COUGAR VOLLEYBALL COACHES
2025 SEASON
““A GOOD COACH CAN CHANGE A GAME. A GREAT COACH CAN CHANGE A LIFE.””
Our Cougar Coaching family…
At Cougar Volleyball, we LOVE our coaches! These are the ones on the front line who invest in the person, then the athlete! These are the ones who take their time to work with each and every player to get them to the absolute best of their ability and then challenge them to go further. We value our coaches so much because this program doesn’t happen without them. They are an incredible asset and are what makes Cougar Volleyball special!
Below you will find information about all of our coaches for the 2025 Indoor Club Season! Thank you coaches!
GIRLS COACHES
13U GIRLS
YASHAR MALEKPOUR - HEAD COACH
Volleyball has been a cornerstone of Yash Malekpour’s life for 30 years, with 15 of those spent competing at a high level. Growing up in a family where volleyball spans three generations, Yash’s love for the sport runs deep. His journey through volleyball has not only honed his skills but also instilled a profound appreciation for teamwork, discipline, and the joy of the game.
Now, Yash is eager to share his passion and knowledge with the next generation of volleyball players. He is committed to fostering a love for the sport in young athletes, teaching them the skills and values that volleyball has imparted to him. With his rich experience and genuine enthusiasm, Yash is dedicated to guiding and inspiring new talent, helping them achieve their fullest potential both on and off the court.
13U GIRLS
JACKIE MALEKPOUR - ASSISTANT COACH
Jackie began her volleyball journey 28 years ago, showcasing her passion and talent throughout high school. After taking a break to focus on her university studies, she rediscovered her love for the game through drop-in sessions. Competing against ex-professional and ex-collegiate players, Jackie honed her skills and deepened her appreciation for volleyball.
Now, with her children embracing the sport, Jackie is committed to sharing her love for volleyball with the next generation. Her goal is to ensure that young girls have the opportunity to learn, build their skills, and develop a lifelong passion for the game, just as she has.
14U GIRLS
GRANT HALLAM - HEAD COACH
Grant has played lots of sports: volleyball for 20+ years (took hiatus for a few years when daughter was born), competitive outrigger racer (racing around Alcatraz island or from LA to Catalina was so much fun), mixed martial arts for a few years, and an avid badminton player. He coached our U13G team last year and is looking forward to coaching U14G this season. Grant is NCCP trained and AOC Level 1 Certified. He considers himself a life-long learner of the sport and continuously looks for new ways to teach his team to succeed.
“I love the sport and want to share my experience. Helping to coach my daughter over the years and see her progression both in technical skills and mental toughness has been a driving force in wanting me to share with more kids. Bringing a group of kids together to succeed in both individual and team goals is very satisfying. I'm looking for another great year.”
15U GIRLS (A)
BLERIM LALAJ - HEAD COACH
Blerim has been coaching with Cougars Volleyball for 4 years & has led his team to a medal in Provincials. His passion for volleyball and teaching the kids to love the sport is his priority in his coaching. Blerim enjoys Tennis, Soccer & playing Pool (Cue Sport) during his spare time & is a fully certified as an NCCP coach.
15U GIRLS (B)
PARKER ORMISTON - HEAD COACH
Excited to return for his 2nd season with Cougar Volleyball Club, Parker will look to take on a bigger role in the club, continuing to promote community growth, and assisting Josh and James with the planning and implementation of club volleyball, camps, private coaching, and more. Parker will continue to act as one of the Head Coaches for one of our U15 Girls Club Teams, along with assisting wherever necessary.
This past summer, continuing to run summer camps and acting as the Private Lead Coach, Parker also coached the U17 Team BC Beach Program and U14 Team BC Ignite Program, earning a Silver Medal at the 2024 Maple Ridge BC Summer Games. While his focal point is the growth of the club and promotion of the sport in Maple Ridge, he continues to coach across the lower-mainland, and it’s very rare to not see him in a gym or at the beach.
Continuing to work as an Education Assistant and having a background in Applied Behavior Analysis, he can provide the athletes with a tremendous experience, focusing heavily on skill development, socio-emotional learning, and striving towards creating independency.
“I’m very excited for this upcoming Volleyball year and am looking forward to a busy and fun season!” – Coach Parker
15U GIRLS (B)
KERRI MADSEN - ASSISTANT COACH
Kerri is returning for her second year as an assistant coach with the Cougars Volleyball Club. She has been an avid volleyball player since high school and played 2 years with the JV squad at UBC. Kerri still plays both indoor and beach volleyball, and also enjoys playing many other sports like softball, golf and tennis. Kerri has 3 daughters who are all multi-sport athletes, and recently they have developed a passion for volleyball which has inspired their mom to get involved as a coach with both club and school teams. Kerri is grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community through a sport that has brought her so much joy and has played such a pivotal role in her life."
15U GIRLS (B)
JASON HOWELL - ASSISTANT COACH
16U GIRLS (A)
JAMES TECSON - HEAD COACH
James has over 15 years experience of coaching volleyball for highschool & club. Having coached at Terry Fox Secondary for the Junior Girls & currently head coaching at Pinetree Secondary for the Junior & Senior Boys Programs. James has also coached basketball & roller hockey and is also currently serving as the Cougar Club & Program Director. He founded Poco Volleyball in 2010, a community-oriented volleyball group that has a main focus of building community & promoting active living through the sport of volleyball for all ages.
16U GIRLS (A)
SHUB WANDER - ASSISTANT COACH
Shub
16U GIRLS (B)
MILAN WANDER - HEAD COACH
With over 6 years of experience in volleyball, Milan brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for volleyball to Cougars. She began her coaching career with Cougars in 2021 as an assistant coach for the girls U14 team.
Her coaching philosophy focuses on teamwork, discipline, and strategic innovation. She brings great emphasis on individual skill development, along with team cohesion. Milan believes that volleyball is not just a sport, rather a platform that fosters individual and team growth. Her goal is to build a team that excels both on and off the court.
Aside from coaching volleyball, she is currently studying criminology and psychology at the University of the Fraser Valley. She hopes to implement her studies in a way that curates a more holistic approach that will enhance technical and personal development. Milan is excited to bring her expertise and enthusiasm to Cougars and looks forward to helping players reach their full potential!
16U GIRLS (B)
SOPHIA VIRANI - ASSISTANT COACH
Sophia has been playing volleyball for around 10 years and coaching for 4 years. She first started playing for club and her high school team when she was 13, and later coached her high school girls team. Sophia joined the cougars coaching staff last season as an assistant coach and has gained a wealth of knowledge from the amazing girls and coaches she worked with!
She holds an abundance of respect and passon for the sport, the players, and the parents; she is also extremely excited to start the season off and watch them improve and foster relationships beyond the game. It is important for her that the players have fun, be safe, develop their skills in a healthy manner to maintain longevity, and grow as an individual and team.
Off the court, Sophia studies at UBC and is finishing up her degree in a Bacholers of Arts, she is also passonate about living a healthy lifestyle, being around friends, and learning new things!
17U GIRLS
PARKER ORMISTON - HEAD COACH
Excited to return for his 2nd season with Cougar Volleyball Club, Parker will look to take on a bigger role in the club, continuing to promote community growth, and assisting Josh and James with the planning and implementation of club volleyball, camps, private coaching, and more. Parker will continue to act as one of the Head Coaches for one of our U15 Girls Club Teams, along with assisting wherever necessary.
This past summer, continuing to run summer camps and acting as the Private Lead Coach, Parker also coached the U17 Team BC Beach Program and U14 Team BC Ignite Program, earning a Silver Medal at the 2024 Maple Ridge BC Summer Games. While his focal point is the growth of the club and promotion of the sport in Maple Ridge, he continues to coach across the lower-mainland, and it’s very rare to not see him in a gym or at the beach.
Continuing to work as an Education Assistant and having a background in Applied Behavior Analysis, he can provide the athletes with a tremendous experience, focusing heavily on skill development, socio-emotional learning, and striving towards creating independency.
“I’m very excited for this upcoming Volleyball year and am looking forward to a busy and fun season!” – Coach Parker
17/18U GIRLS
CAREY DELANEY - CO-HEAD COACH
Carey has been coaching and teaching for more than 12 years. He started his passion with teaching as a swim instructor and did this for over 8 years as a teenager. During that time he played high school volleyball and then continued to play volleyball for over 15 years as an adult. He has been coaching his daughters in volleyball for the past 5 years. He is an NCCP trained coach and will be starting his fourth season coaching U16 girls club volleyball. Currently he is in his second year as head coach for the SRT Junior girls school volleyball.
He really enjoys coaching. And his goal as a coach is to enhance the girls skills, knowledge, confidence and passion with volleyball while also watching them make lifelong friendships along the way. Cougar volleyball is a family, driven by the same goals of working hard, playing hard all while having fun. Last year their team was very proud to have brought home the first ever Cougar Bronze medal from provincials. He is looking forward to coaching with his colleague Gerson Neiva for their third season.
17/18U GIRLS
GERSON NIEVA - CO-HEAD COACH
Gerson has been a coach with Cougar Volleyball for the past three years. He is NCCP certified and is trained as a development coach. He has also played soccer, golf, competitive swimming, and tennis.
“Coaching is one way for me to give back to my community. It also allows me to promote a healthy lifestyle amongst youth and encourage players to develop self-discipline and resilience in a competitive but safe environment. In addition to technique and skill development, I apply sports psychology to optimize performance, mental strength and the well-being of our athletes. My coaching values are based on three pillars: respect, commitment and safety.”
BOYS COACHES
13U BOYS
ANDREY FEDYUSHIN - HEAD COACH
Andrey has over 30 years of competitive volleyball experience, starting as a youth athlete. Over the past 20 years, he was a captain of a number of teams in the Vancouver volleyball leagues and tournaments. Additionally, Andrey served as a referee with VolleyballBC for a few years, officiating high school and university games.
In his professional career, Andrey works as a System Administrator and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his three children and his wife.
Since 2022, Andrey has been coaching volleyball and is eager to share his experience and passion with young players this year.
13U BOYS
EVGENY MAISEYEU - ASSISTANT COACH
Evgeny…
16U BOYS
RON GERBRANDT - HEAD COACH
With two decades of dedicated coaching experience, Coach Ron Gerbrandt has been a guiding force in both elementary and high school volleyball. His extensive background incorporates strong interpersonal skills that are foundational to nurturing young athletes through their formative years, strengthening and honing volleyball skills, modelling lifelong learning and enjoyment of sport.
Ron’s coaching philosophy centers around instilling a genuine love for the game, believing that passion and enjoyment are the cornerstones of athletic development. Known for his compassionate approach, he excels in communication and building strong interpersonal relationships with his players. His commitment to fostering a positive and supportive environment has made a lasting impact on the teams he has led, shaping the next generation of volleyball enthusiasts with both skill and enthusiasm.
17U BOYS
ZACHARY BAY - HEAD COACH
Zachary has been involved in sports for his entire life, he has played volleyball for 10 years both beach and indoor, he has coached volleyball for 2 years going into his third with the team, and coached baseball previously for 2 years. He is very passionate about sports and loves the community it fosters, along with the life building skills that can be built through sports. Zachary works in the community as a Mortgage Broker for the last 9 years. He loves to volunteer at his church, play sports with friends, and be as active as possible. Zachary hopes to bring his encouraging mindset to the cougars team.
The most important thing to Zachary as a coach is that the team shows signs of improvement, while maintaining and building quality life characteristics. So our expectations for the players of our team is that they take responsibility for their improvement, that they build their teammates up, that they put the team first, and that they are able to cheer their fellow teammates on from the bench with a good attitude when required. I think sports has the ability to create character in athletes that lasts a life time, qualities such as Perserverance, work ethic, communication. When it comes to what I see as a success is that the athletes walk away at the end of the year with these qualities. Because these qualities will make them a better volleyball players, but also prepare them for any challenge in life. And if our players develop these qualities we are sure that volleyball success will follow.