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.

Wes McLeod is now in his eighth season coaching in the BCEHL. Before he joined the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds he worked with the Valley West Giants program in the BCEHL. McLeod also spent time coaching grassroots hockey, and progressed his way to the Junior A level. McLeod says his favourite part about coaching is inspiring players to dream bigger than they ever have before, and creating an environment where those dreams can become reality.

He was born in Mission, B.C. and attended post-secondary education at the University of the Fraser Valley, where he majored in Kinesiology.

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.

Stepping behind a BCEHL bench for the first time, Jim Martin assumes the reins of the U18 Greater Vancouver Canadians for the upcoming season. Martin possesses plenty of experience, which includes a resume of over 20 years of coaching with Minor Hockey Associations such as Surrey MHA, Semiahmoo MHA, Cloverdale MHA and North Delta MHA.

Martin grew up playing with various MHAs across the province, including Cranbrook MHA, Nelson MHA, Richmond MHA and Vancouver MHA. Outside of hockey, Martin works full-time for the City of Vancouver.  

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.

Shae Naka steps into the role of head coach for the U18 Okanagan Rockets after spending last season as the team’s assistant coach. An experienced coach with seven seasons under his belt, Naka has held multiple roles with Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy (now known as RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna).

Naka is originally from West Kelowna and grew up playing for West Kelowna Minor Hockey Association. Before stepping into the coaching ranks, Naka played a pair of seasons with the Kamloops Storm of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Away from the rink, Naka works as a Payroll Administrator.

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.

After serving as an assistant coach with the Thompson Blazers program for the last two seasons, Phil Dillon steps into the role of head coach of the U18 squad for the 2023-24 season. Prior to joining the BCEHL, Dillon served as a coach within Yellowknife Minor Hockey Association, and as a Skills Instructor with the St. Thomas More Hockey Academy in Edmonton.

Dillon grew up playing minor hockey in Calgary, before moving on to the junior ranks with the Okotoks Bisons of the Heritage Junior Hockey League in Alberta. Dillon studied at Concordia University of Edmonton, and obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Education degree, while also playing five seasons with the school’s hockey team.

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. 

Nate Fleming will take charge of the Valley West Giants’ U18 AAA team this season, marking his second year in the BCEHL. Fleming has held multiple coaching positions over the last six years, including positions within Vancouver Thunderbirds Minor Hockey Association, Cloverdale Minor Hockey Association and most recently, as the full-time assistant coach with the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds Men’s Hockey Team, where they qualified for the National Championship for the first time in 40 years.

Fleming played his minor hockey in St. Albert, AB, before playing his junior hockey for the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He is a graduate of UBC, where he continued to play hockey and earned degrees in Kinesiology and Education. He finished his playing career with a couple of seasons overseas in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) and Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). He now works as a PHE teacher in Surrey. 

Lance Vaillancourt is entering his second season as a general manager in the BCEHL. 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.  

In addition to his work within minor hockey in B.C., Vaillancourt was also a linesman within BC Hockey and worked as a linesman in the BCHL. Away from the rink he works as a civil servant with the Federal Government.

After spending the last 25 years coaching with Victoria Racquet Club, Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association and Saanich Minor Hockey Association, Jeff Kerr is entering his second season within the BCEHL, where he will take charge of the Vancouver Island Royals’ U18 AAA team. Originally from Gold River, Kerr was the Manager of BC Hockey’s Best Ever Program for three years and was involved in the program for nine years with both the U16 and U17 teams.

Kerr is a graduate of the University of Victoria where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Geography. Kerr’s playing career began as a member of Gold River Minor Hockey Association and features a Centennial Cup Championship as a member of the Notre Dame Hounds in 1987-88. That team was later inducted into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame.

Ken Guthrie is in his sixth season coaching with the Vancouver NE Chiefs but his first as head coach of the Chiefs' U18 AAA side. He grew up in Burnaby, BC and began coaching with Burnaby Minor Hockey Association. Guthrie started with the U18 AAA Chiefs as a Video Coach and took charge of the U17 AAA team for the last 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.

Delroy Montaque assumes the head coaching position for the U18 AAA Vancouver North West Hawks after spending last season as the head coach of the U17 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.