented Canada at the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games and since then eleven Sikhs have represented Canada at Olympic Games.  The 2008 Canadian Olympic team had four Sikh athletes, Ravinder Singh Kahlon, Sukwinder (Gabbar) Singh, Bindi Singh Kullar, Ranjeev Deol, and one Sikh coach, Hargurnek Singh Sandhu.  This group entered the opening ceremonies wearing their Canadian Olympic wardrobe, while honouring their Sikh tradition by wearing a turban.

Canada's team at Buenos Aires 1978 World Cup included four Sikhs - Paul Bubli Singh Chohan, Sarbjit Singh Dusang, Mohinder Pal Singh and Paramjit Singh Bahia and Sikhs have represented Canada at every World Cup since then.

Paul Bubli Singh Chohan who made his international debut against Pakistan on 9 February 1974 in Christchurch, New Zealand went on to become one of Canada's most capped international player with 317 caps. He completed in three Olympics (1976, 1984 and 1988), three World Cups (1978, 1986 and 1990) and six Pan-American Games (1975, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1991 and 1995).

Hargurnek Singh Sandhu was selected to represent Canada against Scotland in Edinburgh on 13 September 1980 whilst still in the junior squad.  He went on to Captain Canada at the Junior World cup in Kuala Lumpur in 1982; played at Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988 Olympic Games; and London 1986 and Lahore 1990 World Cups.  His brother, Hargurpreet Singh Sandhu was also a member of the Lahore 1990 World Cup team and captained the 1985 Vancouver Junior World Cup team.

Poonam Kaur Sandhu represented Canada's Women's team both at Junior and senior levels. She won her first senior cap in 2009 and represented Canada at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Gary Singh represented Canada at the first Indoor World Cup in Leipzig in 2003 and Sikhs have been in Canada's team at every Indoor World Cup since then.  Jeewanjot Singh Bath has represented Canada in three consecutive Indoor World Cups, and also played in the 2001 Hobart Junior World Cup.  Including Jeewanjot Singh, there were a total of seven Sikh athletes (Aneal Singh Basi, Inderjit Singh Bath, Rajbir Singh (Sunny) Kahlon, Jesse Kaloti, Shalinder Singh Somal, and Jaideep Singh Takhar) and one Sikh coach (Manminder Singh Gill) on the 2001 Hobart squad.

Shiv Sharan Singh Jagday was Canada's National Coach from 1982 to 1986 during which time Canada played at Los Angeles Olympic Games and London 1986 World Cup. Canada won the 1983 Pan American Games for the first time in their history under his coaching.

There are several Clubs in Canada with Sikh players, India Field Hockey Club, United Brothers Field Hockey Club, West Coast Kings' Field Hockey Club, Calgary Kings Field Hockey Club and Toronto Lions Field Hockey Club to name a few.

All Canadian Men's and Women's teams, both at senior and junior levels, include Sikh players.

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