BCEHL ANNOUNCES GENERAL MANAGERS FOR 2024-25 SEASON
For Immediate Release
April 2, 2024
Saanichton, B.C. - The British Columbia Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) is excited to announce the general managers for the 2024-25 season.
The BCEHL Female U18 AAA General Managers oversee their respective Female U18 AAA team, while the Intergrated General Managers oversee the operation for the teams in the U18 AAA, U17 AAA and U15 AAA leagues.
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Cariboo Cougars & Northern Capitals Trevor Sprague will oversee both the Integrated and Female AAA programs in Northern B.C. Sprague has been involved in hockey in the north for over 30 years and has spent the last 17 years with teams in the BCEHL. He is entering his ninth season as the general manager of the Cariboo Cougars and fifth as the general manager of the Northern Capitals. Sprague coached in Prince George for over 20 years before moving to the management side of the game. During his coaching and management career, Sprague has won two provincial titles with the Cariboo Cougars’ U18 AAA team. Sprague is also a key driver behind the annual BC Hockey Winter Classic event that is held in Northern B.C. each winter. |
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Fraser Valley Rush & Greater Vancouver Canadians Al Wozney will oversee both Integrated and Female AAA programs. Wozney is entering his 12th season in the BCEHL and his 11th with the Fraser Valley Rush program, serving as general manager since the 2014-15 season. He will also take on the role of general manager with the Greater Vancouver Canadians program for his fourth season. Wozney has over 40 years of experience working and playing in the minor hockey system in B.C. Wozney played his minor hockey with Burnaby Winter Club before progressing to Junior A ranks in the lower mainland. He then attended the Memorial University of Newfoundland, studying Psychology and Humanities. He is now self-employed and works in hockey management. |
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Fraser Valley Thunderbirds Troy Stordy is entering his third season in the BCEHL and second season as general manager with the Thunderbirds program. Stordy has served as the vice president of Mission Minor Hockey Association since 2010, while also serving as the development director and a coach in the association since joining MMHA in 2010. Stordy, who currently lives in Mission, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Simon Fraser University. Away from the rink Stordy currently works as a correctional program officer. |
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Greater Vancouver Comets Shannon Morris-Reade begins her third season as general manager of the Greater Vancouver Comets. Prior to assuming the title, she spent three seasons behind the bench as an assistant coach for Greater Vancouver. Morris-Reade, who calls Port Coquitlam home, earned her Bachelor of Sciences degree at Lindenwood University where she also played for the school’s Division 1 women’s hockey program. She works full-time as a cardiology technologist. |
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Okanagan Rockets Steve Smith is embarking on his third season as a general manager in the BCEHL. Smith also serves as the executive director of Kelowna Minor Hockey Association, a role he has held since 2017. Prior to this he was the division director for Kelowna Minor Hockey Association from 2010-17, and a coach in the association from 2008-17 as well. The Kelowna native has compiled over 19 years of experience working in minor hockey in Kelowna. |
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Thompson Blazers Geoff Fuoco begins his second season as general manager of the Thompson Blazers program. With over 15 years of experience in hockey, Fuoco has held coaching positions at the minor hockey level with Sicamous Minor Hockey Association and Salmon Arm Minor Hockey Association. He also coached at the junior level with the Sicamous Eagles of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). Originally from Revelstoke, Fuoco currently resides in Kamloops, and serves as the arena manager for the Sicamous & District Recreation Centre. Fuoco has ran skills programs in Sicamous, Vernon and Kamloops over the past 13 years, and is a huge believer in skill development. |
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Thompson-Okanagan Lakers Kevin Bathurst enters his second year as general manager of the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers, bringing an extensive background in hockey with him. Through nearly 20 years of coaching, Bathurst has held positions with the University of Western Ontario Men’s Hockey Team, the Calgary Canucks and Calgary Mustangs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), RINK Hockey Academy and most recently a pair of seasons behind the bench with the Okanagan Lakers of the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL). Bathurst obtained a Bachelor’s of Kinesiology with a specialization in coaching from the University of New Brunswick in 2004. He then attended the University of Western Ontario, where Bathurst graduated with a Master of Arts in Kinesiology in 2006. Bathurst’s full-time occupation is with Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association, where he serves as the executive director of hockey operations. |
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Valley West Giants Jamie Fiset is entering his seventh year as the general manager of the Valley West Giants and brings an additional nine years of working experience in minor hockey with him. He has previously been involved with BC Hockey's Program of Excellence, including a stint as the head coach of Team BC at the 2016 WHL Cup. Fiset was a board member with Langley Minor Hockey Association from 2010-14. He completed his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education at the University of British Columbia before earning his Master of Arts at Royal Roads University. Away from the rink, Fiset is a teacher. |
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Vancouver Island Royals & Vancouver Island Seals Lance Vaillancourt is entering his third season as a general manager with the Vancouver Island Royals, and first with the Vancouver Island Seals. Previously, Vaillancourt was the associate coach & hockey operations manager for the South Zone Knights U18 Tier 1 team. He has also performed various coaching roles with Penticton Minor Hockey at all levels within the association. Vaillancourt brings over 35 years of experience within minor hockey to the Royals and Seals. In addition to his work within minor hockey in B.C., Vaillancourt was also a linesman within BC Hockey. Away from the rink he works as a civil servant with the Federal Government. |
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Vancouver North East Chiefs Greg Harding is entering his eighth season with the Vancouver NE Chiefs program and his sixth as the general manager of the program. The Surrey, B.C. native has been involved in minor hockey for 20 years, previously assuming roles with the Richmond Sockeyes of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) and Langley Minor Hockey Association. Harding played his minor hockey at Burnaby Winter Club and Langley Minor Hockey Association before going on to play for the Delta Ice Hawks, Queens Park Pirates and Richmond Sockeyes of the PJHL. Harding also works full-time with BC Hydro. |
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Vancouver North West Hawks James Wall is set to lead the Vancouver North West Hawks as general manager in his inaugural BCEHL season. With 15 years in minor hockey, Wall's background includes a decade coaching and eight years as director of hockey with West Vancouver Minor Hockey Association, and four years as director of hockey operations for North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association Originally from Maple Ridge, Wall played minor hockey with Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey Association and graduated from the University of Windsor with a BFA honours degree. Wall is a certified high-performance coach with credentials from BC Hockey and Hockey Canada. |
