Three local athletes are hoping to reach the national stage.

Jocelyn Wynnk of March Lake, Tamara Greek of Whitehorse and Dana van Vliet of Haines Junction have been selected to compete at the 2012 Female Under 18 B.C. Cup.

The B.C. Cup is the second step of a seven-step program to play on the national team.

The five-team tournament will be taking place in Invermere, B.C. from April 25-29 and will feature the top female players from around the province.

The players were selected for the tournament based in their performances in zone camps, exhibitions that took place throughout B.C. that tested the player's strengths and abilities.

One hundred players have been selected for the B.C. Cup and 47 will move forward into the next step of the program that will eventually form Team B.C.

Team B.C. will compete in the 2012 National U18 Championship.

Greek said she's looking forward to getting into the action and seeing how she stacks up against the competition.

She just wrapped up a strong season, lacing up for the Midget B Mustangs, her first season with the team and her fourth year playing hockey.

She was also a member of the bronze-medal winning junior female Arctic Winter Games hockey team.

"It's been a pretty good season,” she said.

"Getting to play in a new environment and my first season with full contact hockey has been a good experience, and the Arctic Winter Games were a lot of fun.”

Greek said the transition onto the Mustangs team came easier than expected.

"Learning to play contact just comes naturally,” she said.

"It really wasn't anything I had to adjust too.”

She said her experience playing on the Mustangs helped prepare for the Arctic Winter Games.

"The pace was a lot slower in the Arctic's than I expected,” she said.

"But the puck was moved more and it was blast to get to know everyone and meet all these people from different countries.”

Greek said the strengths of her game are here ability to move the puck and be a reliable presence on the defensive end.

She also said she's improved her shot and on-the-ice recognition.

"I know how the plays are going to unfold now,” she said.

Despite her accomplishments she said she's nervous heading into the tournament.

"Coming from the North we didn't have too many people trying out and with the other players coming from all over B.C. it was a lot harder for them to make this cut,” she said.

"So I'm nervous about not knowing everyone else's skill level. It's only my fourth year playing and some of the girls have been playing for 10 or more years so they have more experience.

"Up here I'm not scared of the skill level because I know have the skill and the potential to make it and I can push myself hard enough to step up. I'm just nervous about the off ice stuff.

"This year we didn't do any dry land stuff and the girls down there worked out every single day.”

Greek is hoping to compensate by implementing her own training program of running and working out at home.

"I've been working really hard to make it and I'm really nervous but I'm going to give it my all and hopefully I'll be able to go through,” she said.

van Vliet was also a member of the AWG team, her second year in the Games after winning the silver medal at the 2010 Games.

This will also be her second year competing in the B.C. Cup.

"Last year I had no idea what it was going to be like so I'm glad I'm a little more prepared this time around,” she said.

"I've been working on my shot a lot, I noticed last year I didn't quite have the shot the other girls had.”

Despite her previous experience, van Vliet said she's still nervous with the tournament fast approaching.

"I'm pretty nervous about learning to play with different players,” she said.

"It's a really high-level of hockey but it's still a lot of fun,” said the right-winger.

"I'm excited and nervous at the same time, I'm ready for a good competition and hopefully a lot of fun.”

Her experience at last years tournament was one of the reasons Greek decided to give it a shot.

"Some girls went last year and said they really enjoyed the experience so I thought I'd give it a shot,” she said.

"My big dream is to one day be in the Olympics.

"I just like everything about hockey, it's a great sport and a good way to meet people.”