🏐 2024 Coaches

Dean Rozema – U12 – Coach

Dean went to school in Sherwood Park at SCA where he played volleyball and basketball. He played post secondary volleyball for four years at Columbia Bible College in BC. His team went to Provincials three times and finished with bronze his final year at Nationals. In his fourth year, Dean received the President’s Award, given to one male and one female athlete having achieved excellence in their sport while maintaining an honours grade. Dean’s 30+ years of playing volleyball has included men’s league, beach, and co-ed.

In 2006, Dean graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Outdoor Leadership.

Dean has coached club soccer, Senior Varsity boys, Grade 9 boys, and Grade 6 coed volleyball. This past spring, Dean coached Park Elite 13U and peaked at the right time to win bronze in Division 1 Provincials.

Meghan Rozema – U12 – Coach

The first time Meghan played organized volleyball was at F.R Haythorne where her journey began with Jr. girls volleyball tryouts. Throughout school she tried multiple sports – cross country running, track, badminton, handball, and rugby, but soccer and volleyball have always been her top two.

From 1996 to 1998, Meghan played for the Sherwood Park Volleyball Club coached by Ken Briggs. In 1997 their team qualified for Nationals where they won gold in Brandon, Manitoba. Following the 1997 Club season Meghan also made Team Alberta. In her Grade 10 year her Bev Facey team won the Jr. Women’s Metro Edmonton volleyball championship. In her Grade 12 year Meghan played in both the Metro Edmonton Volleyball All-Star Game, and Alberta Shooting Stars Girls Basketball All-Star Game. She also was part of Bev Facey’s Sr. Women’s Handball City Championship team. Meghan was invited to try out for basketball at Red Deer College. Her high school athletic career came to a nice conclusion as she received Female Athlete of the Year.

In 1999 while enrolled at Grant McEwan College, Meghan tried out for both the soccer and volleyball teams, unsure how far she’d make it before getting cut from volleyball. Meghan made both teams. Though it was a tough decision, she chose soccer. In 2004 Meghan graduated from the U of A with her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. Since then, Meghan has played EDSA women’s soccer and EVA volleyball until recently. She joined the Sherwood Park Adult Volleyball League in 2017.

Meghan’s coaching experience includes coaching high school volleyball while attending college, and recently club soccer. She believes it is important to create a positive and safe environment where athletes want to be, and look forward to returning to.

Jill Mellor – U13 Black – Coach

Hey, I am Coach Jill. I think the most important thing you need to know is I am a beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, road biking, cross country skiing, gym going, flower gardening, poutine and popcorn loving enthusiast. By occupation I am a personal trainer and part of the crazy girl mom tribe.

As for my street cred sadly, I have a bit and my achey bones can attest to that but I won’t tell you it all just the basics. Before college I went to an Academic All Girls Boarding school, so my athletic route is very different from the standard high school. I played in every school team and at the end of my high school years I had to choose between basketball and volleyball for post secondary. I chose volleyball of course. I played post secondary for two years and have continued to play indoor in Tier 1 womens (and coed until children changed my free time). I have played every position on the court but in college I was a middle and libero. I have played beach volleyball competitively for too many years to count including the NBVL and compete in as many ladies open tournaments in and around Alberta as I can. I am lucky enough to have a court at my house so training is never a problem, except for with my husband, as me and a bunch of other women can be found training 5 days a week from spring to fall so I can be very unhelpful.

As for coaching indoor club volleyball, 2023 was my first year, and I am so excited to be a part of the Park Volleyball Club. I love all the people that make up this team. My passion in coaching females in sport is to affect positive change within our sport from the inside out. I am by nature an extremely competitive person but what my years on the court and more recently watching my own child in competitive sports from the sideline has taught me is, that nurturing the culture of lifting each other up is as important as winning , and teaching real team work, team spirit and work ethic Is just as important as skill. My best memories are not of winning but of the friendships, road trips, and what it taught me as a human not just an athlete. Tough losses are what kept me working and still do to this day. Winning is easy… it is what you do when you are losing or what you do after a loss is what changes you as a player and a teammate.

Be the hardest worker in the room. Lead your team from the back. Push everyone to be their best self, and most importantly fall in love with this amazing sport and the people in it.

DENNIS WEBER – U13 Black – Coach

Coaching Philosophy:
Part of my coaching philosophy is the recognition that each athlete is different, and building strong coach – athlete relationships is important to understand their individual needs for performance excellence. Positive psychology, growth mindset as well as intrinsic motivation theories work well together and form part of my coaching philosophy. When an individual sees themselves as their greatest competition and the goal is to improve on past performances, they have a higher ceiling and greater potential. This growth mindset is facilitated through positive psychology as well as being internally motivated.

Every athlete is unique and special, it is always a privilege to get to work with them and be a part of their growth and development.

• Masters degree in sport and performance psychology with a concentration in positive coaching and leadership in sports. MS-SPP)
• Masters degree in Health Studies (MHS)
• 5 years coaching with PGVC
• 8 years coaching junior high
• Developmental coach (trained)
• Still actively playing

GREG ELLIS – U13 Black – Assistant Coach

This is Greg’s third year with the Park Girls Volleyball Club and his second year coaching with our U13 girl’s program.

Greg first started coaching volleyball as an assistant at Peace River High School in 1995. As a college athlete he went on to coach a variety of youth summer and weekend camps all across Alberta. For the past 16 years Greg has coached volleyball, basketball, and badminton in Black Gold School Division. He has also coached beach volleyball on various occasions including the Alberta Summer Games in 2010.

A true “gym rat” from Peace River, Alberta, Greg played any and every sport possible, eventually choosing to play varsity volleyball, playing 3 seasons in the ACAC, primarily at Grant MacEwan. Until recently he played in adult leagues as well as beach leagues and tournaments with coach Steve Kutt.

Greg’s coaching philosophy has always been quite simple: work hard and have fun!

Paula Stiles – U13 White – Head Coach

This will be Paula’s first year with the Park Girls Volleyball Club, although she has been involved in the sport for 30 years.

Paula grew up in Lethbridge, Alberta where she was a multi-sport athlete throughout school. These sports included volleyball, basketball, softball and track and field. Her accomplishments in those sports include MVP – basketball and she still holds a city record in the shot put. She played Club volleyball for LVC and the Lethbridge Selects, and high school at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute.

Paula went on to play volleyball at Lethbridge College for two years, and then SAIT Polytechnic for two years, playing both middle and left side. She was named as an ACAC First Team All-Star in her final two years and was also named SAIT’s Female Volleyball MVP.

Paula has been a volleyball official for almost 20 years and has several years of coaching experience. She is currently the Jr. Women’s Head Coach at Strathcona High School. Her team won the Metro Athletics Division 1 City Championship last year, incredibly with only one match lost the entire season.

Paula is excited to join Park Girls Volleyball as Head Coach of our 13U-White team!

Ava Lafrance – U13 White – Assistant Coach

This is Ava’s first year working as an assistant coach, but she is no stranger to volleyball. Ava began playing volleyball 6 years ago, playing both on her school and clubs teams. She also enjoyed being able to work as an official for junior high volleyball games.

Ava will be starting her first year of post-secondary at the University of Alberta, where she is enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program with the intention to transfer into the Bachelor of Education and become a teacher. She is also working at the West Edmonton Mall Waterpark as a junior lifeguard and plans to take her national lifeguarding course in the fall.

Ava is looking forward to coaching and sharing her love of volleyball with younger athletes who are new to the sport.

Emma Bacchus – U14 Black – Head Coach

This is Emma’s first season coaching with Park volleyball, however she’s no stranger to the sport of volleyball! Emma played school volleyball in Sherwood Park at F.R. Haythorn, and Bev facey and continued volleyball from u13-u18 club with NAVC, leading to 4 years of university volleyball as a libero at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington and coaches with aspire.

Emma continues to play volleyball as a libero in the aspire volleyball league and the occasional beach tournament.

Emma obtained a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and cellular biology, with a neuroscience minor. Emma continues her education with a Masters program in Neuroscience focusing on Spinal cord injury at the University of Alberta.

Emma is super excited to be with Park girls volleyball club this season!

Anna Hansen – U14 Black – Assistant Coach

Anna’s volleyball career consists of Club with Pandas volleyball club, Team Alberta, and most recently with the NAIT Ooks women’s program. She spent her last two years earning her diploma in Personal Training and playing as an outside hitter at NAIT. Anna continues to play volleyball in the Aspire Volleyball League and beach tournaments!

Anna is continuing her education in the fall at the University of Alberta in the faculty of Kinesiology.

Anna has been coaching with Aspire volleyball for 4 years, working with athletes ranging from 7-16 years old. She has also been apart of coaching summer camps with Team Alberta and NAIT.

Anna is so excited for the upcoming season and working with some amazing PGVC athletes.

TARA DUNSMORE – U14 White – Head Coach

This is Tara’s fifth year coaching with the Park Girls Volleyball Club and third as a head coach. She is a trained Development Coach with Volleyball Canada.

Tara has successfully earned two diplomas from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, including Personal Fitness Trainer.  As part of this path at NAIT, she took courses in Movement Mechanics, Physiology of Exercise, Nutrition, Applied Physiology of Exercise, Functional Training and Assessment, Resistance Training and Assessment and received her AFLCA (Alberta Fitness Leadership Certification Association) and CPAFLA (Canadian Physical Activity and Lifestyle Approach) certifications.

Being involved in the sport of volleyball for over 30 years, Tara brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge.  She began coaching volleyball during the 1998/1999 season as an assistant coach for the NAIT women’s volleyball team while completing her Personal Fitness Training diploma.  It was not until recently that she continued her passion for coaching volleyball when her oldest daughter was eligible to play volleyball in Junior High school.

In her first year as head coach in 2022 Tara finished top 10 in Division 1 in each 13U Volleyball Alberta Premier tournament placing 3rd, 4th, and 6th place respectively. This past season her 13U-White team placed 1st in Division 1 in both Premier 1 & 2, and 4th place in Provincials. Tara has also assisted 4 seasons for the Lakeland Ridge’s Jr. & Sr. girls volleyball teams in Sherwood Park with her husband Patrick.  Together, their primary goal is the long-term player development of their athletes by focusing on strong fundamental and technical skills.  In addition to coaching volleyball, Tara has coached four seasons of soccer at the U6 and U8 age level where she completed a Canadian Soccer Association course for developmental athletes.

Tara played the setter position for NAIT during her 3 seasons from 1995-1998.  In her final season, she was awarded the Silver Torch Award as the team’s Most Valuable Player. In that same year, she was selected to the All-Star team for the ACAC North Division.

PATRICK DUNSMORE – U14 White – Assistant Coach

This is Patrick’s sixth year with the Park Girls Volleyball Club and his 2nd year coaching with our U14 girl’s program.

Patrick has been heavily involved in athletics his entire life. While growing up in Calgary he played every sport possible, winning City Championships in soccer, basketball, and hockey. He was introduced to volleyball in Jr. High and immediately developed a passion for the sport which has carried forward over 30 years later. From grade 7 through grade 11 he played as a setter, and after a growth spurt throughout High School, he eventually transitioned into an outside hitter for Grade 12. In 1996 he was a walk-on for the SAIT Trojan men’s volleyball team where he competed for four seasons in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC). Over the span of those four years playing for the Trojans, he helped build the men’s volleyball program from 2nd last place in the ACAC South Division, to become the No. 1 ranked team in Canada.

After moving to Edmonton in the summer of 1999, he became involved in several Men’s, Co-ed, and Beach volleyball leagues where he eventually met his wife, Tara. Together they shared the same love of the sport and competed in local leagues & tournaments throughout Western Canada for more than a decade, winning 10 Tier 1 league championships and multiple co-ed tournaments. They are now sharing their same passion for the sport of volleyball with their 3 daughters while residing in Sherwood Park.

As a coach, Patrick is focused on long-term player development with an emphasis on proper technique and fundamental skills. He demands the best from his players through constant effort while keeping a positive team culture. Patrick’s vision for his players is to achieve both individual and team success, and he prides himself on his outstanding ability to bring out his player’s full potential as confident athletes while challenging them to become stronger mentally as well as physically. Patrick has also been coaching for the Lakeland Ridge Wolves Jr. & Sr. girls volleyball teams along with his wife Tara for 4 seasons. Prior to coaching volleyball, Patrick gained valuable experience coaching 16 seasons of soccer for the SPDSA, 5 of those as head coach with the girl’s Phoenix program. Patrick holds multiple Canadian Soccer Association coaching certificates and is a Trained Development Coach with Volleyball Canada.

A highlight of his volleyball coaching career was winning back-to-back Division 1 Volleyball Alberta Premier tournaments in 2022 with his 14U girl’s team, and back-to-back Division 1 Volleyball Alberta Premier tournaments in 2023 assisting his wife Tara with her 13U Team.

As a player, Patrick has achieved impressive team and individual success. Partnering with Mike Funk in 1999, they were the Alberta Men’s Beach Doubles Provincial Champions. While competing for SAIT, he was part of the 1999 ACAC Provincial bronze medalist, 2001 ACAC Provincial silver medalist, and 2001 CCAA National silver medalist teams. His individual accomplishments include being named the SAIT Men’s Volleyball team Most Valuable Player for the 1997/1998 & 1998/1999 seasons, being selected to the ACAC All-Conference team for the 1997/1998 & 1998/1999 seasons, and being awarded All-Tournament Team honors at the CCAA 2001 National Championship. Patrick also still currently holds 3 ACAC individual statistic records.

DENNIS DALZIEL – U14 White – Assistant Coach

This is Dennis’ second year with the Park Girls Volleyball Club and his second year coaching with our U13 girl’s program.

Dennis grew up in Prince Albert Saskatchewan where he was introduced to many sports at a young age including most school sports along with hockey, waterskiing and wakeboarding. Dennis started his volleyball adventure at an early age and played with multiple clubs in Saskatchewan competing and winning both the Saskatchewan Winter Games and Western Canada Summer Games in 1999.

Dennis played on the Saskatchewan provincial volleyball team from 1995 – 1999 before leaving for college and playing 2 years in the ACAC with the Lethbridge College Kodiaks. In 2001 Dennis ventured onto the beach circuit and competed on the very first Saskatchewan beach volleyball team at the Canada Summer Games in London Ontario.

Once entering the work force Dennis stayed active with Volleyball playing on both men’s and co-ed teams with the Edmonton Volleyball Association. Due to other work and life commitments, Dennis left the sport of volleyball but is excited to come back and give back to the sport that gave him so much.

GREG ELLIS – U15 Black – Head Coach

This is Greg’s second year with the Park Girls Volleyball Club and his first year coaching our U14 girl’s program.

Greg first started coaching volleyball as an assistant at Peace River High School in 1995. As a college athlete he went on to coach a variety of youth summer and weekend camps all across Alberta. For the past 16 years Greg has coached volleyball, basketball, and badminton in Black Gold School Division. He has also coached beach volleyball on various occasions including the Alberta Summer Games in 2010.

A true “gym rat” from Peace River, Alberta, Greg played any and every sport possible, eventually choosing to play varsity volleyball, playing 3 seasons in the ACAC, primarily at Grant MacEwan. Until recently he played in adult leagues as well as beach leagues and tournaments with coach Steve Kutt.

Greg’s coaching philosophy has always been quite simple: work hard and have fun!

Katie Olineck – U15 Black – Assistant Coach

Katie looks forward to being an enthusiastic addition to the 15U-Black team! She’s always enjoyed sports and competition, but volleyball has always been special to her. Her time on the court was marked not only with victories and losses, but also with lifelong friendships and amazing experiences.

Katie’s excited to work with the team and look forward to helping the players reach their goals while having some fun along the way!

Jeff Palichuk – U15 White – Head Coach

Jeff was born and raised in Edmonton, with sports being a constant. He played every sport he could growing up, including hockey, soccer, baseball, volleyball, basketball, and snowboarding.

This will be Jeff’s second year coaching at PGVC, and sixth year coaching club volleyball in the Edmonton area. He has also coached school volleyball at the Jr. High and Sr. High levels. He had the opportunity to head coach the Varsity Girls at SCA for two seasons, with two city finals, a zone championship, and a top 4 finish at provincials. This year he is switching to help coach the Jr. High senior girls team at SCA.

He has coached other community and school sports (baseball, softball, soccer, and archery) as well for the last 16 years.
He enjoys teaching the technical and tactical side of the game. He encourages players to continually progress in their individual skills, at the same time how to best contribute to team success. He cares about the player as a whole, providing a supportive and encouraging environment to grow, develop, and compete.

Jeff is really excited to continue coaching with the Park Girls Volleyball family, with hopes to build a strong competitive 15U team this season.

Kayla Reierson – U15 White – Assistant Coach

Kayla is a passionate volleyball coach with a genuine love for the sport and commitment to giving back to the community. With over 10 seasons of playing experience and first year of coaching under their belt. Kayla brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to every coaching season.

Her dedication to coaching stems from a desire to share her expertise, inspire a love for the game, and empower athletes to reach their full potential.

Cassidy Manly – U15 White – Assistant Coach

This will be Cassidy’s first year as an assistant coach with the Park Girls Volleyball Club, although she coached previously with NAVC 15U for two years.

Cassidy was born and raised in Sherwood Park, and fell in love with the sport of volleyball in junior high. Failing her first tryouts, Cassidy was determined to learn, understand, and excel as a player of such a beautiful sport. Over the years she went to camps, had one-on-one training, and soon played for her Jr. & Sr. High schools and for NAVC in all positions except for libero. In her grade 12 year she began coaching volleyball and fell in love with the world of teaching.

After a year of upgrading, Cassidy is now beginning her first year at UofA, where she is pursuing a teaching career. She hopes to teach the future generation on sciences and hopefully some volleyball too!

Cassidy is super excited to join Park Girls Volleyball as an assistant coach of our 15U-White team!

RYAN JEWELL – U16 Black – Head Coach

This is Ryan’s second year coaching with Park Girls Volleyball Club. He is excited to bring 25+ years of coaching experience to the U16 program.

Ryan has lived in Sherwood Park his entire life and has been heavily involved in the community through sports, volunteering, and operating businesses. Ryan has also been involved in the community. He was a founding member of the “Strathcona Youth Leadership Council”. Served as the youngest Sherwood Park and District Chamber of Commerce president. He has served as president of the County Clothesline board and also on the Sherwood Park Baseball board as Treasurer.

Ryan started his own volleyball career in grade 5 as a Hawk at the original St Theresa school. He played all the way through to grade 12 at Archbishop Jordan where he was named Men’s Volleyball MVP, and Male Athlete of the Year. He is still planning on continuing his volleyball career but is waiting for his growth spurt to kick in…

Ryan started coaching volleyball at ABJ right after he graduated. He even taught current 17U Coach Ryan Marshall everything he knew as a player, and then brought him on as an assistant coach. They coached ABJ to the only male Provincial Championship in school history. Over the years Ryan has also coached volleyball, basketball, baseball, and rugby, winning multiple provincial and league championships. Recently Ryan has returned to coaching volleyball at St Theresa and the ABJ grade 9 teams, helping to win multiple tournaments and championships. Last year he co-coached Ft. Sask Sonic, a new girl’s program, where they finished top 3rd in the province. Ryan is looking forward to taking what he learned coaching a club team last year and putting it to work.

BRETT MOCHULSKI – U16 Black – Assistant Coach

This is Brett’s first year coaching with Park Girls Volleyball Club.

Brett has been very involved in athletics his entire life. While in middle school attending St. Theresa, he played volleyball, basketball, badminton, hockey, track and field, and cross country. Once in high school Brett decided to focus only on volleyball were played on the Sr men’s team all 3 years. He has played 5 years of club volleyball for several different clubs including Park Elite, NAVC, CVC and FOG. Brett was also a part of the Zone 5 boys volleyball team that went on to compete at the Alberta Winter Games in 2020. In high school Brett was on the Archbishop Jordan Sr. men’s team that went on to compete at 4A provincials in 2019.

Brett has received coaches awards on 6 of the sports teams he has been a part of throughout school and has been a captain on 7 of the school/club teams over the years. He has always been a leader and competitor on and off the court and has had a love for sports his whole life, especially volleyball since grade 8.

Brett graduated in 2022 and made his coaching debut this fall with the Archbishop Jordan grade 9 girls team. Brett is currently taking a gap year and spending his time working and coaching. In 2023 he hopes to play post-secondary volleyball and get his Bachelor of Education degree to become a high school teacher, and eventually a phys-ed coordinator.

Brett looks forward to continuing coaching and sharing his knowledge and love for volleyball.

PATRICK DUNSMORE – U16 White – Head Coach

This is Patrick’s sixth year with the Park Girls Volleyball Club and his fifth year as head coach.

Patrick has been heavily involved in athletics his entire life. While growing up in Calgary he played every sport possible, winning City Championships in soccer, basketball, and hockey. He was introduced to volleyball in Jr. High and immediately developed a passion for the sport which has carried forward over 30 years later. From grade 7 through grade 11 he played as a setter, and after a growth spurt throughout High School, he eventually transitioned into an outside hitter for Grade 12. In 1996 he was a walk-on for the SAIT Trojan men’s volleyball team where he competed for four seasons in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC). Over the span of those four years playing for the Trojans, he helped build the men’s volleyball program from 2nd last place in the ACAC South Division, to become the No. 1 ranked team in Canada.

After moving to Edmonton in the summer of 1999, he became involved in several Men’s, Co-ed, and Beach volleyball leagues where he eventually met his wife, Tara. Together they shared the same love of the sport and competed in local leagues & tournaments throughout Western Canada for more than a decade, winning 10 Tier 1 league championships and multiple co-ed tournaments. They are now sharing their same passion for the sport of volleyball with their 3 daughters while residing in Sherwood Park.

As a coach, Patrick is focused on long-term player development with an emphasis on proper technique and fundamental skills. He demands the best from his players through constant effort while keeping a positive team culture. Patrick’s vision for his players is to achieve both individual and team success, and he prides himself on his outstanding ability to bring out his player’s full potential as confident athletes while challenging them to become stronger mentally as well as physically. Patrick has also been coaching for the Lakeland Ridge Wolves Jr. & Sr. girls volleyball teams along with his wife Tara for 4 seasons. Prior to coaching volleyball, Patrick gained valuable experience coaching 16 seasons of soccer for the SPDSA, 5 of those as head coach with the girl’s Phoenix program. Patrick holds multiple Canadian Soccer Association coaching certificates and is a Trained Development Coach with Volleyball Canada.

A highlight of his volleyball coaching career was winning back-to-back Division 1 Volleyball Alberta Premier tournaments in 2022 with his 14U girl’s team, and back-to-back Division 1 Volleyball Alberta Premier tournaments in 2023 assisting his wife Tara with her 13U Team.

As a player, Patrick has achieved impressive team and individual success. Partnering with Mike Funk in 1999, they were the Alberta Men’s Beach Doubles Provincial Champions. While competing for SAIT, he was part of the 1999 ACAC Provincial bronze medalist, 2001 ACAC Provincial silver medalist, and 2001 CCAA National silver medalist teams. His individual accomplishments include being named the SAIT Men’s Volleyball team Most Valuable Player for the 1997/1998 & 1998/1999 seasons, being selected to the ACAC All-Conference team for the 1997/1998 & 1998/1999 seasons, and being awarded All-Tournament Team honors at the CCAA 2001 National Championship. Patrick also still currently holds 3 ACAC individual statistic records.

TARA DUNSMORE – U16 White – Assistant Coach

This is Tara’s fifth year of assistant coaching with the Park Girls Volleyball Club and is a trained Development Coach with Volleyball Canada.

Tara has successfully earned two diplomas from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, including Personal Fitness Trainer.  As part of this path at NAIT, she took courses in Movement Mechanics, Physiology of Exercise, Nutrition, Applied Physiology of Exercise, Functional Training and Assessment, Resistance Training and Assessment and received her AFLCA (Alberta Fitness Leadership Certification Association) and CPAFLA (Canadian Physical Activity and Lifestyle Approach) certifications.

Being involved in the sport of volleyball for over 30 years, Tara brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge.  She began coaching volleyball during the 1998/1999 season as an assistant coach for the NAIT women’s volleyball team while completing her Personal Fitness Training diploma.  It was not until recently that she continued her passion for coaching volleyball when her oldest daughter was eligible to play volleyball in Junior High school.

In her first year as head coach in 2022 Tara finished top 10 in Division 1 in each 13U Volleyball Alberta Premier tournament placing 3rd, 4th, and 6th place respectively. This past season her 13U-White team placed 1st in Division 1 in both Premier 1 & 2, and 4th place in Provincials. Tara has also assisted 4 seasons for the Lakeland Ridge’s Jr. & Sr. girls volleyball teams in Sherwood Park with her husband Patrick.  Together, their primary goal is the long-term player development of their athletes by focusing on strong fundamental and technical skills.  In addition to coaching volleyball, Tara has coached four seasons of soccer at the U6 and U8 age level where she completed a Canadian Soccer Association course for developmental athletes.

Tara played the setter position for NAIT during her 3 seasons from 1995-1998.  In her final season, she was awarded the Silver Torch Award as the team’s Most Valuable Player. In that same year, she was selected to the All-Star team for the ACAC North Division.

Zak Weber – U16 White – Assistant Coach

This is Zak’s fourth year with the Park Girls Volleyball club and his sixth season of coaching volleyball.

He is currently in his third year at the University of Alberta working on a Bachelor of Science degree in Honors Physiology with the intent to pursue Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is academically driven and as a result, was named valedictorian for his High School in 2020, as well as making the Dean’s List in University.

He fell in love with volleyball in Junior High which led to him playing in high school as well as on various other club teams. Over that time, he has played middle, right side, and his favourite position, libero. During his youth, he received the junior high MVP award in 2016, Tournament All-Star for the Tri-Volley invitational in 2018, and MVP for his High School in 2019. He currently plays beach volleyball in the summer and is on a Coed team in the winter.

Athletics have been an integral part of Zak’s life and he’s played many different sports. He won athlete of the year with his Junior high school as well as Elk Island Public School’s outstanding Athlete for Jr boys Track and field in 2016. He also enjoys soccer which he has played for 15 years. Notably winning gold in the Schwan’s USA Cup, winning gold and medalling in multiple Alberta provincials, leading a youth Canada team that played soccer in Fiji, and recently winning gold in the 2022 Heritage cup representing Fiji. He received most valuable player in 2016 for his club team and the “hardest worker” award for his high school team in 2019 and 2020. He received 6 offers to play post-secondary soccer, 3 in Canada and 3 in the United States which he turned down to work on completing his degree. He’s always had a competitive spirit and prides himself in working hard for success, regardless of what the competition is. With this mindset he has also won two junior high swing dance competitions in 2014 and 2015 and placed first in the western provincial open karate tournament. He has recently started cycling and hopes to pursue it further.

As a coach and based on personal success, Zak stresses how important hard work and mental resilience are to achieve success in volleyball as well as in other aspects in life. He loves working with athletes that have an intrinsic motivation to get better every single day and it brings him joy to see them progress and achieve success.

KELLY SOPROVICH – U16 White – Assistant Coach

This is Kelly’s second year coaching with the Park Girls Volleyball Club, and his first assisting our U15 girl’s team.

Kelly grew up in the small town of Two Hills, Alberta where he was lucky enough to play every school sport (volleyball, basketball, curling, track, badminton), competing in many of these at the zone and provincial level.  His love for all sports, teams, and competition earned him the Male Athlete of the Year award for his High School graduating class.

From a young age, volleyball was always Kelly’s top passion.  Whether it be on his Jr. High or High School team, traveling to play on Club teams in bigger towns, playing with his parents in an adult volleyball league as a teen, or playing in beach volleyball tournaments. Kelly was always enjoying the sport.

When Kelly moved to Edmonton for post-secondary education, he played for the NAIT Ooks Men’s volleyball team for 3 seasons.  Playing at NAIT awarded him the opportunity to travel across Western Canada, as well as Tournaments in Toronto and California where he played with and against players he is still friends with to this day.  After his college career came to an end he was a founding member of a men’s league team in the EVA that went on to win 10 Edmonton Volleyball Association Division 1 titles.  When his father passed away, Kelly, along with family and friends hosted the annual Dennis Soprovich Memorial Volleyball tournament raising over $120,000 for Cancer Research.

Kelly’s love of sports continued after having children and has head coached and assistant coached his kids’ teams in soccer, baseball, ball hockey, ice hockey, and volleyball.  Kelly believes in player development and teaching kids life skills that will carry them through the rest of their lives.  Volleyball has given him a lot over the years and this is his opportunity to give back to the sport he loves.

RYAN MARSHALL – U17 Head Coach

Ryan Marshall is a Certified Advanced Development Coach for Volleyball. He has his Bachelor of Physical Education, Bachelor of Education and Masters of Education Degrees from the University of Alberta.

Ryan has been coaching volleyball for over 20 years. His coaching resume includes 4 years of coaching U18 Men’s Club volleyball with both The Bears program as well as Park Elite Boys Volleyball Club, including a birth in the tier-one national semi-finals. Ryan has also coached high school senior men’s programs for 7 years. A highlight of his high school coaching career was winning a 3A provincial championship. Most recently he has coached junior high girls volleyball at both the senior and junior levels. Ryan has also been involved in coaching volleyball camps for students as young as 10 years old.

Ryan started playing volleyball for F.R. Haythorne junior high school in grade 7. In grade 10 he started every game, as a right side, for the Bev Facey Falcons senior team and by grade 12 he became captain of his high school team. He also played club volleyball throughout junior high and high school. Although two colleges approached him to play post-secondary, Ryan decided to attend U of A to complete his education degree and began his coaching career. Since then, he has played on competitive men’s and coed adult teams. Ryan recently hung up his playing shoes to spend his time coaching.

Ryan has been coaching with the Park Girls Volleyball Club since the 2019-2020 club season. Ryan believes that it is imperative that young volleyball players develop the proper skills and techniques while growing a passion and love for the game. Sportsmanship, teamwork and building character is essential to the success of his teams.

SHAWN CROSBY – U17 Assistant Coach

Shawn started coaching with the Park Girl’s Volleyball Club at the U14 level in 2021, after coaching for 2 years with the Park Elite Boy’s Volleyball Club. He coached the Sr. Girl’s volleyball team for 2 seasons at F.R. Haythorne and is currently coaching the Sr. Girl’s Volleyball team at Bev Facey High School.

Shawn began playing volleyball in grade 5 while living in the Okanagan. He has played volleyball for 20+ years in youth and adult leagues in the Okanagan and in Edmonton. He also competed in track and field, BMX, basketball, rugby, football, and soccer, and he coached his two kids’ indoor and outdoor soccer teams for 6 seasons.

When not playing or coaching volleyball Shawn can be found on one of his many bikes… mountain, fat, or spin. He is a level 2 C.O.R.E. certified spin instructor (since 2014) currently teaching online spin classes in Sherwood Park.

Shawn earned his Bachelor of Phys. Ed. and Bachelor of Ed. degrees from the University of Alberta. Classes included both 100 and 300 level Volleyball, Athletic Injuries, Sport Psychology, Coaching, Biomechanics, and many more. From 2009 to 2022 Shawn worked in pre-school education.

In recent years, Shawn has been challenging himself mentally and physically with endurance mountain bike racing. He has competed in many team and solo races in the 6, 8, and 24 hour distances. He has earned multiple podium finishes including a first place win in a solo 24 hour event.

Shawn’s top priority when coaching is to create a fun and positive environment where athletes feel comfortable challenging themselves to constantly improve. For Shawn, effort and coachability are key attributes he looks for in athletes.

Elle Hartum – U17 Assistant Coach

This is Elle’s second year with Park Girls Volleyball Club and her third season coaching volleyball.

Elle has been very involved with sports her whole life. She’s played a variety of sports including volleyball, basketball, badminton, handball, and track and field. Once in high school Elle focused on volleyball and handball where she played on both the senior women’s teams during her time at Salisbury Composite High school. She has played four years of club volleyball for different teams including Park and FOG. Elle was also part of multiple club and zones teams for handball as well as team Alberta. Elle travelled to Sweden, Denmark, United States and the Caribbean to compete with her handball team.

Elle has received multiple coaches awards including M.I.P, M.V.P, Heart and Athlete of the Year. She also had the privilege of serving as captain on several teams.

Once graduating in 2021 she took on her first assistant coaching position at Salisbury Composite High School with the Sr. Women’s volleyball team. In 2022 she continued coaching at Sal and with a very talented and dedicated group of girls they were able to win Metro City Finals and place second at 4A provincials. Elle joined the Park Girls Volleyball coaching staff for the duration of the 2022/2023 season and is very excited to be coaching again this year!

As a coach, Elle emphasizes the importance of a positive attitude and team unity. She is excited to see this group of girls grow in an up beat and competitive atmosphere!

STEVE KUTT – U18 Head Coach

Steve Kutt is a Certified Advanced Development Coach through the Coaching Association of Canada. He has been the head coach of eight seasons of women’s club volleyball teams (Edmonton AB area, and Houston TX area) ranging in age categories from U13 – U17. He has coached in two USAV national championship tournaments and two Canada West national championship tournaments. Steve has also been to various coaching conferences during his time in Texas. Also, every year since 2002, Steve has been a head coach of the junior high school he teaches at (Webster, Texas 2002-2005 and now Fort Saskatchewan, AB 2005-current). During this time Steve has gained experience coaching both boys and girls teams.

Steve fell in love with the game of volleyball when he participated as a young athlete in a summer volleyball camp back in 1992. This introduction to volleyball led him to try out for his high school volleyball team, which by grade 12 he captained and eventually won a 3A provincial title (Lacombe Composite High School, 1995). During this time Steve played on club teams (Lacombe U16, and Red Deer College U17 and U18) that were highly ranked in Canada and played in tournaments as far-reaching as Orlando, Florida. Steve went on to play college for the MacEwan Griffins Men’s Volleyball team that was ranked as high as 4thin Canada. Steve still plays in local competitive indoor and beach leagues.

MacEwan was where Steve got his first taste of coaching volleyball at one of the college’s summer sports camps. While working toward his Bachelor of Physical Education and his Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Alberta, Steve was an assistant men’s volleyball coach for a season at Louis St. Laurent Catholic High School and for a season at Harry Ainlay High School in Edmonton. Steve has also been involved in coaching various summer camps such as the U of A volleyball camps and Next Step Continuing Education Camps.

All in all, Steve has been involved in coaching volleyball for 20 years which includes 26 different seasons/teams coached. Steve became a Park Girls Volleyball Coach in 2017 and continues to enjoy his time as a head coach of the club.

JENNIFER KUTT – U18 Assistant Coach

Jen Kutt is a Certified Advanced Development Coach through Volleyball Canada, an In Training Coach through Canada Basketball, and a Certified Level 2 NCCP Coach.

Jen has her Bachelor of Physical Education and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Alberta. During her time at U of A, she took courses such as Analysis and Instruction of Volleyball, Introduction to Sports Injury Management, Advanced Sports Injury Management, Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, and The Application of Psychological Skills to Sport and Physical Activity among others.

Jen started coaching volleyball in 1998. She has head coached three intermediate school seasons while in Texas, head coached one junior high school season, assistant coached for two junior high school seasons (most recently the 2019 F.R. Haythorne Junior Girls), and co-coached nine club seasons at the age groups of U14 (SSVC Texas), U16 (SEEVC Edmonton), U17 (SSVC Texas and FOG Edmonton), and U13-U17 (Park Girls Volleyball). She will be co-coaching the Bev Facey Senior Girls volleyball team this upcoming season. She also has experience coaching youth soccer, track & field, and basketball.

Jen started playing volleyball for Fultonvale Junior High School in grade 7. By grade 12 she became the captain of her high school team, the Ardrossan Lady Bisons. Since then, she has played on competitive women’s and coed adult teams every year, including a few seasons of beach volleyball.

Along with volleyball, Jen has experience playing high school level basketball, team handball, rugby, and soccer – winning city and provincial titles in many of these sports.