New BC Hockey Summit Announced

Board of Directors Nominations Now Open

The BC Hockey Nominating Committee would like to invite all interested individuals to put forth their application for nomination for the BC Hockey Board of Directors. In 2025, four seats will become available.

The BC Hockey Board provides strategy, financial oversight, and fiduciary duties to BC Hockey and our membership. The Board of Directors develops and oversees strategic direction, with the members as a top priority. The Board also initiates and reviews policies, engages in evaluation of the organization, and works with membership to enhance BC Hockey’s governance capacity.

The search to fill positions on the Board is led by the Nominating Committee, which is an independent group of volunteers. They are responsible for attracting and assessing qualified, skilled candidates for election who are capable and committed to providing effective policy governance and leadership.

If you are interested in joining the BC Hockey Board of Directors:

• Step One: Complete the Board of Directors Application for Nomination by clicking THIS LINK
• Step Two: Complete the BC Hockey Board Competency & Skills Matrix Survey HERE

Please see below for a timeline of the nomination process:

March 27, 2025: Deadline for Director nominations

April 11, 2025: First circulation of Director candidates to membership

April 26, 2025: Final Director nomination deadline

May 6, 2025: Final date for nominees to run for Board Chair

May 11, 2025: Finalized candidate list circulated to membership

June 25, 2025: BC Hockey Annual General Meeting and Board elections

Time For Tournaments!

With the holiday season fast approaching, so is the tournament action! Across B.C. and Yukon, there's no shortage of tournaments happening this time of year, and this season is no different.

Planning to take your team to a tournament this holiday season? Stay up to date on all the latest tournament details by visiting the Tournaments page on the BC Hockey website.

Last Call for Clinics

BC Hockey thrives because of the incredible volunteers who give their time to support hockey in their communities. To ensure our volunteers have the most current knowledge and skills, we offer a range of coaching and officiating clinics. With registration deadlines fast approaching, be sure to sign up soon before it’s too late!

World Junior's Online 50/50 Open For British Columbians

BC Hockey, in partnership with Hockey Canada, is excited that the online 50/50 has return for British Columbians during the 2025 World Junior Championship, hosted in Ottawa, Ontario, from December 26, 2024, to January 5, 2025. 

All funds raised from the 50/50 draws will remain in British Columbia, and will be invested directly back into local initiatives by BC Hockey and the Hockey Canada Foundation, with a focus on initiation and U7 programs, for the growing number of new participants in our game.

There will be three draws, and three separate opportunities to purchase 50/50 tickets during Team Canada’s tournament schedule. Your first shot at winning the 50/50 will be on December 26. Tickets will be available for purchase when the draw opens on December 4. Each draw will close at 8:30 p.m. PST on the draw date.

Here are the specifics for each of the draws:

• Draw 1: Tickets sold from 10:30 a.m. December 4, 2024 to 8:30 p.m. December 26, 2024. Draw held on December 26, 2024, at 8:30 p.m.

• Draw 2: Tickets sold from 8:45 p.m. December 26, 2024 to 8:30 p.m. December 31, 2024. Draw held on December 31, 2024, at 8:30 p.m.

• Draw 3: Tickets sold from 8:45 p.m. December 31, 2024 to 8:30 p.m. January 5, 2025. Draw held on January 5, 2025, at 8:30 p.m.



Tickets for all 50/50 draws can be purchased online HERE.

BC Hockey's 'The Onside' Comics - Celebrating Sanctioned Hockey

In November, BC Hockey began launching a series of seven cartoons aimed at highlighting the benefits of sanctioned hockey and celebrating its positive impact. These cartoons showcase the various advantages members receive through sanctioned hockey.

“These comics are a light-hearted way to highlight how sanctioned hockey prioritizes the game, and the whole experience for all participants. Players and families are often unaware of how much goes into the work of ensuring a safe, supportive, fun, and ideal skill-development experience for all,” BC Hockey CEO Cameron Hope said.

“We are a non-profit, with no motive except to create great hockey pathways. We have more than a century of delivering this game so that players and families enjoy peace of mind, knowing that our game is fair and safe, and provides the actual best pathways for all, whether they hit the ice just for fun or to grow and excel at our game. 

“It is built on trust, with a coast-to-coast system that stands behind its promises, on-and-off the ice,” added Hope.

These cartoons are available on BC Hockey’s website and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and X).

World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend

Each year, Hockey Canada provides funding to MHAs for events celebrating girls' hockey, typically held in October. In 2024, Hockey Canada extended the opportunity for MHAs to host World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend on weekends in both October and November.

During October and November, there were 11 minor hockey associations in B.C. that hosted events to celebrate the occasion:

• Williams Lake MHA
• Houston MHA
• Vancouver Female IHA
• Richmond Ravens FMHA
• Elk Valley MHA
• Thompson-Cariboo MHA
• Kelowna MHA
• Taylor MHA
• Comox Valley MHA
• Tri-Cities Female IHA
• Sunshine Coast MHA

Check out some of the World Girls' Ice Hockey Weekend events below!

Williams Lake MHA

Williams Lake MHA celebrated World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend with games like tug-a-war and racing! They had a pizza lunch where they discussed what they like about hockey and how can hockey be better for girls!

Houston MHA

Houston MHA brought girls together to enjoy skating, hockey drills, and games! Girls from the area came out and tried hockey with a few different sessions for different age groups.

Thompson-Cariboo MHA

Thompson Cariboo MHA planned a "try it" event to encourage new players to try skating and feel out hockey. They had midday stick and puck with older registered players with coaches assisting. 

Kelowna MHA

Kelowna MHA hosted a series of skills events for U7-U18 girls, featuring competitions like fastest skater, shot accuracy, hardest shot, 2-on-1 drills, a relay, and breakaway shooting. Each event was tailored to suit the skill levels of the different age groups.

National Coaches Week

From September 16-22, 2024, we celebrated National Coaches Week by hosting a contest that encouraged our members to nominate exceptional coaches in their community who deserved recognition for their dedication and hard work. The three chosen winners were spotlighted on our social media. The winners and their nominators each received a special swag bag from BC Hockey.

BC Hockey's 2024 National Coaches Week Contest Winners:

Peter Bailey

Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association

Natalie Korenic

Richmond Ravens Female Hockey Association

Jeremie Kwasney

Kimberley Minor Hockey Association

Congratulations Peter, Natalie and Jeremie!

A massive thank you to all of the outstanding coaches that we have in B.C. and Yukon!

Program of Excellence

BC Hockey's Program of Excellence has been filled with action the last few months! The Male U16 team traveled to Red Deer, Alberta, to participate in the 2024 WHL Cup, while the Female U18 team made the trip to the east coast for the 2024 National Women's Under-18 Championship in Quispamsis, New Brunswick!

National Women's U18 Championship Recap

The women's U18 Team BC traveled east to Quispamsis, New Brunswick, for the 2024 National Women's Under-18 Championship held from November 3-9, 2024. Team BC, who finished with a record of 4-2-0-1, was victorious in two of the three round robin games.

Team BC defeated Team Alberta 6-1 in the quarterfinal, before falling to Team Ontario Red 4-1 in the semifinal game. Team BC responded strong in the bronze medal game, overcoming Team Saskatchewan to capture bronze at the qplex.

WHL Cup Recap

Team BC's Male U16 squad made their way to Red Deer, Alberta, to compete in the 2024 WHL Cup that was held October 23-27. Team BC came in fourth-place after going undefeated in all three round robin games, but they were defeated by Team Manitoba in the semifinals. They took the ice against Team Saskatchewan in the bronze medal game, where they fell 8-5. The team finished with a 3-2-0-0 record.

Three players from Team BC were named to the 2024 WHL Cup All-Star Team!

• Eddy Spytz (Victoria Racquet Club) 7 points (3g +4a)
• Brock Cripps (Juan de Fuca MHA) 8 points (0g-8a)
• Cash Christie (North Shore Winter Club) 0.917 save percentage

Cripps was also announced Team BC’s Top Performer in the tournament.

Way to go fellas!!!

BC Hockey Products

2024-25 PWHL Season

The 2024-25 Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) season kicked off on November 30th, and we’re excited to share that 10 BC Hockey products were selected to be part of the league’s second season as players, staff, and officials.

Montreal Victoire:

• Jennifer Gardiner (Cloverdale MHA)

New York Sirens:

• Micah Zandee-Hart (Peninsula MHA)
• Assistant Coach Mike Sommer (Semiahmoo MHA)

Toronto Sceptres

• Hannah Miller (North Shore Female IHA)
• Olivia Knowles (Campbell River MHA)
• Rylind MacKinnon (Cranbrook MHA)
• General Manager Gina Kingsburry (Penticton MHA)

Officials:

• 2022 BC Hockey Official of the Year, Grace Barlow (Prince George MHA)
• 2024 BC Hockey Official of the Year, Melissa Brunn (Kelowna MHA) 
• Bobby Jo Love (Smithers MHA)

Buddy Check for Jesse

Buddy Check for Jesse, founded in memory of Jesse Short-Gershman by his father Dr. Stu Gershman, aims to foster meaningful conversations about mental health among youth hockey players. The program can help provide coaches with resources to facilitate supportive team environments, reducing mental health stigma in the hockey community.

Over the past six years, numerous associations and coaches have participated in organizing Buddy Check events, which typically include Coaches' Chats designed to help athletes discuss mental health in a safe space. Players also receive green Buddy Check swag as a symbol of solidarity, making the initiative both impactful and a way to promote well-being in the sport.

For more information or to start planning your event, please contact events@buddycheckforjesse.com and check out their website and extensive social media footprint: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube

#BuddyCheckForJesse

With the season underway, there is lots going on surrounding BC Hockey. Check out some additional Quick Hits below:

• Karen Kos - A Championship Coach
• ISPARC and BC Hockey: Building a Cultural Connection
• Prince Rupert Rampage to Host 2025 Coy Cup
• BC Hockey's POE Female U12/U14 Camps Open For Registration
• POE Coaching and Volunteer Opportunities Available For 2025 Season
• Vancouver Female IHA Indigenous Female Jamboree
• BCEHL Player Profile - Sophia Dhami U18 Vancouver Island Seals
• Adam Kingsmill Goes For The Para Hockey Cup

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Visit belairdirect.com/savings or call 1-833-887-4626 

Johnson Travel Insurance



BC Hockey members and families can win one of two $5,000 travel vouchers courtesy of our travel insurance partner, Johnson!

All featured under one annual insurance plan, MEDOC® Travel Insurance is often less than the cost of purchasing single trip insurance. So even for those last-minute getaways, you’ll always be prepared.   

With MEDOC®, you’ll receive:

• Emergency medical coverage

• Trip cancellation, interruption, and delay coverage

• Baggage protection 

• And much more!

As an added bonus, when you call Johnson at 1-833-463-0223 for a no obligation quote, you will also get entered for a chance to WIN one of two $5,000 travel vouchers! Simply mention you are a BC Hockey member when you call. 

Best of luck in the contest and happy travels!

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