Coaches – Durham Rebels Volleyball Club

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

Cris Barbulescu

Cris is a former professional volleyball player who played in the National League in Europe (Romania) for 17 years as a setter and right-side hitter. He holds his European National Coaching Certificate and coached junior and senior boys in the men’s league. Cris has been coaching girls’ teams in Canada since 2005 and is a Certified Advanced Development Coach. In 2012, Cris’s team won the 2012 Ontario Provincial Championships and Canadian National Championships. Cris also holds his provincial level Referee certification with Volleyball Canada and the Ontario Volleyball Association. In the summer of 2019, Cris was head coach of the Ontario Volleyball Association’s Regional High Performance 14U boys’ bronze medal team.

Ted Biglow

Coming soon

Sandra Burian

Sandra is a former Rebels athlete who has been coaching alongside Steve Graham for several 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. She is currently studying French and English at the University of Toronto Scarborough. During her club years Sandra was a setter but her versatility as an outside and right side hitter was an asset to any club team. She is a great mentor for younger athletes and upon completion of her degree Sandra plans to go into teaching.

Shane Christopher

We are so excited to have this high caliber coach leading our athletes this season. Shane has close to 25 years of club and OCAA coaching experience. 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 taught strong fundamental skills while learning the important values of being part of a team.

Paul deSousa

Coming soon

Megan Davies

Coming soon

Laura Duncan

Coming soon

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 who recently completed her degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science. She is now pursuing her B.Ed. at Ontario Tech University with plans to teach high school sciences in the future.

Monica Dyment

We are excited to have Monica Dyment return as our Strength and Conditioning Coach for this year’s senior teams. Retirement didn’t meant this former DDSB physical education and French teacher was going to slow down. Monica is a certified CAN-FIT-PRO Personal Trainer Specialist and was the Strength and Conditioning coach for the Durham College women’s volleyball team for 4 years, then the Strength and Fitness coach for the Seneca Sting women’s team. Monica holds extensive training in sport psychology and sport nutrition and will incorporate these sessions into each team’s program. 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 returns to the youth volleyball circuit after spending some time as an assistant coach with the Seneca College women’s volleyball team. 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.

Jenn Fletcher

Coming soon.

Ashley Forgie

Ashley is a former Rebels athlete who recently graduated from the University of Ottawa and is returning to support our younger players. Ashley started playing at 12U and was a member of the 14U Provincial and National Championship team and our 17U D2 National Championship team. She is one of three former McLaughlin CVI Trojans joining us this season and part of its girls volleyball dynasty from 2014-2017. As a junior athlete, Ashley played on the 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.

Ryan Gerber

Coming soon

Steve Graham

Steve is a former basketball and volleyball player who grew up on the beautiful island of Antigua and Barbuda where he excelled in both indoor and beach volleyball. He 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 is currently completing his requirements as a 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 that is well subscribed to by senior and post-secondary volleyball athletes.

Scott Handley

After obtaining degrees in Physical Education and Sports Administration from the University of Lethbridge, Scott has spent over 30 years in volleyball and is a certified Advanced Development Coach with Performance Coach technical certification. Scott is a fully certified NCCP Level 2 coach with Level 3 technical certification. He has been coaching club volleyball in the area since 2005 and was our technical director last season. His coaching experience includes:
– Assistant Coach, University of Calgary Women’s Volleyball team;
– 2-time Canada West Conference Champion;
– CIS National Champion; CIS National Championship Finalist
– Head Coach, Team BC, Juvenile Women’s Volleyball team, Western Canada Summer Games
– Technical Director, BC Volleyball Association
– Mission Staff, Technical Director (Volleyball), Canada Summer Games
– Assistant Coach, University of British Columbia, Women’s Volleyball team; 
– 2-time – Canada West Conference Champion
– Head Coach, UBC, Junior Women’s Volleyball team
– Assistant Coach, Western CIAU Women’s High-Performance team
– Head Coach, University of Lethbridge Men’s Volleyball team
– Assistant Coach, Team Alberta, Juvenile Women’s Volleyball team, Canada Summer Games
– Head Coach, University of Lethbridge, Women’s Volleyball

Elicia Hannah

This Michigan-born athlete played high school volleyball with Dune 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 became a teacher who had the good fortune to stay home with her children for 9 years before becoming the children’s director in a Durham church. The Hannah family has been with the DRVC family since 2016 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 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.

Ashley Hart

Ashley started playing club volleyball at 13U and has played middle blocker and right side. Throughout her club career Ashley’s team amassed a wealth of medals but it was the 2012 D1 17U Girls National and Provincial championships titles that stand out the most for Ashley. Her post-secondary volleyball career with Nippissing University was cut short due a family health scare that had Ashley returning to the Durham area to be closer to home. Ashley has coached locally for a number of years and back in 2016 crossed paths with Fury head coach, Michael Hayes. When Mike took over the reins he knew he wanted Ashley by his side to help mentor his female athletes. Ashley has coached 12U-16U and looks forward to mentoring our senior girls.

Michael Hayes

Coach Mike is a former varsity volleyball athlete from Memorial University where he was selected as first team conference All Star and team MPV. After completing his post-secondary playing career, Mike traded his court shoes for a clip board and continued to coach for his alma mater where, at the ripe age of 22 years old, he became the Head Coach of Memorial University’s men program where he remained for 7 years. Under Mike’s guidance the team achieved its best season record and earned four conference final appearances over seven years. Mike was also selected to coach Team Newfoundland and Labrador’s 16U Girls team followed by the 15U Boys team the next year. Mike only left his role to pursue an alternate career in Ontario with his family. He is a certified Advanced Development Coach and with Level 3 technical certification. Mike has been involved on the periphery of grass roots volleyball development in the Durham region for the last 5 years and enjoys teaching the game of volleyball, at any level, to any willing learner and can help an athlete program from early development right through to post-secondary and beyond.

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 2019 OVA Regional High Performance program where her 14U girls’ team won the gold medal in the Regional Cup.

Brandon Khan

Coming soon.

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.

Rebecca Leary

Coming soon

Cassandra Leblanc

Cassandra is an elementary teacher with the TCDSB and has successfully coached numerous students of various ages and skill levels in volleyball, basketball, flag football, soccer, cross country, and track and field. Cassandra is very active in her school board in all aspects of sports, but her love and passion is for the sport of volleyball. She is the Master Convener for the TCDSB and is responsible for organizing volleyball for over 160 schools on a Divisional, Regional, and City level. Cassandra has grown up playing volleyball in elementary and high school and continues to play in both women’s and co-ed leagues. Cassandra has been coaching with our club since 2017 and was part of the coaching staff leading our 12U girls Crush team to their 12U Provincial Championship in 2019.

Jody Logan

Jody Logan has been a teacher with the Durham District School Board for over 20 years teaching full-time physical education for the majority of those years. Coach Jody started out coaching girls volleyball at Sherwood P.S. where he successfully coached his Intermediate Girls’ team to 3-straight DEAA championships and a Provincial Cup championship. Jody continued this success when he moved to Scott Central PS where he coached the boys team to 3-straight DEAA championships. In 2019 Jody moved to Blair Ridge PS where his Intermediate boys finished the season as the DEAA runners-up and his Junior boys won the DEAA championship title. Athletes training with coach Jody can expect high-intensity practices and quality skill development matched with passion for the game and focus on team building.

Chris Manning

Coming soon.

Todd McGilvray

Coming soon.

Pat McGlynn

Pat has been involved in coaching for many years in various sports including volleyball, basketball, and football. He is one of the original coaches with our club and returned in 2017 after taking a hiatus following the birth of his children. Pat is a former varsity volleyball player having played with the Windsor Lancers Men’s Volleyball team where he was co-captain. As a physical education teacher with the Durham District School Board, Pat brings a strong technical background and understanding of what young athletes need to succeed and strives to provide a positive environment for athletes to develop their skills, confidence, and leadership.

Lauren McGuire

Lauren is a former Rebels athlete who recently graduated from Ryerson University’s Professional Communication program. During her time at Ryerson she worked on both the varsity and recreational side of Athletics. Lauren was also involved in the programming of volleyball intramurals while being an active participant! She is one of three former McLaughlin CVI Trojans joining us this season and part of its girls volleyball dynasty from 2014-2017 where she also received graduating female athlete of the year. As an outside hitter, Lauren helped in leading her team to 3 LOSSA championship titles along with two trips to OFSAA. Lauren loves all things sports and plans a career in the sport industry. She continues spending her free time playing the game in various adult leagues.

Phil Ovsenek

Coming soon

Emily Phillips

Emily is a Rebels alumna who is currently attending Fleming College but her passion for the sport has her back in our gym mentoring younger athletes.

Abbigail Prins

Coming soon.

Mackenzie Prins

After wrapping up three seasons as an assistant coach under the tenure of Paul Koot, Mackenzie took the reins as a head coach with our senior teams. Mackenzie is a former Durham Rebel 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. She was also a member of the Team Ontario Beach program. Upon returning to the Durham area Mackenzie assisted at our summer camps then went on to assist in our rep program as well as our Learn to Play Volleyball development program.

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 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 and coaching here in the Durham area for the past 20 years. 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.

Deb Stevenson

Coach Deb is a high school teacher with the DDSB teaching physical education and science. She has coached volleyball at the high school level for almost 30 years and over 10 years at the club level; her past 7 years with Durham Rebels. 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.

Geoff Thompson

Coach Geoff is a high school teacher with the Durham District School Board who also coaches basketball in his extra time. He is a certified development coach who has been coaching with our club since 2017. Geoff focuses on fundamental skill development and athletic confidence leading to positive outcomes both on and off the court.

Chris Wellwood

Coming soon.

Kari-Lea Wiche

Coming soon.

Trevor Wright

(Learn to Play Volleyball). Coming soon.

High Performance Training for the Elite Athlete

Coaching Staff

Cris Barbulescu

Ted Biglow

Sandra Burian

Shane Christopher

Paul deSousa

Megan Davies

Laura Duncan

Emily Dyment

Monica Dyment

Rob Dyment

Jenn Fletcher

Ashley Forgie

Ryan Gerber

Steve Graham

Scott Handley

Elicia Hannah

Greg Hannah

Ashley Hart

Michael Hayes

Lucia Kalmeyer

Brandon Khan

Paul Koot

Vanessa Koot

Lisa Langley

Rebecca Leary

Cassandra Leblanc

Jody Logan

Chris Manning

Todd McGilvray

Pat McGlynn

Lauren McGuire

Phil Ovsenek

Emily Phillips

Abbigail Prins

Mackenzie Prins

Scott Prins

Scott Senft

Deb Stevenson

Geoff Thompson

Chris Wellwood

Kari-Lea Wiche

Trevor Wright

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