Make a Difference. Be a Coach.
Are you passionate about volleyball and shaping the next generation of athletes? Do you have experience or a passion for 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.
Coaches’ Role(s)
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 grow and 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 Wish List:
- Prior coaching experience (any sport) or experience playing volleyball at the senior club or post-secondary level
- Strong knowledge of volleyball fundamentals, strategies, and techniques.
- Ability to lead and manage with confidence
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire 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 Wish List:
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 voucher
- Supportive and collaborative team environment including group and technicaql training opportunities.
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!
Deadline to apply: Ongoing. In-person meetings will begin in February 2025 and continue until all roles are filled.
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.
Andrew Brubacher
Coming Soon!
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
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
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.
Chris Dunn
Coming Soon.
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.
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
Cassandra is a Rebels alumnae who continues to give back in both our competitive team program and summer camps. Her gentle and warm approach is ideal for our youngest athletes learning the game and understanding how to celebrate their successes and rebound from their challenges.
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.
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 three young children and works as a nurse.
Danielle Jones
Coming Soon!
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.
Gav Kaneshwwaran
Coming Soon.
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.
Kate Kolesnik
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.
Cassandra LeBlanc
Coming Soon!
Jody Logan
Coming Soon!
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.
Claire Packer
Coming Soon!
Fred Paoli
Coming Soon!
Susan Pipher-Hogg
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.
Kevin Saramaki
Coming soon
Craig Schiele
Coming soon
Jennifer Shafinia
Coming soon
Jeannette Tranter-Weisshaupt
Coming soon.
Kari-Lea Wiche
Coming soon.