Our Team
philippe bernier
Philippe Bernier, grew up in Smithers, BC. Phil’s passion for sport started at a young age, he started skiing at just 2 years old. That passion continued through out his childhood and is alive and well to this day. Phil moved back to his home town of Smithers after a 15 year career in Calgary, AB where he went to school at Mount Royal University and then went on to work as the Director of Events for Alpine Canada. He sits of the Board of Directors for BC Alpine and helps the local club with coaching and event officiating
jordie hutchinson
Jordie grew up in Smithers and is thrilled to be back after spending 15 years away at the University of Calgary and in Victoria working as a Portfolio Manager for one of Canada’s largest institutional investment management firms. Jordie joined Edward Jones Investments to help individuals with their long term investment and financial planning needs. He sat on the CFA Society Victoria board for 5 years and is co-founder of the Uvic Applied Portfolio Management Program. In his spare time he loves to play hockey, golf, squash and get outdoors.
troy van damme
Troy was born and raised in Smithers. After high school, he completed an undergraduate degree at UNBC in Prince George, and would later move to Vancouver to complete his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) articling. Troy received his CPA designation in 2015 and that same year, moved back to Smithers with his wife. Troy has been involved in a variety of organized sports since the age of 4, and continues to play hockey, golf, and squash. He also enjoys snowboarding, curling, running and cycling.
chris gleddie
Chris moved to Smithers in 2016 to join Giddings MacEachern Law where he practices in the areas of wills & estates, real estate, and corporate law. Inspired by years of playing baseball, Chris transitioned into coaching minor baseball while working in Red Deer and Kamloops. In Smithers, Chris enjoys curling, skiing, and attempting to golf.
GRACE TUCKER
Born and raised in Smithers, Grace’s love for sports started at a very young age. Grace has been presently involved with the game of Hockey, both playing and coaching. Her love for sports stemmed from the relationships she built along the way, and now is working towards helping others access the same opportunities she was fortunate to receive. Grace currently holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education, and is working towards an Undergraduate Degree in Child and Youth Care.
BVYSF SPORT AMBASSADORS
WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE BOTH IMHOF AND HAMHUIS AS AMBASSADORS TO OUR FOUNDATION.
Daniel Imhof
Imhof was born in Wil, Switzerland, but his parents, Wendel and Edith Imhof, immigrated to Canada when he was four. Imhof grew up in Smithers, British Columbia and started a study to become a sport teacher at the University of Victoria. In this period he was key player of the university's soccer team.
During the spring of 1998 Imhof went to Europe in order to secure a place in a European football club. Relatives had arranged for him to take part in a training session at their local Swiss Second Division club FC Wil, after which Marcel Koller, the head coach, offered him his first professional contract. Two years later Imhof followed Koller to his next club, FC St. Gallen with whom he would win the Swiss Super League.
During the summer of 2005 Imhof followed coach Koller to a new club for the second time by joining German 2. Bundesliga club VfL Bochum. In 2006, after Imhof's first season with Bochum, the club was promoted to the Bundesliga. Imhof appeared in the majority of matches for Bochum during the 2007–08 season, and following the season it was rumoured that clubs such as Middlesbrough F.C. of the English Premier League, and Celtic F.C. of the Scottish Premier League were interested in him. On 14 January 2010, he announced his return to FC St. Gallen, leaving VfL Bochum and the Bundesliga after four and half years. Imhof played for Team Canada from 2000-2009 earning 36 caps.
Dan retired and moved home to Smithers, BC where he runs Dan’s Sports. Dan is active in the community as the athletic director for BV Youth Soccer.
Dan Hamhuis
Hamhuis is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Hamhuis played major junior hockey with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and was selected 12th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. The following year, he was awarded the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy and Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the league's best defenceman and player of the year, respectively; he would also be named the top defenceman in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), the governing body of major junior hockey in Canada. After a final season in the WHL, Hamhuis made his professional debut with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL), a minor league affiliate of the Predators. He made his NHL debut the next year for Nashville. After five seasons with the club, Hamhuis became an unrestricted free agent and signed a six-year contract with the Canucks. In his first year with the club, he helped Vancouver to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Boston Bruins. Hamhuis has played in several international tournaments at both the junior and senior levels for Canada. At the 2001 and 2002 World Junior Championships, he won a bronze and silver medal, respectively. He also appeared in four straight World Championships, winning a gold at the 2007 tournament and silver at both the 2008 and 2009 tournaments. On January 7, 2014, he was named to the 2014 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team, winning a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Hamhuis, a born and raised Smithereen, lives in Smithers with his family and is active in the community including his summer hockey camps, minor hockey, and coaching volleyball.