Female Development Coach of the Year: Lorraine Facca, Storm VBC

• Lorraine started coaching while her daughter Louise first entered the OVA competitive stream.
• Lorraine values true sport and fair play and focuses on these two values in her every day practice and game play situation.
• Lorraine coached her 17U Girls B team and then moved with them for their 18U season. At 17U, they played equal playing time and everyone was happy and learned a lot from her and her co-coach Don Morton. In the second year with the girls, Lorraine asked them if they wanted to play equal playing time again and the vote was unanimous “yes”.  Lorraine decided that the team would play this way all season long, to further develop the girls playing skills. They played that way all season, including at the Ontario Championships where they not only had a great time, but they finished 2nd in Division 2 Tier 1!
• On top of her team coaching duties, Lorraine also runs Setters Clinics for the Storms younger athletes throughout certain stages of the season to further hone their skills.

Male Development Coach of the Year: Paul Langan – Hespeler Scorpions VBC

• For over 17 years, Paul has helped with various sports organizations in a variety of functions.  In 2010, his goal was simple when he started the Hespeler Scorpions Volleyball Club – get kids off the computer and have them physically active playing volleyball in a fun, safe, affordable environment.
• His MONSTER and SPIKES programs, are a fun way to teach young people about volleyball.   The clubs purpose is simple, to provide community based learning to young people about volleyball.
• The Scorpions follow and support the Volleyball Canada Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Model and they use parents, local competitive high school and university players who are trained by OVA staff to help run their programs.
• In their first year of existence, the success of the program has been remarkable:
  • Their Grade 7/8 co-ed Developmental House League Program was the largest in the Waterloo Region, with plans to expand it to include Grade 9 in 2012.
  • Their OVA SPIKES Learn to Play Program was the largest program in Ontario – they had over 200 children playing in their house league!
• Their U15 competitive girl’s teams won four tournament medals including a OVA Provincial Division 2 Tier 1 Silver Medal in their first year.
• In the summer of 2011, the Scorpions delivered two camps for indoor and beach volleyball and have seven of their teams participating in the OVA Beach Tour circuit.  Their goal is to have a development program in place for the general public in 2012.
• On top of indoor and beach volleyball, Paul recognizes the importance of inclusiveness and is currently working with the OVA staff to deliver one of the first sitting volleyball house league programs in the province of Ontario.

Female Coach of the Year: Laura Inward

• She started her involvement with the Ontario Beach Provincial program in the summer of 2007 and continued through 2008 and 2009.
• In 2009, Laura was the Head Coach for Team Ontario at the Canada Games in Prince Edward Island. Her team of Caleigh Whitaker and Dianne Burrows won the bronze medal after a summer of consistent results and improvement. Whitaker is now a national team athlete within our beach program and Laura continues to serve as a mentor and trusted confidant as she continues her pursuit of sporting excellence.
• Laura coached, mentored and guided her team of Charlotte Sider and Alexandra Hudson to a 9th place finish at the FIVB World Junior Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2011. Earlier in the summer she coached them to become U21 Provincial champions as well as U21 National champions.
  • These accomplishments in and of themselves are truly outstanding, but when one considers that Charlotte Sider was competing in Beach Volleyball for her first summer of competition, these feats really speak to Laura’s role as coach, mentor and friend.
• Laura has developed a unique holistic approach to coaching and mentoring young female athletes that makes her a positive role within our volleyball community. Laura considers the whole individual before developing an integrated program of physical training, mental preparation and emotional control. Her compassionate, understanding nature allows her to connect with her young female athletes and develop a relationship of trust and respect that fosters a productive learning environment.
• When Laura is not on the beach she is never far from the game she loves. During the indoor season, she volunteers her time at the University of Toronto as an assistant coach under the tutelage of Kristine Drakich. Laura is a former Varsity Blue herself and giving back to the program is another way that she positively affects the young women she coaches.
• As a mother of two young boys aged 3 and 7, Laura has proven to be a tireless and committed coach and mentor to the young women she takes under her care. The passion and compassion she has exhibited in her role makes her an incredibly positive role model.

Male Coach of the Year: Rob Fernley, Defensa

• Rob Fernley is the head of Defensa VBC and acted as the Head Coach between two teams in the past 2010/2011 season.
• Since the club began four years ago, Defensa teams have consistently competed in provincial championship matches and earned top place finishes across Ontario, Canada and in several tournaments in the United States. Some of their team highlights include:
  • Both teams winning the national championships
  • 18U won the provincial championships
  • 16U earned bronze at provincials
  • Both teams earned medals at all of the OVA tournaments throughout the season
• His coaching abilities have helped his players achieve:
  • 2 Defensa players receive the title of National MVP’s at the 2011 National Championship in the 18U and 16U division
  • For the past three years, consistently 2 or more Defensa players (in both 18U and 16U) recognized as OVA All-Stars at the Provincial Championship
  • Three players (one 18U and two 16U) received All-Star recognition at the 2011 National Championships
  • One player won the Evelyn Hollick Award at the 2011 Provincial Championships
  • 10 Defensa players to made the Provincial team in the past two years, where both times the MVP recipient of the NTCC was a member of Defensa
  • 6 players are members of the Provincial Beach volleyball team
  • An 18U player made the National B Team
• Outside of Defensa, Fernley:
  • Coaches the boys volleyball team at the local high school (Assumption SS in Burlington, ON)
  • Encourages athletes to train in the ADP development program for indoor and beach (ADP, Regionals, HPC and the Provincial Team) and organizes workshops for athletes to train at a higher level.

The 2011 Recognition Award recipients are:

Chris Dunn – Durham Attack VBC

• He is presently a coach with the Durham Attack Volleyball Club and prior to that a member of the DRVC program.  He has worked with a number of age groups, but devoted much of his energy to building strong U13 and U14 programs, emphasizing the development of strong basic skills.  As both a teacher and club coach, he takes pride in developing athletes and providing them with the foundation for future success.
• In his years with the Durham Attack Volleyball Club, Chris has worked diligently to improve the experience for all athletes in our club.  It was his leadership that lead to a more “athlete friendly” tryout experience, encouraging all coaches to make individual contact with athletes and assist them in their growth with more contact and feedback.

Lorraine Facca  – Storm VBC

• Lorraine has been involved with Region 5 in some capacity, where she currently stands as the Secretary/Treasurer for the past 15+ years and is still active in volleyball
• During the 2010/11 OVA season, Lorraine made her way out of the gym to a board room, where she worked closely with the OVA’s Strategic Planning Committee to deliver the 2011-2015 OVA Strategic Plan
• In May 2011, tragedy struck the Facca family when Lorraine’s husband, Adrian Facca lost his battle with cancer. In his memory, Lorraine has spearheaded the Adrian Facca Leadership Fund to provide financial support to the Dalhousie University student-athletes on the men’s hockey and women’s volleyball teams.  The Adrian Facca Leadership Fund is an outstanding contribution towards the development of future leaders through varsity hockey, volleyball and scholastics at Dalhousie University.

Lawrence Flynn – Durham Attack VBC

• Presently he is the lead coach for the U14 boy’s team, but he has worked with a number of age groups, both as an assistant and a head coach.
• Lawrence joined Durham Attack when his son was an athlete, but has remained long after his son has left the sport.  He is eager to share his love of volleyball with others, but also embraces the opportunity to learn more about coaching and developing his skill.
• Lawrence is an ambassador for sitting volleyball and has been an inspiration to our club.  He has exposed our young athletes to another aspect of their sport and has encouraged partnerships between our club and the National team program.  His desire to have athletes of all abilities playing and enjoying volleyball together has been instrumental in our club’s recent grant and inclusion of sitting volleyball in our recreational programs.

Howie Grossinger – Storm VBC

• Howie has been coaching his OVA team, Storm Avalanche since they started in 2006 and have had  a very impressive track record:
  • In 2006, 12U Team winning the Ontario Championships
  • In 2008. won the 14U West Nationals
  • In 2009. Placed 3rd at 15U West Nationals
  • In 2010, placed 2nd at 16U West Nationals
  • In 2011, won gold at the 17U Nationals
• On top of OVA accomplishments, Howie is the owner of Camp Robinhood – a day a sports camps where children can further develop their athletic skills by selecting from a variety of sports that are offered each session and is owner of Madawaska Camp.

Ish Joseph, B-Fitt Thunderbolts

• Ish Joseph has had a long and very successful history of volunteer involvement and coaching, as well as promoting the sport of volleyball, both at the grassroots level, and the competitive OVA level.
• Ish is a well-known leader in the community who has often been lauded for championing no-cost programming for at-risk youth. He has worked with the Toronto Police Services to establish programs in areas plagued by violent crimes. For many of those young people, Ish’s programs have been their lifeline, helping them to stay positive, focused and hopeful about the future. He continues to be dedicated to helping youth empower themselves to make positive choices and become leaders in the community.
• Ish has coached the B-Fitt Thunderbolts 18U Boys team, 18U Girls Toronto Diamonds VB, has been the Elite training coach for the Scarborough Falcons VBC and Scarborough Titans VBC, and worked with Region 5 Beach teams since 1997

Denise Klenk

• Denise is a level 3 regional official and she currently works as an assignor for R5 for OVA youth indoor events and also assigns officials for the entire OVA Beach Tour each summer
• Denise is a respected official in both the indoor and beach game by both athletes and officials alike.
• Denise is also a mentor for young officials looking to upgrade their badge level – for indoor and beach officiating programs and is a role model for those involved in the sport of volleyball

Dave McAllister

• Provincial Men’s Team Head Coach 2011 & 2010
• Former Region 5 boys head coach
• High school coach at Rick Hansen  and won the OFSAA Leadership in School Sport Award in 2010
• Current Head Coach Sheridan College and a former Assistant Coach McMaster

Arif Nathoo - Eclipse

• A two time OUA Coach of the Year, Arif has been the head coach at York University and led the York Lions to 2009 OUA Provincial Championship. Prior to that, Arif coached at Ryerson University where he led the team to their first ever OUA playoff appearance, their first ever OUA medal and led Ryerson University to its only appearance at a CIS Volleyball championship.
• In the summer of 2009, Arif led the 2009 Ontario Provincial team to a silver medal at the Canada Games.
• In 2007, Arif coached the Ontario Provincial Team to a bronze medal at the National Tournament, and in 2005, coached the Region 5 team to a gold medal at the Ontario Regional Games.
• With the younger athletes, Arif was head coach of the Durham Attack 14U team and during the 2009-2010 season, Arif led the 14U team to an impressive season culmination with an OVA Ontario Provincial Championship and to a silver at the Canadian National East tournament.
• He continued coaching a young group of girls, and in 2011, won the Ontario Championships and Canadian National West Championship banners.
• Arif is a fully certified Level 3 Coach and promotes volleyball both within the Ismaili community and outside their community.

Karen Pak – Toronto Premier Youth VBC

• Karen has been involved with Team Ontario Beach as assistant coach between 2007-2009 and attended the U19 World Championships as an Assistant Beach Coach between 2009 and 2010.
• In 2011, Karen began the Toronto Premier Youth Volleyball Club running a 14U Girls team
• Outside of the OVA stream, Karen is a teacher and coach at Victoria Park CI and in 2010, she started the first ever annual Toronto District School Board Beach Volleyball Tournament. In 2011, she brought 81 junior and senior boys and girls beach teams down to Ashbridges Bay to compete in her day long tournament.

Mike  Richardson – Durham Attack VBC

• Mike is a coach with the Durham Attack Volleyball Club, working with the girl’s and boy’s programs, offering to assist or head coach if needed and has also worked with the Region Four Boys Summer Games program as an assistant coach.
• He is an eager participant in all coaching development session, embracing new opportunities to learn from others.
• For Mike, the needs of the athletes comes first and it is this belief that has seen him take on a variety of different coaching roles, all in order to better meet the needs of the athletes.
• Mike is always willing to lend a hand and assist wherever he is needed.    Mike is willing to volunteer to improve the club, assuming more than coaching roles if that is what is needed.

Meghan Boyle – MVC

• Meghan coaches at Mountain Volleyball Club in Hamilton, ON. She is currently the assistant coach with the 15U Girls team.

Linda Naccarato – Durham Attack VBC

• Linda is presently an assistant coach with the Durham Attack Volleyball Club at the U14 level, but she has worked with a number of age groups, both as an assistant and a head coach.
• Linda has stepped forward on a number of occasions to offer her services so that there will be teams for athletes to play.  She has carried this same attitude into the public school setting, working as a parent-coach, so that teams could be created at both the elementary and secondary level.
• She has mentored a number of young coaches, providing valuable leadership and a positive role model for their coaching development.  She is a constant positive source of inspiration and her desire to help athletes develop is evident in everything she does.

Rob Piccione - Durham Attack VBC

• Rob is presently a coach with the Durham Attack Volleyball Club and prior to that a member of the Titans program.  He has worked with a number of age groups, but devoted much of his energy to building strong U14 and U15 programs, emphasizing the development of strong basic skills.  As both a teacher and club coach, he takes pride in developing athletes and providing them with the foundation for future success.
• He has coaching certification in both the indoor and the beach programs and is committed to LTAD, working collaboratively with other coaches to develop more successful programs.
• He has mentored a number of young coaches, providing valuable leadership and a positive role model for their coaching development.

Fiodar had a big year on the beach winning a bronze medal with partner Eric Mattson at OVA Provincial Championships and finishing the year off with an 18U Bronze when he partnered with his brother Mikhail. He carried this momentum into his rookie season in the OUA as the starting left side for the Warriors. He was in the Top 10 in points per game, Top 20 for digs, Second Team All-Star, OUA All-Rookie Team and CIS All-Rookie Team.

Years of playing Indoor?
5 years.

Years of playing Beach?
2 years.

Why did you start playing Beach?
We discovered some beach courts on the UW campus, and so my dad, brother and I started going there almost every day, playing whoever was there, and training if nobody was around for a match. Originally it was all centered around improving for the indoor season.

What do you like most about Beach Volleyball?
I get to be part of the play every time the ball is on my side of the court.

What are the advantages to indoor athletes who play Beach Volleyball?
Too many to list! You have no choice but to learn how to control the ball; either you know how, or you spend the entire summer getting served at. The overall health bonus is great too, playing barefoot in sand works different muscles in your legs, and it’s nice to be outdoors in the fresh air and warm sun rather than in a dusty gymnasium with hard floors.

Did playing Youth Open help you prepare for the OUA?
Yes. The Youth Open has players that are in the OUA, so getting to play them in the sand before I met them during the indoor season gave me an idea of what to expect from university volleyball.

What is the biggest difference from OVA Club to the OUA?
In club, I had to pace myself to play 6 matches in one day; in the OUA I get a maximum of 5 sets to make as big of an impact on the game as I can. The block is bigger too.

What was it like training with Team Ontario last summer?
Excellent. The feedback I received from a whole team of elite coaches and their attention to details really sped up my progress as a beach player, and getting a chance to train and compete with and against the top players in the province every day was a definite boost.

Best memory from playing Beach Volleyball?
The 2010 18U Nationals where I partnered up with my 15 year-old brother Mikhail. Watching him outplay guys who had 3 years of experience and development over him, and the astonished look on the opponents’ faces when they found out how old he is was great. We ended up winning a bronze medal.

We would like to thank Fiodar for his help with this article and wish him the best of luck as he continues to play Beach and compete in the OUA with the Waterloo Warriors.
If you would like to recommend someone for PROfiles please contact Josh Nichol | 416-426-7233 | jnichol@ontariovolleyball.org

Please Note: The opinions expressed in PROfiles are the views of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Ontario Volleyball Association.

When Alain Arseneau started to build the volleyball program at St. Michael’s College School he was up against some tough competition to get the attention of top athletes. The school, with its strong tradition in athletics, has produced many professional athletes in other sports including Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame Member and National Team Head Coach Leo Rautins; NHL Players Frank Mahovlich, Red Kelly, Tim Horton, Jason Spezza, Andrew Cogliano and Tyler Seguin; and CFL Player Mike Labinjo. Over time, Alain has managed to build a high-calibre program the same way he built his own volleyball career, through hard work and persistence.

Alain started playing volleyball in his backyard when he was 6 years old. Growing up he had many battles against his younger brother Marc. After high school he attend Laurentian University where he was a three-time All-Star. What makes his All Star Awards even more impressive is the fact Alain is considered undersized to play Middle and Left Side in the OUA. At 6’2” he had to outwork many of his opponents by using his skill and quickness. After Laurentian, Alain attend teacher’s college at the University of Toronto. During that year he was an assistant coach to Orest Stanko where they won an OUA Gold Medal. From there Alain’s coaching career was launched. After 7 OFSAA appearances St. Michael’s won their first OFSAA Gold beating a strong Grand River Team 3-1 (25-25, 25-9, 20-25, 25-12).

Years of playing Indoor?
20 years.

Years of playing Beach?
17 years.

Why did you start playing Beach?
When I was 6 years old, my father had built a volleyball court on a gravel patch behind our house.  On weekends, he would have friends and family come over to play.  The odd week-night, he would take me out and teach me how to set for him so that he could practice hitting.  Every once in a while we would connect, and in those instances my love for the game grew!  Then in my early teens, I would watch great AVP battles between legends such as Karch, Stokos and Loyola. I loved that they were all in and around 6’2’’ and great at their sport, it gave me hope!

What do you like most about Beach Volleyball?
Throughout my indoor career I prided myself on being a well-rounded volleyball player, and of course the beach game lends itself more to athletes that can do everything.  I noticed it more when I first started out playing by the old rules.  The bigger court meant a serve receiver had to be very good, and a serve receiver had to be even better – there was more ground to cover.

This type of game was friendlier to a player that was 6’2” with the wingspan of a 6’ person!  I’ve also always liked the fact that with two players on the court, you have a bigger hand in the outcome of a game.

What are the advantages to indoor athletes who play Beach volleyball?
I am a big believer in indoor athletes playing beach to supplement their training in the sport of volleyball, especially to any athlete wanting to improve serve receive, ball control, and court vision. Not to mention continually trekking through the sand helps with foot speed, lateral movement, balance and vertical jump.

Beach is a much more mentally demanding game; you can’t hide in the mix of a six or seven person team.  It helps you mature as an athlete, and to deal with distraction control in ways the indoor game can’t.  There are environmental factors that continually affect your decisions, and developing the mental focus to harness these distractions only improves your overall ability to focus, which translates to the indoor game.

If you could change one thing about the sport what would it be?
Although I realize that it is easier said than done, I would love to see our sport get the kind of recognition from the media that it used to get in the late 90’s.  I was young, and developing in the game of Beach, right when it was hot.  It was a time when you could watch the best in Canada play on TSN.  I remember a time when there were stands, banners, advertising and promotional groups of all kinds, that would come together to run our National Tour.  The stands were always full on center courts (yes there were center courts – at times even two of them!), and there was a real beach volleyball culture.

I guess if there is anything I would change it would be the environment in which the game is showcased. I would love to give the thousands of potential fans walking the boardwalk every weekend in the summer something to look at, and somewhere to sit.  Maybe fixed bleachers around a couple showcase courts, anything to help people walking by realize that there is something worth stopping for and that there is an event taking place.  The more eyes we have watching, the more people will begin to realize how amazing our sport truly is, and who knows where that could take us!

What was it like winning SO PRO with Christian Redmann?
Playing with Christian was a great opportunity for me.  It was a great but short partnership, one where both of us needed to prove something.  I was coming back from knee surgery trying to prove that I could still play, and he was starting to establish himself as one of Canada’s finest.  Putting two determined athletes together at that moment proved to be very successful for the two of us.  To this day claiming that Christian won his first pro tournament with me has become a great honour for me, especially given what he has gone ahead and accomplished on the world tour.

What is the biggest difference from OVA Club to the OUA?
The biggest differences are size and speed.  The players are generally bigger, and they move faster! This means you have to make tougher reads and faster decisions.

What advice would you give to someone transitioning from a player to a coach?
Chose your teams carefully and find a way to connect to every player.  There is no concrete formula; your coaching approach needs to be versatile and continually changing to get the best out of everybody on the team.  When you are an athlete, you work hard to figure out what works for you, you generally get to a point where you find a pattern/overall approach and stick to it. When you coach, although your philosophies make up your foundation, you continually have to change the delivery system to match the different personalities you get to work with day in and day out.

What was it like winning AAAA’ OFSAA?
The first time we went to OFSAA in my 3rd year as a teacher at St. Michael’s, we came back as consolation semi finalists.  I walked into the athletic office with our participation banner in hand, relatively proud and gave it to the athletic director.  I asked him when it would be going up in the gym, he smiled and said “at some point I’m sure.”  I then walked into the gym to see where it could go and noticed for the first time that there were no participation banners anywhere to be found at St. Michael’s, only championship and finalist banners.  I then realized that our banner would never make it to the rafters!  It took another three years just to get a quarter finals finish at OFSAA, that banner also destined to collect dust with the previous ones.  It took all together 7 appearances at OFSAA to finally get a gold medal.  It was a great accomplishment by the athletes, the parents, the coaching staff and the entire St. Michael’s College School community.  Winning a gold medal as a coach is a different experience because you get to win a championship fifteen times over, once for every player that accomplished the feat with you.  It was a great experience, one that I will cherish forever.

Best memory from playing Beach Volleyball?
My best memory would have to be when I managed to crack to the top 4 of a National tour stop in 2001. I was playing alongside my younger brother (Marc Arseneau), in the OKI Open at Ontario Place.  It was our first time playing on TV.  We won bronze on center court while the game was being televised on SportsNet.  We defeated long-time rivals and close friends, Shaun Furneaux and Andrew Pelletier.  I still have a copy of the recording on VHS at home!

We would like to thank Alain for his help with this article and wish him the best of luck as he continues to play Beach and coach at St. Michael’s.

If you would like to recommend someone for PROfiles please contact Josh Nichol | 416-426-7233 or jnichol@ontariovolleyball.org

Please Note: The opinions expressed in PROfiles are the views of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Ontario Volleyball Association.

Jeff’s coaching resume is quickly rivaling that of his playing history. He was the Head Coach at U of T from 2004 – 2007, Assistant Coach with the U20 National Team at in 2006 where they finished 3rd at the NORCECA Championship, Head Coach of Team Ontario that silvered at the NTTC in Regina, and he was Assistant Coach of Team Ontario that silvered at the 2009 Canada Games. Jeff has also created the TOPS Volleyball Academy for high performance athletes in the GTA.

Years of playing Volleyball?

20 years or so.

Why did you start playing Volleyball?

Thanks to my father, Robert Chung, he was the main reason why I started the game of volleyball.  At a young age, he would have me involved with various sports throughout the seasons.  During the summers, my father would always have me watch the Chinese 9-man practices and competitions from various club teams (in particular the Toronto Flying Tigers and Ngun Lam volleyball clubs).

What is the biggest difference from OVA Club to the OUA?

There is a huge difference in the intensity and the number of training sessions in a week.  Obviously, we are dealing with older athletes who also have a very focused and intense academic schedule. First year university in the classroom and on the court is probably one of the biggest adjustments an athlete will make if they are serious about becoming a established OUA player.

What was it like winning OUA Gold?

It was a great feeling.  The first one is always the most memorable.  I was very fortunate to win our first OUA gold in 1995 against a very strong Waterloo team.  The Blues were very young, well coached and had an extreme desire to compete against all of the competition in the province.

It was a very special moment in that; we played in front of a wild jammed packed home crowd while trailing the first 2 sets.  Our starting middle, Ross Clarke, had broken his finger the night before (thanks to Marc Dunn) and did not play in the match until the 3rd set because the painkillers that he was injected with caused him to be dizzy.  Our infamous coach Orest Stanko, came up to me, smiled, and with a serious tone but with a very humorous expression, told me that I was going to play middle and set from the middle as well.

Ross returned to the game, crushed a 51 and the momentum was all for the Blues for the remainder of the night.  We won in 5.  Old scoring, rally point in the 5th set, 15-13 Blues. The Blues went on to set a conference record and won 5 consecutive OUA tiles from 1995-1999!

Describe 9-man Volleyball for those who have never seen it?

9-man volleyball is a great game!  It is so much fun and the tradition of the competition continues in North America.  I believe the game originated in Asia, and to this day, it is still played in Japan and the southern parts of China. It’s a fast paced game with lots of exciting rallies due to the restriction on penetrating with your of hands during a block. It sounds a little weird and overwhelming, but it’s still the same concept of volleyball as beach and the indoor game.  You still have to pass, set, attack and play defense with modified rules. One of most unique features of game is how the Chinese community has used this traditional game of volleyball to keep the strong social ties of the communities throughout major cities in Canada and the U.S.A.

How has Connex been so successful in the past?

The Connex Volleyball club has been successful for many years due to simple fact that we transfer the concept of teamwork on the court, and apply it to our tradition of ‘family’ off the court.

Over the years, the club has created an atmosphere where the athletes learn to train hard, work together and build a family bond that is applied to fundraising events, social gatherings and promoting the Chinese culture within our organization.  The ages of the athletes within Connex, range from as young as 13 to 40 years of age.  With the experience and leadership of the administration team, along with the diverse age range, Connex has fostered a hierarchy of role models where the “Big Brother and Big Sister” model is filtered down both on and off the court.

Everyone who is, and has been a part of Connex, is very fortunate to learn how volleyball has brought us together and the life lessons we use in trying to win on the court and everything else that we do outside the volleyball court. Volleyball is what we love to do.  9-man volleyball is our passion. Connex is our family outside of our family!

What is your favourite part about 9-man?

9-man volleyball has allowed many Canadian Chinese and American Chinese to keep our strong cultural (Chinese) ties, remember our forefathers, and be able to compete in a traditional game that has changed many lives from generations to generations.

Personally, it was the sport that helped me fall in love with volleyball and provided avenues where I could excel at a high level and open up other doors to pursue my aspirations in the indoor game.  From here, it allowed me to dream about representing Canada and playing professionally.  Like anything in life, there is always a beginning to every great thing.  9-man was my beginning.

Describe what it was like representing Canada?

Representing Canada was one of the proudest moments in my life and in my volleyball career.  I was very fortunate to grow up in the sport with so many great players from club teams to provincial teams and at U of T that helped me reach my full potential.  In my generation, it was our dream to wear the Canadian jersey.

We were so lucky to grow up and watch the members of the 1992 Olympic team and players who helped Canada reach those games.  In preparation for the Barcelona Games, Team Canada competed in the World League and we admired everything the team did.  The day our provincial team had the opportunity to shag balls at their practice and league game was a real special moment.  They were our role models and gave us the chance to dream.

From what I’ve been told, I’m the first Canadian Chinese athlete to represent our Canadian Volleyball team.  That is a special accomplishment.  Special in that you learn how much of an impact you have on your community by being a role model and allowing other athletes to want to excel in the sport in volleyball.   I never forget where I come from and so, as always, thank our Chinese community and the 9- man circuit (NACIVT- North American Chinese Invitational Tournament)  for giving me an opportunity that changed my life.

All of this passion, has driven me to give back to the sport of volleyball.  Connex continues to motivate me to coach and stay in tuned with our Chinese community.  And most recently, a volleyball academy that I‘ve started, TOPS Volleyball Academy. T.O.P.S – stands for: Toronto Ontario Players Skills development camps. The objective of TOPS is to collaborate with the OVA in providing training camps for athletes who are focused on improving their skills and aiming to play at the next level.  One of the prerequisites of the academy is creating a high performance training atmosphere to challenge the athlete in developing into a complete volleyball player.  Today, TOPS has diversified and now offers camps for both genders, tutoring ( Personalized Training Programs), and specialized positional training.

What was it like playing professionally?

Playing professionally was the best job I ever had.  Not only did you just focus on volleyball but, it provided you with the lifestyle that allowed you to focus solely on training and competition. In addition, playing for Canada allowed you to see the world.  Playing overseas allowed you to learn about other cultures.  This I found very fascinating.  But no matter how many languages you learn and how many cultures you are absorbed into, at the end of the day you are surrounded by those who know one language/culture – VOLLEYBALL.

I’m blessed to have so many great people, teammates, coaches and mentors who helped me through this journey!  Thank you to all who gave me this chance.

What advice would you give to someone transitioning from a player to a coach?

To be totally honest, I’m still learning about this transition.  I guess I have one piece of advice.  Don’t try to demo any of the skills or drills….you might get hurt.

What was your experience like with Team Ontario at Canada Games?

It was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had as a volleyball player.  Winning a national championship at any level is always very special. We had three great summers with our teammates who were so dedicated on winning gold at the ’93 Games.  We were so fortunate to be coached by such hard driven coaches, Brenda Willis, Dave Preston and Jeff ‘Big Mac’ MacIntyre.  We also had the best player in Canada – Paul Deurden – so naturally, we were surrounded by the right people with the right attitude!

As a coach, I had the privilege to work with Shayne White (Head coach of WLU) and Jeremy Hannay in preparation for the ’09 Games.  Along with the coaching staff and the OVA, the athletes that lead the way were exceptional young men and athletes.  I was very proud of our team and winning the silver medal.  Coaching in the games brought back many fond memories that I wanted all of our players to experience.  I want to thank everyone involved in that process and I hope to have another opportunity to work with all of them once again.

Best memory from playing volleyball?

Tough one.  There were many great moments…many of which resulted in winning. One great memory is meeting my girlfriend, who is now my wife – Maja Babic – after a varsity practice in the U of T sports gym.  Does that count?   Volleyball is more than just a sport…

We would like to thank Jeff for his help with this article and wish him the best of luck in all of his volleyball endeavours.

If you would like to recommend someone for PROfiles please contact Josh Nichol | 416-426-7233 | jnichol@ontariovolleyball.org

Please Note: The opinions expressed in PROfiles are the views of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Ontario Volleyball Association.

The Podstawka family has made a name for themselves in volleyball; they are players you would like to have on your team, but hate to play against. Paul, Adam and Tom have built this reputation by playing indoor and beach for most of their lives. All 3 brothers have represented Canada internationally, medalled at Beach Nationals and Provincials, and been named to the OUA All Rookie Team.

Through his career Paul Podstawka has won OUA Gold with The York Lions, been an OUA All Star, played in over 20 International Events, won OVA Provincials and Beach Nationals. He is also one of the youngest athletes to win Adult Elite Provincials in the OVA.
 
Years of playing Indoor?
14 years.
 
Years of playing Beach?
14 years.
 
Why did you start playing Beach?
I grew up as a kid watching my dad play beach. Every summer I would go to all his tournaments and hack around until I was old enough to play on the OVA Tour. Eventually, at the age of 12, I played in my 1st U14 OVA event.
 
What do you like most about Beach Volleyball?
I love the sport for many reasons. For me, indoor takes a toll on my body where beach there is no pain. I love the aspect of competition and new challenges everyday. Fitness is a big part in my training and hot temperatures reflect the fitness level of athletes.
 
What was it like playing for Canada on the World Tour?
Representing Canada internationally is not a privilege but an honour. The excitement to represent your country all over the world was an amazing experience. Meeting legendary athletes from year to year and travelling the world was a great opportunity.
 
What was it like winning Adult Elite Provincials with Chris Simek?
Wow, is what first comes to mind. Playing with one of the best natural athletes in Canada was amazing. Having the best trash talker to be on my side was a great way to intimidate the opponents. In the finals we were down set points in both sets, and with our energy, heart, and skills we came back to win in straight sets. This victory was one to remember for myself.
  
What are the advantages to Indoor athletes who play Beach Volleyball?
First off, ball control is the number one advantage for indoor players. Playing beach, you learn how to cover a large area of the court and practice ball control every practice. Athletes will increase in faster footwork, defensive skills, and mental skills. I would recommend to any indoor player to consider playing beach to help improve their indoor game.
 
What is the biggest difference from OVA Club to the OUA?
Physical attributes and speed of the game would be the biggest difference. When entering the OUA, you play with players who are 5 years older with a lot more strength and skill. The transition from OVA Club to OUA is a faster speed of the game. The speed of the offence is faster, and players tend to attack and serve harder than OVA Club.
 
Did playing Beach help you prepare for the OUA?
Yes, playing in 2 Youth World Championships for beach helped me prepare for the level of competition in the OUA. Training every summer throughout high school for beach helped me develop more skill and strength to be able to come into the OUA and make a difference on a top team.
 
Best memory from playing Beach Volleyball?
If I had to pick my best memory, it would be my match against Gotsh/Horst from Austria (5th in 2008 Olympics) in 2006 in Portugal. It was the 2nd round of the qualifiers and Simek and I were up in the 1st set 20-18, and then I shanked a serve and gave the ball back to the other team via a “sky ball”. They weren’t pleased and called over the head official to protest and lost the protest. We ended up winning the set 21-19, then dropped the 2nd set 21-16, and in the 3rd we were down 13-10 on the bad side, and Simek went back and served 3 aces. We ended up winning the match in the 3rd set. It was one of the most heated battles I have ever had with an opponent. There was trash talking going on back and forth which made the victory even sweeter. This match gave us confidence and we ended up winning the next match to qualify in our 1st main draw in the FIVB World Tour.
 
We would like to thank Paul for all of his help with this article. We wish him the best of luck on the beach this season.

If you would like to recommend someone for PROfiles please contact Josh Nichol at jnichol@ontariovolleyball.org | 416-426-7233.
 
Please Note: The opinions expressed in PROfiles are the views of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Ontario Volleyball Association.

Any team looking for a guide on how to select a team captain should go straight to the York Lion’s Women’s Volleyball Team. A team captain should lead by example, be professional, have a strong knowledge of the game, a desire to win, and have a passion for the sport like Sarah Sutton.

Sarah’s volleyball career started when she followed her brother into the sport in Grade 5. Since then, Sarah has experienced success at every level including appearances at OFSAA several OVA medals in Beach and Indoor, All Star awards at Nationals and an OUA Gold Medal in 2008/2009. Recently Sarah started her coaching career with the Scarborough Titans 16U Team and Beach Club. 

Years of playing Indoor?
13

Years of playing Beach?
9

Why did you start playing Beach?
Many of the older girls from Scarborough Titans Volleyball club were playing beach volleyball, and it was a heavy component of the club’s summer training camps. I had a great partner to start out with, Katie Jenkins, and my first beach volleyball coach, Hernan Humana, made the game fun and exciting.

What do you like most about Beach Volleyball?
It is an incredible atmosphere! You’re always surrounded by talented players and exciting matches. I especially love the challenge it provides, because you’re always testing your mental capabilities, endurance and desire.
 
What are the advantages to Indoor athletes who play Beach Volleyball?
Team work and coping skills are an essential part of beach volleyball. They can transfer over from indoor volleyball, and are helpful when you you need to persevere through extreme weather conditions, and other difficulties.
 
Why did you start coaching?
My father, Mark Sutton, has inspired me to teach and coach. His dedication and passion have positively impacted many young athletes, including myself and some of my closest friends.

What was the biggest difference from Club to University Volleyball?
The speed of the game, and the length of games! The season is shorter, but the volume and intensity is much greater.

What was it like winning OUA Gold?
The best day of my life! I felt so proud to be a York Lion, and all my family and friends were there to experience the moment with me.

Best memory from playing Beach Volleyball?
Probably the Team Canada tryouts in 2008. I partnered with Vivian Chan, who is a childhood friend, and we had a blast!

We would like to thank Sarah for all of her help with this article. We wish her the best of luck as she competes with the York Lions in the OUA.

If you would like to recommend someone for PROfiles please contact Josh Nichol at jnichol@ontariovolleyball.org | 416-426-7233
 
Please Note: The opinions expressed in PROfiles are the views of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Ontario Volleyball Association.

When we asked John Child what message he would give to young athletes his answer was “Get out there and play and enjoy it, you can’t put in too many hours. I’m a big believer in you won’t do anything well if you don’t enjoy doing it.” Alexis Gregorio has certainly followed this path in her volleyball career. Since she was 4 years old she followed her mother to games and tournaments. She also surrounded herself with good teammates and coaches who helped her passion for the sport grow.

Alexis had a big year in 2010, medaling at Provincials for both Beach and Indoor, medaling at Indoor Nationals and Ontario Summer Games. What makes these accomplishments even more special is Alexis was on the outside looking in for a few seasons, including finishing 4th two seasons in a row on the beach. Her hard work and perseverance is starting to pay off as she continues to work towards her goals in 2011.

Years of playing Indoor?
7 years and counting.
 
Years of playing Beach?
6 years and counting.

Why did you start playing Beach?
I started playing beach because my mother was and is a big fan of both indoor and beach. Every summer since I was 4 years old, she would bring me to the beach and I enjoyed watching. Eventually I began to play.
 
What do you like most about Beach Volleyball?
What I like most about beach volleyball is playing outside and playing no matter the weather, omitting thunderstorms of course. Another aspect I like about beach volleyball is the mental aspect of the game because there can be a lot of pressure in beach on one player and it is a great feeling to take control of the pressure and create a positive outcome.

What are the advantages to indoor athletes who play Beach Volleyball?
Some advantage I believe indoor athletes who play beach volleyball is that they acquire better court awareness, better communication between teammates, better ball control and the ability to jump higher.
 
What was it like winning Indoor Provincials with Titans, and medaling at Nationals and Ontario Summer Games?
When my indoor team, Scarborough Titans Nemesis, won Provincials, it was unreal and for many people, unexpected. But we’d been working and training very hard preparing ourselves for the level of competition since at the beginning of the season, we were in Zone, but slowly and surely, we made our way back up again.

Medaling at Nationals was, again, a great experience because people doubted our abilities to be successful but overall it was a satisfying and rewarding season.
 
Being a part of the Ontario Summer Games, representing Region 5 and winning a bronze was also a great learning experience, I learnt a lot from my coaches and teammates.
 
What was it like training with Elite Beach Volleyball and the Beach Provincial Team?
For the second half of the summer, training withElite Beach Volleyball, and being invited to train with The Beach Ontario Team was a great learning experience because I had the opportunity to be exposed to great coaches such as Hernan Humana and John Child and Vivian Chan. The level of play allowed me to further develop as a beach player.
 
What was it like medaling at Provincials for Beach?
Winning a Silver medal at the Ontario Beach Provincials was an experience filled with different emotions because I had worked very hard throughout the summer training 16 – 18 hours a week and the fact that for the past two years, I missed medaling coming in fourth. I believe that hard work, dedication and perseverance were the key to success. Medaling at Beach Provincials felt like a long awaited accomplishment.
 
Best memory from playing Beach Volleyball?
My best memory of playing beach volleyball so far is medaling at the 2010 Beach Provincials and having great and supportive partners, Emma Finley and Abi Moody.

We would like to thank Alexis for all of her help with this article. We wish her the best of luck as she competes in the OVA with the Scarbourgh Titans.

If you would like to recommend someone for PROfiles please contact Josh Nichol at jnichol@ontariovolleyball.org | 416-426-7233

Please Note: The opinions expressed in PROfiles are the views of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Ontario Volleyball Association.

Alex was a member of Crush who won several Provincial and National medals with fellow U of T Varsity Blues players Michael Denton, Matt Vares, and Richard McKay. After graduating from Sir Oliver Mowat C.I. Alex chose to attend U of T for Kinesiology. Shortly after making the team, U of T faced some bad luck with injury problems at the start of the season. Alex saw limited time in their first match against Queen’s, but then made an impact against RMC recording 31 assists and 7 digs in their 3-1 victory. Alex would have another strong match in their 5 set win against York where he had 33 assists and 7 digs.

Years of playing Indoor?
6 years.
 
Years of playing Beach?
5 years.
 
Why did you start playing Beach?
The first time I ever played was at a summer camp run by Mark Reilly at Ashbridge’s Bay. After that, I continued to do more camps and started taking lessons from Mark as well. At the beginning, I was playing only because the sport was so much fun. Mark encouraged my beach partner and I to start playing more competitively and entering tournaments.
 
What do you like most about Beach Volleyball?
I would have to say the best thing about it is being in control of the game at all times. Every play, you get to touch the ball, and not always in the same way. I like that you are able to attack, set, dig, block, and serve, which you don’t always get to do when you play indoor volleyball. I also enjoy the atmosphere at beach tournaments in that it is much more casual and fun.
 
What was it like winning 18U Division 2 Nationals?
Although the goal going in was to stay in tier 1, we made it our goal after the first day to win Division 2. The competition in Division 2 was tough, and it felt good to be able to come out on top after the three days.
 
What are the advantages to Indoor athletes who play Beach Volleyball?
There are countless advantages to playing beach; primarily, it is a good way to develop skills that you don’t get to develop during indoor. Beach players need to be good at all aspects of the game instead of one specialized part. There is also a very different physical part of the game because beach tournaments are much more exhausting than indoor. There are no subs, the sand is harder to move in, and more court to cover. The sun, the heat, and the weather in general are also a big part of the game.

What was it like playing for Crush? 
Playing for Crush was definitely one of the greatest experiences of my life. The coaching staff was amazing, and the team was like one big family. I don’t know what I would do without knowing that group of guys and they’ve helped me a lot. John May and John Vares were great role models and they taught us how to win. Without them, the team wouldn’t be the same.
 
What is the biggest difference from OVA Club to the OUA? 
The biggest difference is the volume of training that you are doing. Going from two practices a week in club volleyball to five to seven plus physical training is a huge change, and it is very stressful on the body. The competition is much tougher, and playing 1 or 2 matches a week is also very exhausting. But it’s all worth it because I get to play more volleyball!

What is it like going from a red shirted walk to being a big part of U of T’s success?
It’s great. I am very happy that I got an opportunity to play.

Best memory from playing Beach Volleyball?
14U Nationals was my favorite tournament. My beach partner, Mark Jesperson, and I placed second and every moment of that tournament was a thrill.
 
We would like to thank Alex for all of his help with this article. We wish him the best of luck in the second half of the OUA Season.

If you would like to recommend someone for PROfiles please contact Josh Nichol at jnichol@ontariovolleyball.org | 416-426-7233.

Please Note: The opinions expressed in PROfiles are the views of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Ontario Volleyball Association.

Liz Maloney’s volleyball career started in high school at Richview Collegiate where she played for Sue Pyke. She would also play club for Sue and Pat Daniels at the Peel Selects before joining the Stouffville Stingrays where she was coached by Keith Wasylik. Liz’s journey through volleyball would lead her to a scholarship in the NCAA with the American University in Washington DC. While at AU Liz was introduced to Beach Volleyball. Since that time, Liz has earned a spot on Team Canada and played in over 10 FIVB World Tour events.

Years of playing Indoor and Beach?
Indoor 8 years; Beach 3 years

What do you like most about Beach Volleyball?
I like that I have so much control over the game.  I get to touch the ball in every rally so I have to be good at all of the skills.  I also like that there are no subs- although some days I wish there were!

Why did you start playing Beach?
I started playing Beach to help my Indoor game.  One summer while I was away at University I moved to Hermosa Beach with a few of my teammates.  We played every day!   When I finished university I went back to the beach because I loved it so much and it was a new challenge. 

What are the advantages to Indoor athletes who play Beach Volleyball?
When you train on the beach for indoor you get a lot of practice on ball control skills.  You have to be able to pass and set consistently on the beach. Since there are only two of you on the court you get a lot more contacts.  Indoor you can have rallies without even touching the ball.

What was it like winning Beach Nationals?
Winning Nationals was a lot of fun.  It is always nice to play at home with all of our friends and family around.

Describe what it was like at your first FIVB event?
My first FIVB event was in Brazil right after the 2008 Olympics.  There were a lot of teams that were taking a break at that time so we made it directly into the main draw. It was an amazing experience to play some of the top teams in the world, in a country that loves Beach Volleyball so much!

What was it like finishing 9th in Phuket?
It was exhilarating.  We were very happy with our result but want to keep pushing ourselves to get better and better.  We know that we can beat the top teams, so in our off season we have to work even harder to be ready to play them next year.

Best memory from playing Beach Volleyball?
Our 9th in Phuket was a pretty good memory!

We would like to thank Liz for all of her help with this article. We wish her the best of luck as she prepares for the 2011 Beach Volleyball season.

If you would like to recommend someone for PROfiles please contact Josh Nichol at jnichol@ontariovolleyball.org | 416-426-7233

Please Note: The opinions expressed in PROfiles are the views of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Ontario Volleyball Association.