World-class skills coach to extend and enhance PHA’s focus on individual student-athlete growth and development

Purcell Collegiate School (PCS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Valeriia (Val) Manchak-Jensen to the position of Academy Director with Purcell Hockey Academy (PHA).

Val’s previous positions with PHA include Head Coach, 19U Girls’ Prep during the 2024-25 season and Director of Player Development/Head Skills Coach for the first half of the 2025-26 season. Val will continue to act as PHA’s Head Skills Coach in her new role which will see her oversee all aspects of the hockey academy’s programming and operations.

Val brings a structured, evidence-based approach to player development, emphasizing skating mechanics, speed development, conditioning, and movement efficiency. She places a high value on setting clear expectations, individualized development pathways, and fostering a competitive yet supportive culture that prepares athletes for next-level opportunities at top colleges and with national team programs.

In her new leadership role, Val will work closely with Purcell Hockey Academy GM, Al Wozney, and the PHA coaching staff to align standards, improve communication, and ensure consistency across on- and off-ice training and individual performance planning.

Val’s background is diverse and significant. She is an elite multi-sport athlete with an extensive background in competitive athletics.

Off the ice, she is a former world boxing cup champion and world karate champion. On the ice, she is an IIHF world hockey champion (Div. III, Group A) and the first Ukrainian athlete to play professional hockey in the United States. As a collegiate hockey player, Val was named an ACHA All-American and won a National Championship with Liberty University.

She has also been named Most Valuable Player at the IIHF World Championships in each of the past two years (Div. III, Group A and Div. II, Group B) and served as a team captain for the Ukrainian national team, demonstrating leadership and performance on the global stage.

As a coach, Val is known for her direct, honest feedback style, strong work ethic, and commitment to raising program standards while prioritizing athlete growth, resilience, and accountability. Her philosophy centers on developing complete student-athletes (physically, psychologically, and academically) by combining high expectations for education, structure, and consistent follow-through with a strong focus on long-term growth and development.

She specializes in bridging on-ice skill development with off-ice physical preparation to help student-athletes reach their full potential in preparation for the rigours of college hockey and university life.

For more information on Val including insightful videos of her on-ice skills training, find her on Instagram at @infinite_edge_and_power_78 and at @purcellhockey.

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