U18 AAA

Trevor Sprague will oversee both the Integrated and Female U18 AAA teams in Northern B.C. Sprague has been involved in hockey in the north for over 30 years and has spent the last 15 years working with teams in the BCEHL. He is entering his eighth season as the general manager of the Cariboo Cougars and fourth 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.

Tyler Brough began his coaching career in the 2013-14 season. He is entering his ninth season with the Cariboo Cougars program His career coaching highlight is his first championship as head coach, in the 2017-18 season with the U18 AAA Cariboo Cougars.

During his playing days Brough won a National Junior A Championship with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) where he scored the game-winning goal. His stick and gloves from that game were taken to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Troy Stordy is entering his first season in the BCEHL. He will split the general manager duties with Darrin Ponak. Stordy has worked as the Vice President of Mission Minor Hockey Association since 2010. He has also served as the development director and a coach in the association since he joined 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.

Riley Emmerson is entering his third season with the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds and his sixth in the BCEHL. Previously,  he was with the Valley West Giants for three years. He was a player coach with the Edinburgh Capitals of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) in the U.K. during the final season of his playing career, which was also the start of his coaching career. He loves the challenge of pushing players to their best both on and off the ice. His coaching career highlight was a 16 round shootout win against the Greater Vancouver Canadians in the Pat Quinn Tournament.

Before Emmerson started coaching, he carved himself out a successful playing career, playing 10 years of professional hockey. In 2005 he was drafted to the National Hockey League by the Minnesota Wild and played in the East Coast Hockey league (ECHL), American Hockey League (AHL), Central Hockey League (CHL), and the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).

Alain Wozney will oversee both the Greater Vancouver Canadians and the Fraser Valley Rush teams this season. Wozney is entering his 11th season working in the BCEHL and his 10th with the Fraser Valley Rush program, serving as the program’s 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 third season. He last oversaw the Canadians in this role during the 2013-14 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 and playing with the Burnaby Bluehawks. He then attended the Memorial University of Newfoundland, studying Psychology and Humanities. He is now self-employed and works in hockey management.

Denis Akimoto enters his second season in the BCEHL and takes on the head coaching role for the U18 Greater Vancouver Canadians for the 2024-25 season. Akimoto took on coaching roles last season with Vancouver Thunderbirds Minor Hockey Association and the Delta Ice Hawks of the Pacific Junior Hockey League. He also runs a skills development program for many associations in the Lower Mainland.

Originally from Khabarovsk, Russia, Akimoto played professional hockey around the globe with stops in Japan, Germany, and Poland before beginning his coaching journey in Canada. He attended University in Tokyo, Japan, and possesses a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, along with a minor in Sociology and Psychology.

Steve Smith is embarking on his second 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 17 years of experience working in minor hockey in Kelowna.

Entering his sixth season as a head coach within the Okanagan Rockets’ program, Eric Blais provides an extensive track record of coaching experience. He has spent time coaching minor hockey in the Okanagan, taking charge of teams within Kelowna Minor Hockey Association and the Central Zone Program.

Originally from Oliver and splitting his minor hockey playing career with Penticton MHA and Kelowna MHA, Blais played his junior hockey with the KIJHL’s Kelowna Packers. Away from the rink, Blais is an Illustrator/Artist.

After serving as a key volunteer with the Thompson Blazers program during the 2022-23 season, Geoff Fuoco assumes the position of general manager for the program for the 2023-24 season. With over 14 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 12 years, and is a huge believer in skill development.

Mark Chase is in his first season with the U18 AAA Thompson Blazers, after coaching the U17 AAA Blazers last season. He is currently in the final stages of completing his master’s degree in Counselling Psychology and his goal is to balance coaching with his future development of a mental health practice designed to focus on working with athletes involved in sports.

Chase was born and raised in Kamloops, B.C. He is looking forward to sharing his knowledge and experience with his team while concurrently learning other staff members and players. He believes that participating in coaching creates opportunities to network with like-minded individuals and allows them to collaborate with each other.

Jamie Fiset is entering his sixth year in the BCEHL as general manager with the Valley West Giants and brings an additional eight years of experience working in minor hockey previously. He has been involved with BC Hockey’s Program of Excellence including 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. Away from the rink Fiset is a teacher, 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. 

Delroy Montaque assumes the head coaching position for the U18 AAA Valley West Giants after spending last season as the head coach of the U18 AAA Vancouver NW Hawks. Montaque also serves as the Hockey Canada Skills Academy Lead Instructor at Windsor Academy. He has compiled over five years of experience coaching hockey in the province, spending time with the North Shore Avalanche and Burnaby Winter Club, along with his BCEHL experience.  

Originally from Scarborough, Ontario, Montaque attended Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario, working towards a diploma in Early Childhood Education. Away from the rink, he is a personal caregiver. 

Ken Guthrie is in his sixth season coaching with the Vancouver NE Chiefs and his second as head coach of the Chiefs' U18 AAA side. He grew up in Burnaby, B.C. and began coaching with Burnaby Minor Hockey Association. Guthrie started with the U18 AAA Chiefs as a Video Coach and was the head coach of the U17 AAA team for three seasons.

Guthrie enjoys the competitive environment and working with players to help them achieve their goals while building connections and helping them become better players and people.

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.