Testimonials
“Never forget those who paved the path before you. Never stop trying to better the world for those who inhabit it after you”
Pro/College Athletes
Amateur Athletes
Grace Cooper - CSSHL Shawnigan Lake
“Ever since I started working with coach Mel my game has jumped to a whole new level. I’ve seen a huge improvement and have learned so much over the past year. She breaks down every little detail and helps you improve to become the best player, person, and athlete you can be. She has elevated my game and cares about the future of every athlete she works with. Mel gives her full attention towards her athletes and never fails to disappoint. Mel has excelled my game for the better, and I recommend working with her to improve yours.”
Kristýna Kaltounková - Colgate University
“Working with Mel on my mental and hockey game has been significantly beneficial. Our work has been characterized by a dedication to identifying and leveraging my strengths which helped me build more confidence and strength on the ice. We also focused on areas that need improvement, especially when it comes to my mental game. I have never worked with anyone on the mental side of the game before working with Mel and I can already see a huge difference. Mentality makes about 90% of everyone’s performance, it’s so important. I am more composed, and I quickly find appropriate solutions to different situations that come at me. Self-discovery and self-reflection have become practices that I utilize often. Simply put, our collaboration extends far beyond the physical performance. It has been a journey of evolution when it comes to my mental game. It’s also been a journey of empowerment and support. This is what Mel does, she’s a huge supporter and over the time of our work together, she has learned to know me and my needs and always knows what to say to get me back at my best.”
Awards since working with Empower Hockey
Battle at the Burgh All-Tournament Team - 2023
ECAC Hockey Third Team - 2022-23
Third Team All-USCHO - 2022-23
ECAC Hockey Tournament MVP - 2022
ECAC Hockey Second Team All-League - 2022
Third Team All-USCHO - 2022
Rachel Llanes - Kunlun Redstar
“Imagine falling in love with the development process because you have a coach who can actually communicate effectively and get the most out of you by teaching you how to learn before coaching you at all. That's what Mel does and she does it better than anyone.”
Awards since working with Empower Hockey
CWHL All Star - 2018-2019
WHL All Star - 2019-2020
2nd in WHL league Points/Scoring - 2019-2020
WHL league leader in plus/minus - 2019-2020
WHL Champion - 2019-2020
Olympian - 2022
Sarah Potomak - PWHPA, University of Minnesota,
Team Canada
“Mel did not have just a small part in my journey, she had a HUGE part. She will ALWAYS be one of my favourite coaches, she was what it meant to give your heart to your players and to the game. Her care and passion were contagious and something I have taken into my college career and practice in the classroom.”
Awards since working with Empower Hockey
Top Forward, IIHF World Women's U18 Championship - 2015
Most Valuable Player, IIHF World Women's U18 Championship - 2015
Media All-Star Team, IIHF World Women's U18 Championship - 2015
National Rookie of the Year - 2015-2016
USCHO Rookie of the Year - 2015-2016
WCHA Rookie of the Year - 2015-2016
All-WCHA Third Team - 2015-2016/2019-2020
All-USCHO Rookie Team - 2015-2016
WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year - 2015-2016
NCAA National Champion - 2015-2016
Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist - 2016-2017
All-WCHA Second Team - 2016-2017
All-USCHO Third Team - 2016-2017
WCHA All-Academic - 2016-2017/2018-2019/2019-2020
Academic All-Big Ten honoree - 2016-2017/2018-2019/2019-2020
Malia Schneider - PWHL Ottawa, Colgate University
Team Canada U18/U22
“Working together nearly daily, Mel has helped me improve my skills on and off the ice with paying close attention to personal play details and mental awareness. Mel has pushed me beyond my physical habits and has changed my mental mindset. She has taught me to always ask ‘why’. This has helped me beyond words. By asking why you find a deeper purpose and understanding which only adds another level of depth and connection to what you are doing. Mel has taken my game beyond a level I could imagine and has most definitely helped me to become the high-level hockey player and person I am today.”
Awards since working with Empower Hockey
Colgate Hockey Core Values Award - 2020-21
Colgate Hockey Rookie of the Year – 2017-18
2020 Raider Academic Honor Roll
2021 ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team
Taylor Girard - PWHL Boston, Quinnipiac
“Coach Mel has helped me to develop in so many ways - starting with my shot accuracy and deceptiveness. I worked with her through my college years and what she taught me helped me get to the position I am in now. She takes the time to understand you as a player and shows you step by step how to get better. If you want to gain knowledge, excel your game and have fun while doing it coach Mel is your lady”
Awards since working with Empower Hockey
1st Overall Draft pick PHF - 2021
First team All-CHA - 2017-18
Bianca Cuevas - Philippine National Team
“Mel totally changed how I approach the game of hockey. She tends to focus on the little details that nobody pays attention to which actually makes a huge difference in my game. One small change in a particular movement creates a domino effect and increasingly improves all aspects of that certain skill. Every single thing she teaches me blows my mind because of how simple and efficient she makes hockey to be.”
Shannon Morris-Reade - Lindenwood
“Mel Jue has been my coach and hockey mentor for many years, from my early development to college. She has set in motion multiple opportunities for young players and coaches such as myself to grow through sport in BC and all over North America. Her passion for the game is contagious. Through her training, she has taught me the value of being a student of the game and never stopping learning. Mel helps develop players’ skills and physical abilities, but she also inspires passion. She demands players to always practice and play with purpose and meaning. She offers a new approach to skill development that stimulates lifelong learners. This mentality not only helps to create next-level athletes but has spread into an amazing culture of players. Her excitement for the game of hockey and for everyone she coaches has opened many doors for people such as myself to succeed.”
Awards since working with Empower Hockey
CHA All-Rookie Team - 2015-2016
Ally Larson - Lindenwood
“Mel is very good at adapting her teaching to the learning style of the player. When a player is having trouble learning a skill, understanding a topic or drill, she watches the player with intention, and actively listens in order to understand the disconnect. Hockey is more than just reps, it is about understanding the 'how' and 'why', Mel is more than surface level hockey; she wants players to perform the skill, but she wants them to understand why they are doing it. Mel’s coaching is what enabled me to excel and ultimately gain a full ride scholarship to a NCAA Division 1 Women’s Ice Hockey Program”
Karly Heffernan - Harvard, Team Canada U18/U22
“In all fifteen years of my hockey career, Melanie’s knowledge and support through her coaching has and continues to be the largest impact on my career both academically and athletically. She not only knows the IQ aspects of the game but she also takes great pride in the mental and off ice importance of developing a great player and program. She specializes in developing players on and off the ice and her positive coaching style helped prepare me for what to expect and how to handle freshmen year at university.”
Carla Goodwin - Lindenwood
“I would not be where I am or who I am without Mel. I owe all my hockey success to her, she made me the player I am and not only taught me how to be a great teammate and player but how to enjoy life and be a better person all around.”
Carmen Hänggi - Swiss National Team U18 (hockey), Swiss National Team (body building)
"I moved away from home at the age of sixteen, to another country. I had to adapt to the way of playing alongside the culture and language at a very young age. Mel was to me a lot more than a coach but has had a lasting impact on how I carry myself as a person. I had learned, what it means to be a professional and even though I had to finish my career as a hockey player due to an injury, I still harvest from the time I had spent back in Canada even in my professional career today."
Danielle Imperial - Philippine National Team
“Mel makes sure that I understand why everything is done, why every decision is made and why every single thing will make me more effective. I've changed so many things in my game not because she told me to "just do this", but because she explained how it would help me. She inspired me to feel my potential with every step we took in the process. She made me want to relearn everything and more, be more critical and more intentional. I've changed my grip, glide, shot and every other movement. Video sessions are no less mind blowing than her skill sessions. It's one thing that she teaches me so many things and another entirely that she makes me believe I have more to give than I think.”
BJ Imperial - Philippine National Team (Men)
“In one of my first sessions with Mel we talked about how to improve my shot. I asked if I should focus on the power or accuracy of each shot, and she told me that the first thing I should focus on was efficiency. Being efficient wasn’t about being the strongest or fastest on the ice, it was about doing things in such a way that that I could beat guys who are stronger and faster than I was. For the rest of that session we talked about adjusting my grip on the stick depending on where I was shooting from and how I wanted the shot to come out. I only ever had one grip on the stick before that day. The Devil’s in the details, and Mel’s got his number on speed dial.”
Naomi T. - U15 Vancouver Angels
“I found the method Empower Hockey explained ways to score useful because I often find myself questioning what to do when in difficult scoring scenarios. This session helped me to understand how to evaluate my options. It demonstrated HOW to score instead of just giving me skills. We practiced repeatedly with a goalie to learn new techniques and plays until it was clear to me. I found this unique because I learned how to score from different perspectives and how I can read a goalie to my advantage to be a more effective player”
Danika Lefebvre - U15
Coach Mel is an amazing coach. Unlike so many of my other coaches, she’s taught me skills that help me on and off the ice. Coach Mel has not just helped me become better at ice hockey, but at every sport I play. Whether I’m on my own or in a session with others, I’m always excited to see what I’ll learn and take away that day. She works with me to understand what I’m struggling with and/or improve what I thought I was doing well. I love learning from Coach Mel because no matter who you are, what your skill level is, and what you play, she’ll help you level up your game!
Allie Lawlor - U18
Coach Mel has taught me so much in such a short time - high impact. She is an engaging role model for me both on and off the ice. Mel takes the time to break down every new skill, building them on top of each other, and explaining how it all works together in a game time situation. She has implemented small changes into my shot that has improved its speed and accuracy tremendously. Mel continues to develop my game daily, and having the opportunity to watch and learn from her is very beneficial for all serious players.
Karen Chan - Adult
I listened to an InGoal podcast that happened to feature Kimberly Newell. I was enthralled as I listened to her Olympic experience and her passion for goaltending. She happened to mention her Empower Hockey program for girls and how there's a real lack of development programs for girls specifically in hockey. It made me think of my own experiences as a woman who plays beer league and "learned" as an adult where I basically was figuring it all out on my own.
I'm always looking at ways to improve my ability on the ice so I decided to reach out by email and see what opportunities there might be for me to learn. This was in the late summer of 2022. Kimberly was kind enough to work with me for some private sessions. Her patience to try and break down the 18 years of no training was fantastic. She was so kind to me and willing to explain the reasons behind the new fundamentals she was teaching that it made everything approachable. It also had an immediate effect on my game when league started up again.
When Spring 2023 came around, I engaged Kimberly again for a single session to reinforce what we had worked on previously and make sure I hadn't added any new bad habits over the season. This time, I brought my own shooters. Not only did Kimberly and I work together, but she also spent time with my friends helping them improve their own player skills. All in the service of making us all better.
At the end of this session I asked if there were any opportunities for an adult camp in the summer because I know plenty of motivated beer leaguer adult women who want to improve. What I love about this is it was maybe a 5 minute conversation that Kimberly ran with, checked with Mel, and in a couple of days had a camp idea up and running and I think we pretty much filled the roster of players within a week! Both Mel and Kimberly's passion for the game, for teaching, and for having a laugh is infectious. I have learned so much from Kimberly already and I can't wait to keep learning with her and Empower Hockey.
“Your camps were fantastic - with the falcons and the summer program. My daughter made the A1 team in the fall and empower was a huge contributor towards this. Thank you to the whole empower team for all your wonderful training!”
Joe S. - Surrey Falcons U15 Parent
“I am super impressed with the level of instruction at empower hockey! I first met Coach Mel when she was teaching development for the Vancouver Angels Rep hockey team. Right away you could tell how much passion she has for teaching the kids, and how she is committed to making them better. Perhaps what sets her most apart from some other coaches is her focus on making sure the kids learn mechanics the proper way, rather than just repeating a drill over and over again. Both my daughters have responded very well to her approach, and we will certainly participate in her programs again!”
Krista S. - Vancouver Angels U15 Parent
“Many programs will use "high performance" and "elite" in the name of their training program. Often the program is more about cardiovascular work and agility training. Players walk off the ice exhausted and this is considered to be "high performance" and "elite". Empower Hockey is different. It is the only program coached by pro female athletes, teaching skills to bring each player to their next level. As the name describes their program, it is about empowering each player to be their own personal best.”
Lloyd H. - Richmond Ravens U15 Parent
“I met Mel Jue early on in her coaching career, as the Mom of two girls who aspired to high level hockey.
With very few female role models in our association at the time, it felt like hitting the jackpot to find such an elite player with a true gift and a passion for coaching young women in the sport she loves.
I can say with confidence that Mel cares deeply about her students - she is a natural mentor and a highly intuitive coach with a rare talent for meeting girls where they are and bringing out the very best in them. I was so impressed with how she integrated the technical, physical, mental and emotional aspects of the game into a tailored approach that delivered real results and was also somehow fun!
The bottom line - I will always be grateful to Mel for her influence on my daughters in hockey, and in life - they are better players and people for having known her.”
Leslie B. - Richmond Ravens U15 Parent