2023 Indoor Team NS - Head Coach Announcement

Volleyball Nova Scotia is excited to share the group of Head Coaches who will be leading the 2023 indoor Team Nova Scotia programs. VNS believes that these individuals will provide great leadership to the athletes and coaches training and competing this summer, and support all Team NS participants in reaching their development goals. Immense gratitude to these coaches for accepting their roles!

Assistant Coaches for each program will be announced in early May.
 
14U Female Head Coach – Brian St John

From Dartmouth, Brian currently coaches 14U within the Scotia Juniors volleyball club. Development Coach trained, Brian competed for the UNB Reds for 4 years, and has been a part of the Coed Volleyball Nova Scotia scene for a number of years.
 

14U Male Head Coach – Leanne Marriott

From Spryfield, Leanne is the club director for the Scotia Juniors volleyball club, and has coached a number of ages and genders for nearly 20 years at the school, club, camp and provincial team levels. Advanced Development Coach Certified, Leanne is excited to be a part of this 14U provincial team pilot program.
 

16U Female Head Coaches – Hillary Hommy & Allison Saunders
     
Hillary (Porter’s Lake) and Allison (Halifax) are a dynamic coaching duo, and share many similar experiences. The two coaches represented Team Nova Scotia as the manager (Hillary) and Assistant Coach (Allison) for the women’s indoor team at the 2022 Canada Summer Games. Both coaches are part of Volleyball Nova Scotia’s pilot Coach Advancement Program, receiving mentorship and support in furthering their coaching goals. They recently completed co-coaching a season of the female Provincial Excellence Program based in Halifax, and in January, both were assistant coaches at the Volleyball Canada 18U Female Eastern Targeted Athlete Camp in Toronto. Hillary is currently working towards her Advanced Development Coach certification, Allison towards her Performance Coach certification. Both coaches have post-secondary playing experience (Hillary at University of Calgary, Allison at MSVU), and coaching experience (Hillary at Saint Mary’s University, Allison at MSVU).
 

16U Male Head Coaches – Tyler Simmons & Eric Villeneuve
    
From North Preston, Tyler is returning for his third summer coaching male Team NS, most recently leading the 2022 16UM training group. Working towards his Development Coach Certification, Tyler has experience coaching at a number of levels, from introducing the sport to 6-12 years old as a Smashball instructor, to being an assistant coach with the successful MSVU women’s program.
 
From Ottawa and then Bedford, Eric is a Certified Development Coach on the volleyball court, and has extensive coaching experience in both Hockey and Baseball. Eric has a number of accolades as a volleyball athlete, including multiple USport medals as a member of the Dal Tigers men’s indoor team, and being one of the first male volleyball players (along with his brother, Paul) inducted into the Dalhousie Sport Hall of Fame.
 

18U Female Head Coach – Peter Artibello

From Salt Springs, Peter is a Certified Performance Coach, and is back leading the 18U Female indoor program for the second straight year. Peter has extensive coaching experience, including head coaching the St FX University Women’s volleyball team, as well as club directing and coaching within the Kempe Volleyball Club. Peter is currently leading the 18U Female Truro Cougars program.

 

18U Male Head Coach – Angus Rhuland

From Halifax, Halifax is no stranger to Team Nova Scotia. He represented NS as an athlete at the 2005 Canada Summer Games in Regina, and set for the Dal Tigers men’s program. He also competed provincially in football and soccer. Performance Coach Certified, Angus has been heavily involved in the VNS Development Pathway. He was the Head Coach of the men’s indoor team at the 2022 Canada Summer Games, has led the male training group of the Provincial Excellence Program for 4 years, and is part of the Coach Advancement Program.