BC Hockey announced the Male U16 Team BC staff that will compete at the 2017 Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup in Calgary, AB and the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, AB.

Steve O’Rourke will serve as head coach of Team BC along with assistant coaches, Jason Becker and Brian Pellerin. Kevin Pedersen will be the team’s video coach while Kim Penner and Craig Carter will join the team as trainer and equipment manager. Matthew Davey is Team BC’s strength, conditioning and nutrition coach.

 “We are very confident in the selection of these individuals to lead Team BC to successful showings at the Western Canada Challenge Cup and the Canada Winter Games,” commented BC Hockey Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Barry Petrachenko. “They all bring a great mix of hockey knowledge, enthusiasm and experience to our program.”

BC Hockey Program of Excellence Coordinator Fred Zweep adds “We feel that naming this group for both the Western Canada Challenge Cup and Canada Winter Games will bring continuity to the lead up and at both of these very prestigious events.” 

O’Rourke is an assistant coach of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Prince George Cougars and helped lead Prince George to their first-ever BC Division title this past season. Prior to joining the Cougars, O’Rourke spent the previous three (3) seasons as an assistant coach with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL. O’Rourke, 42, has head coaching experience as bench boss of the Langley Riverman of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) in 2011-12, where he also served as the team’s general manager. He has plenty of pro experience including seven (7) seasons as a player in Britain (BISL), the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and the United Hockey League (UHL). O’Rourke also spent two (2) seasons as an assistant coach with the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League (AHL) from 2009-11.

Becker is currently in his first season assistant coach with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees after two (2) seasons as a head coach with the Okanagan Hockey Academy, also located in Penticton. Becker, 42, also spent five (5) seasons on the bench with the Prince George Cougars as an assistant coach from 2009-14. Becker has experience in short-term competition as head coach of Team Pacific at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge held in Quebec.

Pellerin is the associate coach of the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, a position he has held since 2014. He has also coached at many different levels including time in the AHL, Central Hockey League (CHL) and at a sports school. Pellerin, 47, started his coaching career in 2002 with Amarillo of the CHL following a 12-year professional playing career.

Kevin Pedersen is currently an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers while Kim Penner is the Merritt Centennials (BCHL) trainer, and Craig Carter serves as the equipment manager of the BC Major Midget League’s (MML) Okanagan Rockets.

Team BC Staff:

For more information about BC Hockey’s Male Program of Excellence, please visit the BC Hockey’s Male Program of Excellence web page, or email highperformance@bchockey.net.

For more information about BC Hockey, please visit the BC Hockey website at www.bchockey.net or email info@bchockey.net or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/BCHockeySource, www.twitter.com/BCHockey_Source, www.youtube.com/BCHockeySource or www.instagram.com/BCHockeySource.

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