VANCOUVER - The distinguished history of UBC Thunderbirds varsity field hockey is well represented among the recently announced class of 2020 Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame inductees.

The legacy of excellence in both the women's and men's programs at UBC is woven throughout this esteemed class and recognized with five standout T-Birds alumni receiving the call to the Hall. They include David Bissett in the athlete category, Shiaz Virjee and Shiv Jagday in the coach category, and Barb Hart Harris and Peter Buckland in the builder category. Additionally, three more UBC alumni are recognized in the team category as members of the 1983 Men's National Team that captured a Pan American Games gold medal to directly qualify for the 1984 Olympic Games.
 

David Bissett - Athlete 

Bissett was a leader and star player who was tremendously impactful while donning the blue and gold for the 'Birds, and was equally as effective donning the red and white for his country. Bissett was front and centre in the golden era of men's field hockey at UBC through the mid to late 1970's as a team captain, always at or near the top in scoring while helping the T-Birds capture three Vancouver Field Hockey Division titles.
 
On the international stage, Bissett was a dominant member of Canada's National Field Hockey team over an impressive 14-year period from 1972 to 1984. Bissett captained or vice-captained the squad for eight years and was instrumental in leading the team to some of Canada's greatest field hockey achievements. While studying at UBC, Bissett would earn the opportunity to represent Canada at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and took the captaincy reigns while helping defeat the reigning World Champion Indian squad, 3-1, at the 1978 World Cup in Buenos Aires.
 

Bissett would go on to lead Canada to an historic gold medal victory at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela – Canada's first ever gold medal in field hockey thanks to a 3-1 victory over defending champion Argentina. Bissett and his fellow teammates from the 1983 Men's National squad are also being enshrined as part of the 2020 Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame class as the third team to be honoured in such fashion.

Bissett completed his tour of duty for Canada by leading the squad to the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles before retiring that same year with 150 caps for his country, a Canadian record at the time and to this day remains a UBC international record.
 
Despite all the high-level competitive action around the globe and at home, Bissett also excelled in his studies – attaining his Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1979 and his Law degree in 1980. After practicing law in Vancouver for close to twenty years, Bissett served for three years (until 2004) as Field Hockey Canada's men's national team manager. One of UBC's best-ever players, he has never forgotten his roots and has supported the men's team in a mentoring role while contributing as one of three major donors in the fundraising effort that led to the completion of UBC's Wright Field in 2002. Bissett was recognized for his remarkable contributions both on and off the field on the Point Grey campus as a distinguished inductee to the UBC Hall of Fame in 2007.

Shiaz Virjee - Coach

Virjee enters the Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame in the coach category after more than 40 years of positively impacting the game – from the youth level to the international ranks. Virjee is a world-class coach who oversaw the Canadian National team for seven seasons and led his country to both Olympic and World Cup competitions. His illustrious career included an eighth-place finish at the 1998 Pan American games and a spot at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
 
Virjee is applauded for his unique brand of leadership and effective approach to coaching that relies upon innovation, preparation, and motivation. Those winning attributes and world-class credentials were quickly apparent when Virjee began a 13-year run in charge of the UBC Thunderbirds men's field hockey program from 2003 through 2015. Under Virjee's guidance and mentorship, the T-Birds won multiple Premier Division championships in the Vancouver Men's Field Hockey League, the top tier in the country. At the same time, Virjee's career went full circle as he transformed the UBC field hockey program into a feeder system for Canada's national team. Virjee was also an integral part of Team Canada as the manager for the 1983 Men's National gold medal winning team which is also being inducted into the 2020 Hall of Fame Class in the team category.
 

Shiv Jagday - Coach

Jagday is a preeminent coaching figure in Canadian field hockey history with multiple World Cup and Olympic appearances during his remarkable career. He is one of the most accomplished and decorated Canadian coaches and thus an exemplary hall of famer.
 
Jagday began as an assistant coach with the Thunderbirds under Bissett, before successfully guiding the Thunderbirds from the late 1970s to early 1980s. Jagday was also one of the National Team assistant coaches in the late 1970s and soon earned the position of Junior National Coach. Jagday took the Under-21 team to Chile in 1981 where they qualified for the Junior World Cup the following year in Malaysia. He then became the Canadian Men's National Team coach in early 1982 and was head coach when Team Canada played in the Melbourne Esanda Tournament. Most notably, Jagday was the head coach for the Men's National Team that carried Canada to Caracas in 1983 where they won Canada's first Pan Am Gold Medal.

 

Barb Hart Harris 

Hart Harris is the ultimate ambassador of field hockey in Canada. The former Thunderbird brought excellence to the sport as a player, coach, umpire, manager, international delegate and more. Inducted to the Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame Class of 2020 as a builder, Hart Harris was the Vice-Chair of the Organizing Committee, and Tournament Coordinator for the Women's Field Hockey World Championship held at UBC for two weeks in August, 1979. She founded the 79ers Club whose 60 members helped host the international event, and also raised over $23,000 to support their hosting plans. She helped foster support systems for field hockey in Canada through her involvement with the BC Summer Games, Canada Summer Games, Canadian Women's Field Hockey Association, International Federation of Women's Hockey Associations, and numerous national and international tournaments.
 
As a player, Hart Harris was a member of the UBC Thunderbirds and the Canadian women's national team during a prolific career that also took her to the United States and Scotland. Her 1957-58 UBC coach, Barbara "Bim" Schrodt, was also an accomplished builder as a member of both the UBC Sports Hall of Fame and the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
 

A Burnaby native, Hart Harris graduated from UBC with a degree in Mathematics and English, before earning her Masters of Education from Simon Fraser University nearly thirty years later. She also authored the first ever UBC Women's Athletic Association Handbook in 1958 and the Canadian Women's Field Hockey National Tournament Manual in 1978.
 
Hart Harris has been generous with her time as an active volunteer in sporting events outside of field hockey as well, giving back to her community through her involvement with the Terry Fox Run and the B.C. Seniors Games.
 

Peter Buckland - Builder

Buckland was one of many standout players for UBC through the early 1960s as a fun-loving and energetic athlete, while also being an internationally renowned Canadian player before transitioning to administration. Buckland had a monumental impact on the entire sport of field hockey as an essential participant in the transition from grass to artificial surface – a shift that permanently changed the game and impacted players around the world. He was truly impacftul as a Canadian Field Hockey Association president and contributed significantly to hosting the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the first to be held on an artificial playing surface.

 

1983 Men's National Team - Team Category

The 1983 Men's National Team vaulted themselves onto the world stage in earning an historic Pan American Gold Medal thanks to a 3-1 defeat of defending champion Argentina in Caracas, Venezuela. With the win, Team Canada directly qualified for the 1984 Olympic Games.

"The contribution of the inductees into the Hall of Fame in 2020 provides a window into the history of field hockey in Canada in the 70s and 80s," said Sue Neill, Chair of the FHC Hall of Fame Committee. "They are all outstanding leaders who changed and/or accelerated the development of field hockey in Canada. The Committee is proud to be able to name these individuals to the Hall of Fame."

Individual recognition and a celebration (online or in-person as the circumstances allow) will be planned for later in the year. The Canadian Field Hockey Hall Fame hopes the community will join them for a celebration of these amazing individuals and teams.
 

T-Birds ties to 1983 Men's National Team 

Notable Thunderbirds who are also entering the 2020 Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame Class as members of the 1983 Men's National Team include Bissett, Virjee (manager) and Jagday (head coach), along with Alan Hobkirk, Reg Plummer, and Bob "Rob" Smith.
 

Hobkirk was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 as an outstanding field hockey player during the 1970s, while also being the only UBC athlete to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, represent Canada at the Olympics, and win the Bobby Gaul Award as UBC's most outstanding and inspirational male athlete. In 1978, Hobkirk was named captain of Canada's World Cup team where the T-Bird striker was the team's leading scorer. By 1979, he had participated in nearly 100 international matches and was described as "Canada's premier field hockey player."
 
Plummer excelled with the Thunderbirds as a brilliant stick handler with the ability to easily beat multiple players at a time and create scoring opportunities for himself and those around him. With his unmatched sense of humour, Plummer was a fun-loving teammate who also possessed an admirable attitude and work ethic – alongside a humble demeanor.
 

Smith was a prominent T-Bird with the ability to hold the ball for possession when needed. He had excellent ball control in small spaces and was an extremely fit, strong, and quick athlete. In addition, Smith was a tough defender with a quiet sense of determination and grit. When the chips were down, he was a go-to player who was dependable in crucial moments for UBC.
 
These standout UBC field hockey alumni, now Field Hockey Canada Hall of Famers, are all interconnected no matter what era they competed in, whether it was representing the red and white for Canada or the blue and gold for the T-Birds. They all represent an impressive history of excellence throughout the existence of the Thunderbirds Field Hockey programs.
 

FHC HOF Class of 2020

Athletes Category
Jean Major Gourlay
David Bissett

Builder Category
Barb Hart Harris
Judy McCrae
Moira Colbourne
Peter Buckland

Coach Category
Shiaz Virjee
Shiv Jagday

Team Category
1983 Men's National Team