Before making her debut as the assistant coach of the Seattle Kraken, Jessica Campbell is getting back to her roots in the Okanagan.
She previously worked at Kelowna’s Pursuit of Excellence, which is now called the RINK Hockey Academy, as well as Penticton’s Okanagan Hockey Academy, and now she is coaching an action-packed exhibition game.
“Some of these guys I have been working with for several years and then there are a lot of new faces and a lot of young talent coming up through this area,” said Campbell.
“It’s awesome where they all get to this point in the summer where their training is piquing and they are all getting ready for camp so the energy is high, it’s really good stuff.”
Campbell alongside multiple NHLers took to the ice at MNP Place in Kelowna, B.C. , to warm up for their big game on Friday, Aug. 23. The game they are practicing for is the first of the Hockey Fest Pro Games which is a creative fundraiser that has the pros face off in the rink while raising funds for the YMCA of Southern Interior B.C.
“This week, funds raised will go toward supporting our low-income families locally to hopefully get their kids involved tomorrow and participating in sports at the YMCA,” said Tammy Watson, YMCA VP of philanthropy and marketing.
Hockey Fest treats fans to a unique experience — many of their favourite NHL players will be on the same team, going up against another team made up of pros, as well, including Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers.
“I remember as a kid watching my first few hockey games and I remember yelling at my dad that I wanted to play hockey,” said Myers.
“It’s things like this that can get children into the sport.”
Also on the bench is Okanagan hockey hero Shea Weber.
“My team, we are going to be flying, it’s going to be a fun, fast-paced game,” said Weber.
Kelowna Hockey Fest will begin with a free family-friendly outdoor festival at 2 p.m. on Friday, then the puck drops at 6 p.m. at Prospera Place where the players will battle it out on the ice.