Malinda Hapuarachchi

The Passion of Family, Friends and Field-Hockey

As with many players, Malinda Hapuarachchi got her first taste of field-hockey in high-school (Cairine Wilson Secondary School (1997-2002)) and quickly realized that she was going to stick with it.

“I tried and fell in love with the sport. I gravitate to team sports, and the combination of speed, strength, stick-handling, technical ability, and tactical awareness that field hockey requires, were all things that I did well, and it just seemed that my athletic skill set was well-suited for the sport,” says Hapuarachchi, from her home in Toronto. “Once I became more involved in the sport, the community, friendships, and opportunities were why it became the sport for me.”

When asked about her time playing in the Outaouais Field Hockey Club (OFHC), which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, Hapuarachchi, 38, is quick to add that her stint with the Club was a short one. Short though it was, Hapuarachchi remembers that, at the time, it was just what she needed.

“I was at the very early stages of my field hockey career, and was very new to the sport, but remember being encouraged by the club members to pursue hockey and grow as an athlete,” says Hapuarachchi, the married mother of a six-year-old daughter named Sanomee.

And as with other OFHC members who have been interviewed as part of the 50th Anniversary series, Hapuarachchi mentions some familiar themes: welcoming, fun, and inclusive.

“I remember being warmly welcomed by all the club members and practices and games being a fun and inclusive environment,” says the former star player with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues Field-Hockey team. “The club had a mix of players, ages, and abilities, but I remember it always being a positive experience for me. Having support like that in those early stages of your sporting experience is vital to continued success, enjoyment and longevity in the sport.”

For Hapuarachchi, it appears that she has reached the apex of all three as she continues to be involved as a coach and player and who has won countless awards and recognition for her successes both on and off the field/court.

During her time as a player with the U of T Varsity Blues, her team won three back-to-back OUA titles, and she was a two-time winner of the OUA Player of the Year Award during her 4th and 5th years. She is quick to add that these awards are a reflection of the team’s overall success. But there is another Award that Hapuarachchi won that she considers extra special.

“Winning the CIS (now USports) Gail Wilson Award in my 5th and final year was a special achievement because that award recognized my contributions to the sport both on and off the field,” says Hapuarachchi, who met her rugby-playing husband, Matt Duffin, when they attended U of T.

(The CIS Field Hockey, Gail Wilson Outstanding Contributor Award is named in her honour and is presented to the CIS field hockey athlete who best displays athleticism and service to her teammates and to the Community-UBC Website)

Although Hapuarachchi has an envious list of awards and recognition from her days playing for U of T, she has also garnered additional success playing indoor field-hockey.

“My other most memorable achievement was participating in two Indoor Hockey World Cups (2007, 2015),” says Hapuarachchi, who grew-up in Ottawa. “I was the youngest member on the team in 2007 and then was the oldest member of the team in 2015, but cherished each time I could step on the court with my teammates and help showcase just what Canadians could do.”

For elite athletes, like Hapuarachchi, playing at the National and International levels of their sport brings much praise and glory, and as Hapuarachchi notes, a strong sense of responsibility.

“There is a tremendous amount of pride and love that goes into each and every game and competition, but there is also a great amount of responsibility. The indoor program in Canada is self-funded, and we have to work so hard to be able to do what we love and be able to compete with the top teams in the world who have so many resources available to them.”

Another highlight for Hapuarachchi was when, after completing her undergrad at U of T, she was provided an opportunity to combine her love of field-hockey with her desire to travel when she lived in the Netherlands.

“I love to travel and would take the train and explore so I was able to take these amazing day trips to different cities in the Netherlands and Belgium,” says Hapuarachchi, who was playing at Push Hockey club in Breda at the time. Not only did Hapuarachchi get the chance to experience daily life in another country, but she also had her eyes opened to a place where field-hockey is engrained in the culture and is a sport enjoyed by young and old alike. She knew she wanted to play high-level field-hockey while there.

“Everyone plays, and are so active……to see every kid riding on a bike heading to either soccer practice or field-hockey,” she recalls. “And there were also people in their 70s playing.”

Although she lived in a fairly small city, there were no fewer than 7 field-hockey pitches and 2,000 club members. Hapuarachchi points out that the club system for the sport in the Netherlands is not something that exists to any great extent in Canada.

“We don’t have that club system that they have with a home club. Here we are always having to find and rent places to play (field-hockey) but there every club has a bar, you can watch the games and hang around and socialize….it is just what you do, but we don’t have that infrastructure here.”

That “infrastructure” also appears to have been engineered into the design of the bleachers with a focus on enjoyment while watching the matches.

“The stairs of the bleachers even have openings to put your pints.”

When asked what kind of impact field-hockey has had on her life, Hapuarachchi says it has affected pretty well every aspect, socially, academically and personally, and shaped her into the person she is today.

“Having been involved in field hockey, and pursuing it at an elite level, meant that I chose where I wanted to attend university (where I met my husband!) based on their field hockey program. It meant that I have traveled around the world for club tournaments and international competitions and experienced different cultures and communities….,” says Hapuarachchi, who is currently doing her PhD at U of T.” Even in terms of my academic life, being involved in field hockey has shaped the type of research I am pursuing (biomechanics) as I am interested in how the body moves and working with high-performance athletes.”

Her roles of coaching and helping to manage the U of T Field Hockey Team has provided Hapuarachchi with the opportunity to give back to the program that “gave so much to me.” A program and sport that has had, and continues to have, a positive impact on her life and, in doing so, has created an extended family of sorts.

“There’s something special about the people you meet along the way and the ever-lasting connections you make. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed; whenever your field hockey friends get together, everyone just picks up from where we last left off. From my former teammates, and fellow coaches, these people are all my friends, and for many, family.”

written by Rebecca Maceachern December 2021

Malinda's playing career:

Canadian Indoor Hockey National Team (2007-2015)

Indoor Hockey World Cup, 10th, Leipzig, Germany (2015)

Indoor Hockey Pan American Championships, 5th, Barquisimeto, Venezuela, (2010, Captain)

Canada vs. Australia Series (2010)

Indoor Hockey World Cup, 9th, Vienna, Austria (2007)

Canada vs. USA Series (2005)

Canadian Field Hockey National Squad (2008-2009)

Ontario Provincial Field Hockey National Team (1999-2009)

Senior Indoor Nationals Tournament MVP (2009)

Senior Field Hockey Nationals Tournament XI (2007)