Our Team
We believe culture is the most imporant aspect of building a winning team. We focus on building our own team with the type of people who live by the values we wish to instill in our athletes - effort & intensity, attitude & respect, and passion & leadership - above all, doing thing for the right reasons.
Our Coaches have played at and have been leaders in the highest levels of Junior and College hockey in North America. We offer the best programs as a results of these experiences.
Whitney Olsen
Head of Hockey Operations & Co-Founder
Whitney hails from Minnesota, USA where he played in the top division of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHL Class AA), earning All-Conference and All-State Honorable Mention honors, while additionally competing in the Upper Midwest HS Elite League Hockey, and representing his district in the USA Hockey Select Festival. He then went on to play for the New England Junior Huskies in the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL, now USPHL) before signing with American International College (NCAA Division I). After a four-year playing career in the Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA), competing against several past and current NHL Players, Whitney moved to Hong Kong and has coached with multiple clubs over the past 10 years.
Fiona Chow
Chief Operations Officer
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Fiona oversees the business operations and communications at EAST and brings over 10 years of experience managing all things Hockey related in Asia. Her previous roles include positions such as General Manager, Regional Manager, Chief Operations Officer, Event Manager, and Business Development with organizations like the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Harbour Times, and CHG. She also links us closer to the founding country of our sport and the Canadian community via her position as the Vice President of the Canadian Club in Hong Kong.
Ben MacAskill
Director & Co-Founder
Ben grew up playing hockey in Nova Scotia, Canada, and has played for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and the Dalhousie Tigers of the CIS / U-Sports. Ben was drafted in the 1st round of the QMJHL entry draft in 2005. He represented Canada internationally, suiting up for Team Atlantic in the World U17 tournament, as well as attended camp for Team Canada U18. He was invited to a pro camp with the Montreal Canadiens East Coast League affiliate. Ben has extensive education and coaching background, completing his Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Kinesiology at Dalhousie University, and coaching in both Canada and Hong Kong for over 15 years.
Rhett Willcox
Head Coach & Player Development Coordinator
A Surrey, British Columbia, Canada native, Rhett joins the EAST coaching staff full-time in August 2025. Rhett played for multiple teams in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) after being drafted in the 1st round of the BCHL affiliate player draft, before signing with the Royal Military College (USports) hockey program. Rhett was also drafted by the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL draft. Rhett has many years of experience coaching, including in Hong Kong. Rhett's own Hockey IQ, passion for the game and for developing players makes him an invaluable asset to the team.
Jeff Ceccacci
Consultant & Summer Program Director
A highly experienced youth hockey coach based in Anaheim, California, USA with strong affiliations to the NHL Anaheim Ducks franchise and the Irvine ICE Foundation. He previously served as the Head Coach of the Junior Tigers and currently holds multiple coaching positions, including Head Coach of the U9 Jr Ducks and Lady Ducks teams, as well as Assistant Coach for the U12 AAA Girls, U12 AAA Boys, U12 A Girls, and U12 AA Boys teams.
Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Communication from American International College, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. During his collegiate career, he competed at the NCAA Division I level in the Atlantic Hockey Association, demonstrating his commitment to excellence both on and off the ice
Jesse Lussier
Senior Coach & Player Development Consultant
Jesse Lussier, hailing from Petawawa, Ontario, Canada, and played three seasons in the Central Canadian Hockey League (CCHL), where he honed his skills and showcased his potential. Following his success in the CCHL, Jesse spent two years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Halifax Mooseheads. During this time, he had the privilege of playing alongside several future NHL stars, including Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, Jonathan Drouin, and Nikolaj Ehlers, further enriching his experience in competitive hockey. After his junior career, Jesse took his talents to the collegiate level, playing for five years in U Sports with Dalhousie University.
Currently, Jesse resides in Hong Kong, where he has transitioned into a professional career at Goldman Sachs. Despite his corporate responsibilities, he remains deeply connected to the sport he loves. In his spare time, Jesse coaches and consults with EAST, sharing his insights and experiences with the next generation of hockey players. His commitment to the game, combined with his diverse experiences, makes him a valuable mentor in the hockey community.
David Belluche
Senior Coach & Player Development Consultant
David Belluche, originally from Andover, Massachusetts, USA, carved out his hockey career on the East Coast. He showcased his leadership skills by captaining the esteemed Philips Andover Academy team before moving on to compete at the NCAA level with Middlebury College.
After his collegiate career, Dave made the journey to Hong Kong, where he currently works for Macquarie Capital. Despite his professional commitments, he remains dedicated to the sport by coaching and supporting youth players at EAST in his free time.
Standing out as a big, skilled defenseman, Dave has transitioned seamlessly into coaching. His extensive experience at the collegiate level, combined with his deep hockey knowledge, makes him an invaluable asset to the team, inspiring young athletes to reach their potential on and off the ice.
Lucas Eshleman
Senior Coach & Player Development Consultant
Lucas grew up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where he played Midget AAA for the Calgary Northstars (AEHL) before playing Junior in Nova Scotia for the Pictou County Scotians (NSJHL) while attending St Francis Xavier University. Lucas has a wealth of coaching experience, having coached Peewee Division 1 for the Glenlake Hawks and for the Okanagan Hockey School. Lucas has coached for multiple hockey organizations in Hong Kong including the Hong Kong Ice Hockey Youth National team. Lucas moved to Hong Kong in 2015 and works in finance outside of the rink.
Jennifer MacAskill
Player Development & Coaching Consultant
Jennifer, a product of Nova Scotia, Canada, completed her fifth season as head women's ice hockey coach at Manhattanville in 2025. MacAskill previously served as the program's top assistant coach from 2018 to 2020.
MacAskill played four years of Division I women’s hockey at Mercyhurst University from 2014-18, serving as team captain in her senior season. She helped the Lakers to two College Hockey America (CHA) conference championships as well as two NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey Championship Tournament appearances during her sophomore and senior seasons. She then went on to play with the Worcester Blades in the CWHL afrter being drafted in the 6th round in 2018.
Prior to Mercyhurst, MacAskill played at Appleby College in Oakville, Ontario, and with the Oakville Hornets in the OWHA.
MacAskill earned her Bachelor’s in Public Health and a Minor in Psychology from Mercyhurst in 2018. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Sports Business Management at Manhattanville in 2020.