Program of Excellence
Program of Excellence
BC Hockey athletes have the opportunity to try-out for and represent their province, region or country in various national and international competitions throughout their career.
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2025 Female U18 Program Steps |
Dates and Locations |
Registration/Schedule |
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1. 2025 POE U16/U18 Identification Camps |
April 11-13, 2025 - Salmon Arm April 18-20, 2025 - Langley |
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2. 2025 POE U16/U18 Provincial Camp |
July 24-27, 2025 - Chilliwack |
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3. 2025 U18 September Camp |
September 18-21, 2025 - Langley |
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4. 2025 National Women's Under-18 Championship |
November 3-9, 2025 - Mount Pearl/Town of Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador |
Information will be updated as it becomes available.
About the Female U18 Program of Excellence (POE)
BC Hockey’s Female U18 level is the third and final stage of the POE. It is an opportunity for the top players in the Province to train and compete at an elite level and is meant to introduce players to the beginning of the Hockey Canada POE.
The U18 program is designed to emulate national and international competitions. The U16 POE is designed to introduce players to the high performance setting while the U18 program provides an opportunity to excel at an elite level. U18 players will be evaluated by POE evaluators at the club team level throughout the season and the U16/U18 Regional Camps in the Spring.
Our U18 athletes will be evaluated on their play at the national competition and successful players will be invited to the Hockey Canada U18 Identification Camp. The POE prepares players for the national program where they will undergo the same fitness testing and attend similar types of camps.
Those selected to Team BC will attend the Women’s U18 National Championship that is held annually (other than Canada Winter Games years) across Canada, where they have the ability to compete as a province against other top athletes from other Hockey Canada Members.
U18 Team BC - Canada Winter Games
Every four (4) years, both male and female Team BC teams are assembled to compete at the Canada Winter Games. The Male Team BC is selected through the BC Hockey Male Under 16 Program of Excellence and the female team is selected through the BC Hockey Female Under 18 Program of Excellence.
U18 Hockey Canada Program of Excellence
Through the Female POE and club teams players will receive exposure to Hockey Canada scouts.
BC Hockey’s Female Program of Excellence (POE) staff consists of B.C.'s top individuals from across the province.
For more information or any inquiries, please contact the BC Hockey POE Coordinator here: highperformance@bchockey.net
2025 Female U18 POE Staff
2024-25 Team: Female U18 AAA Greater Vancouver Comets (BCEHL)
Melanie Jue, Head Coach
Hometown: Richmond, B.C.
Melanie Jue will make her debut behind the Team BC bench as head coach for the 2025 season. She has previous experience with the POE in 2012, when she served as an evaluator/instructor at Female Provincial Camp.
The Richmond B.C. native is currently the head coach with the U18 AAA Greater Vancouver Comets (BCEHL). Involved in coaching for 14 years, Jue has held roles with the Richmond Ravens Female Minor Hockey Association during the 2011-12 season, Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy (Now RINK Hockey Academy) from 2012-2015, and Lindenwood University (NCAA) from 2015-2018. Jue has also coached on the international stage, representing Team China as an assistant coach during the 2021-22 season.
Jue attended Cornell University from 2006-2010 where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a double concentration in Marketing and Business Strategy. She also laced them up 106 times over four seasons for Cornell’s Women’s Hockey team (NCAA). She then moved to the professional ranks and played four seasons with Kunlun Redstar of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League from 2017-2021.
Jue also played for Team BC for four seasons between 2003-2006, and was a member of the first B.C. team to earn a medal at the Women’s U18 National Championship when Team BC won bronze in 2005.
2024-25 Team: Chilliwack MHA & Female U18 AAA Fraser Valley Rush (BCEHL)
Kelsey Firkus, Assistant Coach
Hometown: Chilliwack, B.C.
The 2025 season will mark Kelsey Firkus's second behind the Team BC bench, after she spent the 2024 season as assistant coach with the B.C. entry that captured bronze at the National Women’s Under-18 Championship. Prior to being selected for Team BC’s bench staff, she volunteered as a coach and evaluator at POE ID Camps in 2022 and 2023.
Firkus is currently an assistant coach for the BCEHL's Female U18 AAA Fraser Valley Rush. Involved in coaching for three seasons, she has been behind the bench with the Chilliwack Minor Hockey Association U18 A1 team and the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association U15 Development team since the 2022-23 season.
Firkus grew up playing in the BC Hockey ranks with Chilliwack MHA and the Fraser Valley Phantoms of the Female Midget AAA league (now BCEHL). Firkus moved onto the collegiate ranks with the University of Wisconsin-Superior (NCAA III), where she played four seasons and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.
2024-25 Team: Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) U18 Female Prep Black
Mikaela Reay, Assistant Coach
Hometown: Bashaw, AB
This will mark Mikaela Reay's first season as a member of Team BC's bench staff. During the previous two seasons, she volunteered at both the POE Identification Camps and Provincial Camps.
Currently, Reay is the head coach for the OHA U18 Female Prep Black team, a position she has held for the previous three seasons.
Prior to joining OHA, Reay coached with the U15 AA Southern Express of the Alberta Female Hockey League during the 2021-22 season. She also coached with Hockey Alberta’s Development Program at the Alberta Challenge Cup in 2022.
The Bashaw, AB native played for the Northern Alberta Xtreme (CSSHL) and the University of Lethbridge (U Sports) where she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Health Science majoring in Addictions Counselling. She is currently obtaining a Masters of Arts' degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University.
2024-25 Team: Trinity Western University Men's Hockey Team (U Sports)
Allan Russell, Video Coach
Hometown: Nanaimo, B.C.
Allan Russell begins his third consecutive season with the POE as the squad's Female U18 Video Coach.
The Nanaimo, B.C. native has spent the last four seasons as Director of Video & Analytics with the Trinity Western Spartans Men’s Hockey team (U Sports). Russell also held positions with North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association as their Goaltending Lead from 2021-2023, and he also served as the Video & Analytics Coach with the Botany Swarm in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League in 2021.
The Nanaimo minor hockey graduate is currently the British Columbia Scout with the Northeast Generals of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). Previously, he has scouted with the Corpus Christi Ice Rays (NAHL), and for the Espberg Energy of the Metal Ligaen (Denmark).
2024-25 Team: Okanagan Rockets (BCEHL)
Travis Martell, Strength & Conditioning Coach
Hometown: Kelowna, B.C.
Travis Martell joins the Female U18 POE for a third consecutive season as the Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Martell has worked with the BCEHL’s Okanagan Rockets for eight seasons and currently serves as the program's strength and conditioning coach.
Martell has 16 years experience as a full-time strength and conditioning coach, and specializes in helping athletes take their games to the next level.
Originally from Kelowna, Martell played four years of junior hockey split between the Sicamous Eagles of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League during the 2000-01 season and the Notre Dame Hounds of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League from 2002-2004. He also played professional hockey in the United States, Netherlands and Germany from 2010-2017.
A graduate of Castleton State University (NCAA III) in Vermont, Martell obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and played on the men’s hockey team for three seasons.
2024-25 Team: Richmond Sockeyes (PJHL) and Okanagan Hockey Academy (CSSHL)
SJ Sanghera, Athletic Therapist
Hometown: Richmond, B.C.
SJ Sanghera returns to BC Hockey’s POE staff as an athletic therapist for her second season. Prior to joining Team BC’s bench staff, she volunteered as an athletic therapist for at POE Provincial Camps since 2019.
She has been the athletic therapist for the Pacific Junior Hockey League’s Richmond Sockeyes since the 2020-21 season and served as a safety person with various teams at Okanagan Hockey Academy's (CSSHL) since the 2021-22 season.
Sanghera earned a Bachelor's degree in Athletic & Exercise Therapy from Camosun College, attained in 2020.
2024-25 Team: Female U18 AAA Fraser Valley Rush (BCEHL)
Jen Collins, Equipment Manager
Hometown: Cavan, ON
Jen Collins returns for her second consecutive season with Team BC as the squad's equipment manager.
Collins is currently Co-Head Coach with the BCEHL's Female U18 AAA Fraser Valley Rush. Previously, she coached with Chilliwack MHA (2022-2024) and Abbotsford Female Hockey Academy (2021-2024).
Currently, she is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice with a Kinesiology minor at the University of the Fraser Valley. She currently works as a Court Liaison Officer for Chilliwack RCMP Support Services.
BC Athlete Assistance Program & CSCP Targeted Athlete
Each season BC Hockey is awarded the opportunity to nominate players to be designated by Canadian Sport Centre Pacific as “identified athletes”. The athletes are designated as a result of participation / selection / performance in the BC Hockey High Performance Program. The CSC Pacific performance model assists national and provincial sport organizations and their targeted athletes, across the province, providing services to both summer and winter sports. Registered athletes gain access to benefits including; Gymworks (gym passes), performance enhancement seminars, links to medical services, and career services. Their coaches also have access to these services.