For Immediate Release
April 9, 2026
Saanichton, B.C. - BC Hockey's Program of Excellence (POE) is proud to announce the staff for Women's U18 Team BC for the 2026-27 season..
Melanie Jue returns as the team's head coach, alongside a largely unchanged support staff from the 2025 season. Jue and her staff will be looking to build upon last year's finish at the 2025 National Women's Championship.
"We’re very pleased to have Melanie and much of last year’s staff returning to the program,” Commissioner, Program of Excellence Fred Zweep said. “That stability is extremely valuable as we build toward the Canada Winter Games and continue developing our players through the POE pathway.”
Team BC staff will begin the process of selecting this year's roster in April when Identification (ID) Camps are underway. Following the camps, 76 players will be invited to move on to the Provincial Camp stage, taking place from July 24-27, 2026, in Chilliwack, B.C. From there, 26 players will be invited to Christmas Camp in Vernon, B.C. from December 17-20, 2026. Ultimately, 20 players will be selected to represent Team BC at the 2027 Canada Winter Games in Quebec City, Quebec.
Melanie Jue
Head Coach
Hometown: Richmond, B.C.
2025-26 Team: U18 Female Greater Vancouver Comets (BCEHL)
Background: Melanie Jue returns to the Team BC bench as head coach for the 2026-27 season, marking her second season in the role. Jue also has previous experience with the Program of Excellence, having served as an evaluator and instructor at the Women’s Provincial Camp in 2012.
The Richmond B.C. native is currently the head coach with the Female U18 AAA Greater Vancouver Comets of the British Columbia Elite Hockey League (BCEHL), winners of back-to-back BCEHL Female U18 AAA Championships. Involved in coaching for 14 years, Jue has held roles with the Richmond Ravens Female Hockey Association during the 2011-12 season, Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy (formerly RINK Hockey Academy) from 2012-2015, and Lindenwood University (NCAA III) 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 obtained a bachelor of science degree with a double concentration in Marketing and Business Strategy. She suited up 106 times over four seasons for Cornell’s Women’s Hockey team (NCAA), before moving to the professional ranks and competing over four seasons with Kunlun Redstar of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League from 2017-2021.
Jue 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, following Team BC's bronze medal win in 2005.
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Kelsey Firkus
Assistant Coach
Hometown: Chilliwack, B.C.
2025-26 Team: Trinity Western University (U SPORTS)
Background: The 2026 season will mark Kelsey Firkus' third season behind the Team BC bench. Firkus has been with Team BC since the 2024 season that saw B.C. capture bronze at the National Women’s U18 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 Trinity Western University's Women's team (U SPORTS). She was an assistant coach with Female U18 AAA Fraser Valley Rush of the British Columbia Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) during the 2024-25 season, and was an assistant coach with the Chilliwack Minor Hockey Association (CMHA) U18 A1 team from 2022-2025.
Firkus grew up playing minor hockey with CMHA, and the Fraser Valley Phantoms of the Women's 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
2025-26 Team: South Regional U18 Female A (OMAHA)
Background: This will mark Mikaela Reay's second season as a member of Team BC's bench staff. Prior to her appointment as an assistant coach with Team BC, Reay volunteered at POE Identification Camps and Provincial Camps.
Reay is currently the head coach of the OMAHA Women's U18 South Regional Zone Team. Prior to that, Reay was the head coach for the Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) U18 Prep Female team of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) from 2022-2025.
Prior to joining OHA, Reay coached with the Southern Express of the Alberta Female Hockey League during the 2021-22 season. She has 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), which she graduated from with 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.
2025-26 Team: Trinity Western University Men's Hockey (U SPORTS)
Background: Allan Russell returns for his fifth season with the Women's U18 program as the team's video coach.
The Nanaimo, B.C. native has spent the previous five seasons as director of video & analytics with the Trinity Western Spartans Men’s Hockey team (U SPORTS). Russell held positions with North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association (NVMHA) as their goaltending lead from 2021-2023, and he also served as the video and 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 scouted with the Corpus Christi Ice Rays (NAHL), and the Espberg Energy of the Metal Ligaen (Denmark).
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Travis Martell
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Hometown: Kelowna, B.C.
2025-26 Team: Okanagan Rockets (BCEHL)
Background: Travis Martell returns as the strength and conditioning coach for the Women's U18 POE program for a fourth season.
Martell has worked with the British Columbia Elite Hockey League’s Okanagan Rockets for nine seasons, and currently serves as the program's strength and conditioning coach.
Martell has 17 years of 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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Bob Pond
Athletic Therapist
Hometown: Penticton, B.C.
2025-26 Team: Penticton Vees (WHL)
Background: This will mark Bob Pond’s third season with the POE and his first as athletic therapist with the Women’s U18 program. Pond also serves as the athletic therapist and strength and conditioning coach with the Men's U16 program.
Pond is currently in his first season as athletic therapist with the Penticton Vees of the Western Hockey League. Prior to joining the Vees, Pond served as the strength coach for the U15 Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association South Zone Knights and Penticton MHA's U15 Tier 2 Team. The Penticton, B.C. native has previously served as a safety person with Okanagan Hockey Academy of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League from 2016-2024, and as a trainer for the Summerland Steam of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League from 2021-2023.
Pond has a bachelor's degree in Science in Athletic Training from Minot State University in North Dakota, and is currently obtaining a master's degree in Rehabilitation Science from the University of British Columbia.
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Patrick Thibeault
Coach Mentor
Hometown: Qualicum Beach, B.C.
2025-26 Team: Oceanside U15 Female Regional A Impact (VIAHA)
Background: Through his 30 years in hockey, including over a decade with Team BC, Patrick Thibeault brings a wealth of experience to his 2026 role as coach mentor.
He has held coaching roles with BC Hockey’s Program of Excellence, along with time spent at North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association, Ridge Meadows Flames of the Pacific Junior Hockey League, the University of British Columbia’s Women’s Hockey team (U SPORTS) and the Female U18 AAA Vancouver Fusion, now known as the Greater Vancouver Comets (BCEHL).
Thibeault currently resides in Qualicum Beach, B.C. He attended both Douglas College in Vancouver, and Cégep André Laurendeau in LaSalle, Quebec, where he studied Languages & Literature.
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Jen Collins
Equipment Manager
Hometown: Cavan, ON
2025-26 Team: U15 AA Female North Valley Surge (PCEHL)
Background: Jen Collins returns for her third consecutive season with the Women's U18 program as equipment manager.
Collins is currently an assistant coach with the U15 AA Female North Valley Surge of the Pacific Coast Elite Hockey League (PCEHL). Collins previously served as co-head coach with the Female U18 AAA Fraser Valley Rush of the British Columbia Elite Hockey League during the 2024-25 season, and has coached with Chilliwack MHA from 2022-2024 and Abbotsford Female Hockey Academy from 2021-2024.
Collins is pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in Criminal Justice with a Kinesiology minor at the University of the Fraser Valley and works as a Court Liaison Officer for Chilliwack RCMP Support Services.
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