For Immediate Release
March 20, 2025
Saanichton, B.C. - BC Hockey's Program of Excellence (POE) is proud to announce the staff for Female U18 Team BC's 2025 season.
Melanie Jue has been named as the team's head coach. This will mark her first year in this role for Team BC. Jue brings many years experience in both the coaching and playing realms.
"The first step in building a successful program is staff selection," Commissioner, Program of Excellence Fred Zweep said, "and we feel that the individuals chosen will do a tremendous job of player development as well as providing an environment for team success. We look forward to seeing Melanie and her staff continue to grow and evolve the POE program during the 2025 season."
Jue and her staff will begin the process of selecting this year's team in April when ID Camps, formerly named Regional Camps, are set to begin. After ID Camps, 76 players will be invited to move on to the Provincial Camp stage that will take place July 24-27, 2025, in Chilliwack, B.C. Ultimately, 20 players will be selected to represent Team BC at the 2025 National Women's U18 Championship in November.
Melanie Jue
Head Coach
Hometown: Richmond, B.C.
2024-25 Team: Female U18 AAA Greater Vancouver Comets (BCEHL)
Background: 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.
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Kelsey Firkus
Assistant Coach
Hometown: Chilliwack, B.C.
2024-25 Team: Chilliwack MHA & Female U18 AAA Fraser Valley Rush (BCEHL)
Background: 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.
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Mikaela Reay
Assistant Coach
Hometown: Bashaw, AB
2024-25 Team: Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) U18 Female Prep Black
Background: 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.
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Allan Russell
Video Coach
Hometown: Nanaimo, B.C.
2024-25 Team: Trinity Western Men's Hockey (U Sports)
Background: 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).
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Travis Martell
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Hometown: Kelowna, B.C.
2024-25 Team: Okanagan Rockets (BCEHL)
Background: 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.
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SJ Sanghera
Athletic Therapist
Hometown: Richmond, B.C.
2024-25 Team: Richmond Sockeyes (PJHL) and Delta Hockey Academy (CSSHL)
Background: 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.
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Jen Collins
Equipment Manager
Hometown: Cavan, ON
2024-25 Team: Female U18 AAA Fraser Valley Rush (BCEHL)
Background: 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.
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