Make a Difference. Be a Coach.
Are you passionate about volleyball and shaping the next generation of athletes? Do you have experience coaching youth teams and fostering a love for the sport? If so, we want you to be a part of our team!
About Us
Established in 2001, Durham Rebels Volleyball Club is a vibrant and dedicated youth volleyball club committed to providing a positive and enriching experience for young athletes. Our program emphasizes skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship, creating a supportive environment where players can thrive both on and off the court. We offer competitive and developmental programs for female athletes from grades 4-12.
About the Role(s)
We are currently seeking Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches to lead our 2024/25 competitive and development programs.
Responsibilities:
- Lead and instruct youth volleyball teams in practices and games.
- Develop and implement age-appropriate training drills and techniques.
- Foster a positive and inclusive team culture that encourages growth and sportsmanship.
- Provide constructive feedback and guidance to players to help them improve their skills.
- Collaborate with fellow coaches and staff to coordinate schedules, events, and team logistics.
- Serve as a mentor and role model for young athletes, promoting a love for the game and a commitment to excellence.
Head Coach Requirements:
- Prior coaching experience, preferably with youth volleyball teams.
- Strong knowledge of volleyball fundamentals, strategies, and techniques.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to connect with players of all ages and skill levels.
- Positive attitude, patience, and enthusiasm for working with young athletes.
- Reliable and responsible, with a commitment to attending practices, games, and team events.
- Willingness to uphold the values and standards of our program.
Assistant Coach Requirements:
Individuals who do not have the technical experience oulined above are encouraged to submit their interest as an Assistant Coach.
Benefits
- Opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of young athletes.
- Season-end honorarium based on role, tenure, and experience.
- Out of town tournament travel reimbursement.
- Professional development and training opportunities.
- Coach clothing (wait til you see our 2024/25 coach swag!)
- Supportive and collaborative team environment.
How to Apply
Join us in creating an inspiring and rewarding experience for youth players in our community.To apply, please complete our online coach recruitment submission form by the deadline date listed below. We look forward to hearing from you!
6v6 (11U-13U): July 3, 2024
TLS and older (14U-18U): May 15, 2024
High-Performance Training for the Elite Athlete
Our coaching team has a well-deserved reputation of excellence in providing smart, sensible, and comprehensive skill development to some of the best volleyball players in Ontario.
We believe in building positive relationships and each athlete is valued greatly and treated with dignity and respect. Each benefits from the depth and breadth of our expertise. Above all we encourage and foster a fun, safe and energetic environment in which our players learn and grow not only as volleyball players but also as individuals.
Our coaches participate in the National Coaching Certification Program and are encouraged to seek full certification and additional learning. To assist with further learning, DRVC has facilitated Development Coach clinics (up to 16U) and Advanced Coach Development clinics (17U-18U) while working with the Region 4 Officials Chair to assist in the recruitment and certification of OVA referees.
Coaching Staff
Doug Armstrong
Coming soon
Patrick Atkinson
Patrick brings over two decades of volleyball experience as both an athlete, coach, and club executive. Before migrating to Canada Patrick played in Jamaica at the National, Club and University levels. As a setter, Patrick captained his Venus Volleyball Club to a national title and later transitioned to the club’s executive as Vice President. During his time at VVC Patrick worked primarily with the senior men’s team and as a setter skills development trainer while mentoring under several of Jamaica’s national level coaches including Owen Leslie, Dave Jack and Orthnel Findlay. Patrick played in Canada with the Sheridan Bruins and believes in building solid foundations during practice sessions that translate to being match-ready.
Ted Biglow
Ted is a former varsity athlete who played for the University of Western Ontario men’s team. His calm, encouraging, and positive presence have benefited many of our athletes over the years. Ted has been coaching with Rebels since 2018
Jason Buera
Jason is a former varsity athlete who played all 4 years of high school volleyball. He has passion for fundamentals and coaching grassroots volleyball skills. Jason’s attention to detail along with his supportive and positive attitude will prove to be beneficial to athletes starting their volleyball journey.
Sandra Burian
Sandra is a former Rebels athlete who has been coaching alongside Steve Graham for many years. After having Steve as her head coach for two years, Sandra’s passion for coaching was ignited and she went under his mentorship as an assistant coach following her club career. During her club years, Sandra was a setter but her versatility as an outside and right side hitter was an asset to her club team. She is a great mentor for younger athletes who is now a primary/junior teacher with the DDSB
Courtney Burnett-Huinink
Coming soon
Shane Christopher
Shane has 25+ years of club and OCAA coaching experience and has spent the past 4 years developing our Rebels junior athletes. Prior to his most recent role as Head Coach of the Seneca Sting women’s volleyball team, Shane spent 10 years with the Durham College women’s team where he earned OCAA Coach of the Year honours in 2013 as Head Coach. As an Assistant Coach with the Lords, Shane mentored under the great and legendary Stan Marchut. Athletes joining Shane’s team can be assured they will be develop great game IQ, strong fundamentals, and high quality tactical training.
Trong Chung
Trong is a Certified Development Coach and Trained ADC. He started with our boys program back in 2017 where he remained until taking a 2 year hiatus at the end of the 2021/2022 season. Trong has been an educator with the Toronto District School Board since1999 where he has coached multiple school teams including basketball, volleyball, soccer, and track and field. In the school system, Trong is responsible for overseeing the TDSB’s summer camps and working with Youth at Risk. He has a passion for helping youth strive to accomplish their goals and to become accomplished and productive young adults. At the club level, Trong has coached baseball, basketball and volleyball. Trong is committed to fostering a supportive and empowering environment that focuses on developing an athlete’s leadership, technical skills, and overall confidence
Megan Davies
Coming soon
Ryan Delaney
Coming soon
Laura Duncan
This 6’2″ Right Side hitter is a former Rebels athlete who went on to play post-secondary volleyball with the University of Guelph Gryphons. As a Rebel, Laura was a member of the 2011, 2012 National Championship team that reigned the volleyball circuit for many years.
Emily Dyment
Emily is a former Rebels athlete who recently returned from Garner-Webb University in North Carolina where she played on a lacrosse scholarship. While at Garner-Webb, Emily was inducted into the Alpha Chi Society which is a National College Honor’s Society for student’s in the top 5% of their class. Emily is a CanFit Pro Certified Personal Trainer Specialist, holds an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and now works as a DDSB high school teacher.
Monica Dyment
We are excited to have Monica Dyment return as our Mental Conditioning coach. Monica holds extensive training in sport psychology and sports nutrition and will hold monthly in-class sessions with our senior girls (15U and older) team with topics such as nutrition, mental preparedness, athlete self-care, and more. She is a great motivator who has a caring, but no excuses, attitude and has been a great asset to our teams in the past.
Rob Dyment
Rob has decades of volleyball coaching experience including OCAA experience as an assistant coach with Seneca Sting. Rob has coached our girls’ teams from 12U right through to 18U. He might be familiar to our DDSB elementary families as the DEAA Character Athletes Award bears his name and is awarded annually to a student who exemplifies character, a passion for sport, and outstanding sportsmanship. Rob brings great fun and intensity to the game and his contagious enthusiasm goes unmatched.
Ashley Forgie
Ashley is a former Rebels athlete who graduated from the University of Ottawa before pursuing a post-graduate degree in Public Relations. Ashley started playing at 12U and was a member of the 14U Provincial and National Championship team and our 17U D2 National Championship team. As a junior athlete, Ashley played on her school’s senior girls team where she was the starting setter helping her team to 3 LOSSA championship titles along with two trips to OFSAA. In her senior club years, Ashley doubled as a Libero and continues to play the game in various adult leagues.
Lisa Formosa
Coach Lisa is no stranger to Durham Rebels having had two daughters play with our Club. Lisa began coaching elementary school teams in 2015 and joined the competitive coaching world in 2019 as both an assistant and head coach to Division 1 teams. Her coaching philosophy includes individual and team goal setting, emphasizing the importance of focus and resilience. Lisa believes that always keeping things positive in sport is integral to building self-confidence on and off the court. She is passionate about mentoring young women and is devoted to helping develop strong athletes.
Steve Graham
Steve is a former basketball and volleyball player who was a setter for the Antigua and Barbuda National Men’s Volleyball team and captained the Under 19 Men’s team before expanding his roles to include right side and outside hitters. Steve remained with the National team for over a decade and shared his volleyball knowledge as head coach and founder of the local men’s and women’s high school volleyball teams and assistant coach to the Antigua and Barbuda Female National Team. Steve is a FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball) certified Level 1 coach and referee and Certified Development Coach. Athlete’s love Steve’s calm and knowledgeable approach and his authentic love of the sport and helping younger players excel. Steve also runs a private training program, Dadli Training, that is well subscribed to by senior and post-secondary volleyball athletes.
Cassandra Hann
Coming soon
Elicia Hannah
This Michigan-born athlete played high school volleyball with Dunes Club Volleyball Club in Indiana and continued on to play two years of NCAA volleyball and one year of NAIA. Elicia is a multi-sport athlete who also played softball in high school and at the collegiate level. Elicia is a teacher and children’s director in a Durham church. The Hannah family has been coaching with the DRVC family since 2016 in both our rep and development programs and Elicia is excited to share her love of volleyball and technical strengths with our athletes.
Greg Hannah
Families in our Learn to Play Volleyball program will recognize Greg as one of the Friday night program coaches for at our Whitby location. He is an educator with the DDSB who has coached elementary school volleyball for the past 20 years. Coach Greg played volleyball throughout elementary and high school before pursuing baseball at the collegiate level in the United States. He looks forward to helping our youngest boys develop their athleticism and volleyball skills to become more competitive as the season progresses.
Natasha Jakovljevic (McMann)
Natasha played for the Durham Lord women’s volleyball team from 2009-2014. This 6′ middle earned many accolades during her high school and post-secondary years. Natasha joined our club in 2022 where she was part of the Empire coaching staff. Natasha has two young children and works as a nurse.
Lucia Kalmeyer
Lucia is a former Durham Rebels athlete who went on to play middle blocker with Grand Rapids College and Durham College. This 6’1 athlete won two National Championship titles in her final years with DRVC and went on to earn multiple Regional and Conference titles with her GRC Raiders team. Lucia was an assistant coach with the Team Ontario Regional program where her 14U girls’ team won the gold medal in the Regional Cup.
Brandon Khan
Brandon has been coaching with Durham Rebels since 2008 coaching all age groups right up to 18U. He has coached with the DDSB for over 20 years at the elementary level and run our Learn to Play Volleyball program and lead coach at our summer camps.
Paul Koot
Coach Koot is that coach who leaves a positive, lifelong impact on players. If you’re ever at S.A. Cawker Public school, the name above the gym doors, ‘Koot Lane’, speaks volumes about the respect and admiration this retired DDSB physical education teacher has earned from his colleagues and young athletes. Coach Paul is one of the founders of Durham Rebels Volleyball Club and an advanced development coach. Players who want to excel at the sport choose to play for Paul because they know his technical instruction and game knowledge will give them the tools to become the best volleyball player possible. This season, you will find many of his 2020 and 2021 graduates playing post-secondary volleyball in both Canada and the United States. During his years as an elementary school coach, coach Paul’s volleyball teams earned 27 DEAA championship titles and earned the reputation as ‘the ones to beat’. Coach Paul has coached both Ontario Provincial Champions and National Silver medalist teams and is a four-time recipient of the George MacFarlane Sportsmanship Award. Paul is the Program Director of our summer volleyball camp and Learn to Play Volleyball programs.
Vanessa Koot
Vanessa is another Durham Rebels alumna, having played with the club for several years. She fell in love with the game at a young age while following her dad to tournaments when she was just a toddler. Vanessa took a hiatus from the sport to pursue her education, but found herself back helping with the club after graduation. Since then, Vanessa has travelled around the world, but always finds herself back in the gym coaching with the Club. Vanessa recently obtained her social service worker and mental health and addictions dual diploma.
Lisa Langley
Lisa has been coaching and teaching in Durham elementary schools for 20 years. She is an in-training development coach and has been coaching with our club since 2014. Lisa is a lifelong volleyball player and enthusiast and looks forward to helping each player build her confidence, understanding of the game, and appreciating the value she brings to her team.
François Marfo
François grew up playing club volleyball and is a former York Lions Men’s Volleyball athlete where he played as a Libero and Defensive Specialist. Following his playing career he was looking for ways to stay involved in the game and took the opportunity to coach with Scarborough Synergy where he coached the 16U and 17U girls age groups. More recently he coached with the Seneca Men’s Volleyball team as an assistant coach and coached with the Team Ontario program for 4 years. François has a passion for helping athletes develop a love for the game and grow as individuals. He is a teacher with the Toronto District School Board and looks forward to bringing his knowledge and enthusiasm to the Durham Rebels Volleyball Club.
Krystle Martin
Coming soon
Reese McCutcheon
Reese began playing volleyball at 12 years of age with Durham Rebels and competed as left-side and right-side hitter, and defensive specialist with Division 1 teams throughout her rep career. As a new coach, she brings strong technical and tactical experience. Reese loves the game of volleyball and enjoys working with young athletes to teach sportsmanship and the value of teamwork.
Devon Morris
Devon played multiple varsity sports in his youth, but volleyball was his first love. As a club player, Devon captained his Scarborough Titans team during his OVA career as a setter and right-side hitter. Devon was thrilled when his daughter chose to take up the sport and his love for the game was re-ignited as he was able to to share his skills and knowledge with Sydney throughout her club and post-secondary playing career. Devon has been actively engaged in expanding his coaching knowledge and experience taking part in multiple learning opportunities while mentoring under Rebels coach, Steve Graham. Devon assisted the 12U Falcons last year and is ready to take the lead as a head coach this season. He is passionate about building solid fundamentals and ensuring a positive development for young athletes
Sydney Morris
Sydney began playing volleyball in 15U, where she started as a Middle Blocker then transitioned to a RS/OH in 17U. Throughout her club career her most memorable moment was becoming a 2019 18U National Championship alongside her graduating teammates. Sydney then went on to continue her education in the United States, where she earned a full scholarship as an NCAA D1 volleyball athlete at Maryland Easter Shore (UMES). While at UMES, Sydney was inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi which is a national academic society for students in the top 10% of their class. Sydney spent her summer months coaching young girls in the school’s summer volleyball camps that attracted quality athletes from around the state. Sydney recently completed her degree in Exercise Science and has aspirations of becoming a Physical Therapist.
Tess Newey
Tess grew up playing club volleyball with the Ganaraska Wolves and finished off her 18U year with the Northumberland Breakers. Tess’s post-secondary volleyball career started with two years at Canadore College, followed two years with the Brock University Badgers, and her fifth and final year with Durham College. Tess’s coaching experience includes the Clarington Grizzlies (15U & 18U teams) as well what might be the highlight of her coaching career (thus far) when she had the honour to be an assistant coach with Kourtney Cyr and Matt Issacs for the 2016 Summer Games team. In 2018, Tess was chosen to take part in the Women in Sport Apprenticeship Program at Durham College, where she was mentored by Head Coach Tony Clarke. From 2015-2019 Tess coached both the girls and boys volleyball teams at Courtice Intermediate School.
Phil Ovsenek
Coming soon
Sankavy (Sanka) Premakumar
Coming soon
Abbigail Prins
Abbigail is former Rebels athlete whose post-secondary career includes playing with the Nipissing Lakers before having it cut short with a career-ending concussion. Abbi has been coaching with our Club for several years in both our recreational and competitive team programs and is excited to instill her knowledge and love of the game in young athletes.
Mackenzie Prins
After wrapping up three seasons as an assistant coach under the tenure of Paul Koot, Mackenzie took the reins in 2021 as a head coach with our senior teams. Mack is a former Durham Rebels athlete playing with us from 13U right through to 18U then continuing on to Humber College where, as a 6’0 outside hitter, she had the opportunity to play in two National championship tournaments with the powerhouse Hawks team. Mackenzie was also a member of the Team Ontario Beach program. Upon returning to the Durham area Mackenzie assisted at our summer camps then transitioned into our competitive and grass roots programming.
Scott Prins
Scott is a Certified Development Coach and an Advanced Development Coach in training. He has been a part of the Durham Rebels volleyball family for many years starting out as a volleyball dad when both of his daughters, Mackenzie and Abbigail, played for the club with each going on to play volleyball at the post-secondary level. Scott has been a Durham Rebels coach since 2011 with coaching experience from 13U through 16U.
Scott Senft
Scott has been an elementary school teacher for over 25 years and teaching who has run a successful school volleyball program for almost as long. Scott is a Certified Development Coach and a Trained Advanced Development Coach. He has been coaching with our club since 2017 club and in 2019 he led our 12U Crush team to the Ontario Provincial Championship Division 1 title after completing an undefeated season in 12U competitions.
Jennifer Shafinia
Coming soon
Deb Stevenson
Coach Deb is a former physical education and science teacher who has coached volleyball at the high school level for 30 years and over 10 years at the club level. Coach Deb coached the 15U Provincial gold medalists and the 14U National gold medalists. She is a certified development coach, trained advanced development coach, and certified fitness instructor.
Jeannette Tranter-Weisshaupt
Coming soon.
Kari-Lea Wiche
Coming soon.