The 1965-66 UBC Thunderbird Men's Field Hockey team, which included eight members from the 1964-65 UBC Thunderbird team, commenced its 1965-66 First Division of the Vancouver Field Hockey Association regular season in quest of the Challenge Cup on the springboard of an undefeated 1964-65 First Division regular season (comprised of sixteen games) achieved by the 1964-65 UBC Thunderbird team. The 1964-65 regular season had been a rebuilding year and was the first year Eric Broom coached a UBC Thunderbird Team. UBC Field Hockey teams had won the Challenge Cup for three consecutive seasons from 1961-62 to 1963-64 prior to the 1964-65 season.
The 1965-66 UBC Thunderbird team were off to another roaring start by winning seven of their first nine games by shutouts and were in first place in the 1965-66 Division One Standings at the end of the first part of the regular season. The team continued their undefeated form for the remainder of the 1965-66 season (comprised of seven games), won the Challenge Cup, and ran their record setting winning streak to thirty- two games over the 1964-65 and 1965-66 seasons. After winning the first game of the Newcastle Shield (post-season, single knock-out) competition the UBC Thunderbird team lost 2-1 in the semi-finals, and the winning streak came to an end after thirty-three games undefeated run, one of the longest undefeated streaks in UBC athletic history. However, the 1965-66 UBC Thunderbird team showed their resilience by travelling to Calgary on the 1966 Victoria Day long weekend and played four games against Alberta competition, in which, they were undefeated, and included a victory over the Calgary all-star team.
The 1965-66 UBC Thunderbird team, included veterans Lee Wright, Glen McCannel and Doug Harrison from earlier UBC Thunderbird teams, Diederik Wolsak, who was the top scorer in the 1965-66 regular season, and Bryan Rattray, who as goalie, had a shut-out steak of five consecutive games, and twelve shut-outs overall in the season.
The 1965-66 UBC Thunderbird team was recognized as the best club side in Canada and was underlined by each of the players of the team being awarded a UBC Big Block and by the prominent role of members of the team representing British Columbia in Canadian National Championships and Canada in international field hockey competitions.
Those members of the 1965-66 UBC Thunderbird team who represented BC in Canadian National Championships and Canada in international competitions were: Lee Wright (including the 1964 and 1976 Olympic Games and the 1967, 1971 and 1975 Pan American Games), Warren Bell (including the 1967 and 1971 Pan American Games ), Glen McCannel (including the 1967 Pan American Games), Paul McMillen (including the 1967 Pan American Games), Diederik Wolsak (including the 1971 Pan American Games), Bruce Hodgson (including the 1971 Pan American Games), Bryan Rattray (including the 1971 Pan American Games), Doug Harrison (including the 1971 Pan American Games), Nigel Hawkesworth, Tom Morton, Keith Harrison and coach Eric Broom. Canadian teams won a bronze 1971 Pan American Games and a silver medal in the 1975 Pan American Games.
Eric Broom, who coached the Canadian team in the 1967 Pan American Games held in Winnipeg, was the mentor of six UBC Thunderbird teams, four of which won the Challenge Cup (1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67 and 1971-72), and one which won the Newcastle Shield (1966-67).
A significant reason for the success of the UBC Thunderbird teams was the presence and inspiration of Dr. Harry Warren, who, played for UBC Varsity teams in the 1920s, coached UBC Varsity teams in the 1930s and introduced field hockey in the 1950s to many University Hill School students, including six students, who became members of the 1965-66 Thunderbird team.
