Meet our Team

Meet Our Team

Our coaching and administration team consists of volunteers from many different volleyball backgrounds. All Stars coaches support the club's philosophy of building young leaders, encouraging all players positively and working with them to improve both on the court and off. We also support all our coaches in their NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program) advancement and certification.

If you are interested in joining the Stars coaching team or administration, please contact us!

 Please note that the coaching positions listed below are subject to change.

COACHES

We are excited to welcome an amazing team of coaches for our Summer Series sessions. Ranging from alumni, current and past coaches, every individual brings a unique skillset and coaching style to each session!

  • EMMA DYER

    GR. 6-8 & 9-10 HEAD & ASSISTANT COACH

    Emma began playing club volleyball with the Stars at U14 and has been with the club ever since. She has been coaching around the North Shore since 2018 at Windsor, Handsworth and Stars between the U14 to U16 levels. Emma is currently studying at BCIT and is excited to be helping out at Stars for another season!

  • MEGHAN DAHL

    GR. 6-8 & 9-10 HEAD & ASSISTANT COACH

    Meghan grew up as a multi-sport athlete; playing mostly volleyball, basketball, and field hockey. She has played at various clubs around the North Shore and joined Stars in her U16 year.

    In high school, Meghan assisted with coaching skill and development clinics at the U13-14 level at both Stars and St. Thomas Aquinas. While at University in Ontario, she coached for Leaside Volleyball Club at the U14 level.

    Meghan graduated recently with a degree in English Literature and Criminology from the University of Toronto. She is looking forward to a wonderful summer season back on the North Shore!

  • KARINA POYNER

    GR. 6-8 & 9-10 HEAD & ASSISTANT COACH

    Karina is a recent graduate from Handsworth Secondary, where she played as a starting middle. She has been assistant coaching with Stars for two seasons now on top of her busy playing schedule, competing with a team that medalled in Tier 1 at Provincials in 2024.

    Karina will be continuing her volleyball career in the Fall at The University of King’s College where she was signed as a middle. But in the meantime, she is excited to spend the summer coaching at Stars!

  • SAMANTHA MILLS

    GR. 11-12 HEAD COACH

    Samantha began her volleyball career playing for the Stars during her high school years. In 2018 she returned to the sport by coaching at Stars and Collingwood School during the high school season. Samantha is an NCCP Development coach (formally Level 1). In 2020 she was appointed to the Stars Board of Directors and in 2023 appointed as President. Outside of volleyball, Samantha works in operations at a real estate developer. Samantha is very excited to be with Stars after benefitting herself from years of coaches volunteering their time and effort to impact lives through the power of sport.

  • LAURA PICKARD

    GR. 11-12 HEAD COACH

    Laura began coaching with the Stars in 2014, but has been coaching volleyball at various levels since 2009. During the school season, she head coaches the Junior Girls team at St. Thomas Aquinas. Laura has experience coaching high performance teams, in 2024 head coaching the BC Summer Games Zone 5 team and in 2025 assistant coaching the BC Cup Zone 5 team. Laura played club and school volleyball on the North Shore until grade 12, and from 2020-2023 played post-secondary volleyball at CBC as a serve receive libero. Through her years coaching and college volleyball experience, she brings a vast knowledge of strategies and techniques to teach her players.

  • SOFIA PARENTE

    GR. 6-8 & 9-10 ASSISTANT COACH

    Sofia is a Human Kinetic graduate from UBCO, and has just returned from the Netherlands where she was studying and playing volleyball for the past year. She has strong interest in athletic performance and injury prevention. Sofia played with Stars for most of her youth, giving her a particular passion for volleyball and the Stars Club. Her diverse experience has given her insight into the skills, drive and performance needed in this sport.

  • PAIGE CHAPMAN

    GR. 6-8 & 9-10 ASSISTANT COACH

    Paige is currently a student at the University of Victoria, studying medical sciences and playing in the PIVA league for collegiate volleyball athletes. She has four years of high school experience at Handsworth and club volleyball experience, starting as a libero before transitioning to a full-time setter. In addition to volleyball, Paige competed as a varsity rower for UVic, making her a well-rounded, multi-sport athlete who understands the importance of teamwork! Paige began her volleyball journey at Stars in grade 8, where she discovered her love for the game. She’s excited to be back as a coach and looks forward to inspiring and supporting the next generation of players!

  • ILIANA HODGINS

    GR. 6-8 & 9-10 ASSISTANT COACH

    Iliana played as a setter for Stars and Windsor throughout her whole high school career. She is currently studying Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary. Iliana has stayed involved with Stars since graduating high school through coaching camps when she is back on the North Shore on breaks.

  • JENNY ELLIS-WHITE

    GR. 11-12 ASSISTANT COACH

    Jenny played for Stars her whole high school career as well as a middle at West Vancouver Secondary. Jenny is currently in her 5th year at UBC and, after such a positive experience with Stars herself, is now giving back to the club with her time coaching. Jenny brings a vast knowledge of the game to the table having played competitively for so many years. She recently assistant coached the U14 team at Stars and helped out with the senior team at West Van.

  • SOPHIA KOSTAMO

    GR. 11-12 HEAD & ASSISTANT COACH

    Sophia grew up playing high school and club volleyball on the North Shore. She has assistant coached U16 and U17 at Stars as well as Juniors at STA this past Fall. We are lucky to have her running a Summer Series session this year!

  • RYAN SAMUELSON

    GR. 11-12 ASSISTANT COACH

    Ryan started his coaching career with the Stars in 2022. During the high school season he assists the St. Thomas Aquinas junior girls team. Ryan's own volleyball journey began in high school at Kelowna Secondary School as well as the Kelowna Volleyball Club, where he played as a middle and then as a setter. He went on to obtain a degree while playing USPORT volleyball for the varsity team at Nipissing University in Ontario. His experiences as both a player and a coach have given him a well-rounded perspective on the sport, where he hopes to help young players achieve their goals.

Head Coaches & Board Members

  • Samantha Mills

    PRESIDENT & HEAD COACH

    Samantha began her volleyball career playing for the Stars during her high school years. In 2018 she returned to the sport by coaching at Stars and Collingwood School during the high school season. Samantha is an NCCP Development coach (formally Level 1). In 2020 she was appointed to the Stars Board of Directors and in 2023 appointed as President. Outside of volleyball, Samantha works in operations at a real estate developer. Samantha is very excited to be with Stars after benefitting herself from years of coaches volunteering their time and effort to impact lives through the power of sport.

  • Laura Pickard

    VICE-PRESIDENT & SPRING LEAGUE COACH

    Laura began coaching with the Stars in 2014, but has been coaching volleyball at various levels since 2009. During the school season, she head coaches the Junior Girls team at St. Thomas Aquinas. Laura has experience coaching high performance teams, in 2024 head coaching the BC Summer Games Zone 5 team and in 2025 assistant coaching the BC Cup Zone 5 team. Laura played club and school volleyball on the North Shore until grade 12, and from 2020-2023 played post-secondary volleyball at CBC as a serve receive libero. Through her years coaching and college volleyball experience, she brings a vast knowledge of strategies and techniques to teach her players.

    Laura is passionate about the sport and eager to challenge players to unlock their potential and try new things, while making new friends and having some fun along the way. When not on the court, she is a certified web and graphic designer and works at a local ticket broker.

  • Karen Martin

    DIRECTOR & HEAD COACH

    Karen has been coaching with the Stars since 2010. She has coached girls' volleyball on the North Shore, both high school teams and club teams, for 15 years. Since 2010 she has coached at Handsworth. Karen played volleyball in high school, for UBC in 1979 to 1984 (mostly Junior Varsity, but also some Varsity) and then women's club volleyball, followed by many years of co-ed rec ball. She is NCCP certified as an Advanced Development Coach (formerly Level 2).

    Karen is passionate about the importance of team sport to teenage girls and is thrilled to be able to coach with the wonderful coaching and club admin team at the North Shore Stars. Karen has two grown daughters who also coach with the Stars from time to time. When she is not on the volleyball court, you can find Karen practicing construction law as a partner at Dentons Canada LLP.

  • Abigail Turner

    DIRECTOR

    Abigail has been involved with Stars since 2016 after her daughter was first selected for the U14 team. In her high school and university days, Abigail was a volleyball enthusiast and played on numerous teams both at school and in the community. More recently she coached the Windsor High School Girls Bantam Team in 2016 and the Girls Juvenile Team in 2017. Abigail currently sits on the Stars Volleyball Club Board, which she been on since 2018. Abigail is a lawyer by profession, a Partner at Harper Grey LL, working mainly in Health and Insurance Law.

  • Sara Freyvogel

    DIRECTOR & SPRING LEAGUE COACH

    From the bantam to senior level in high school, Sara played for the Handsworth team and for the Stars as a Left-side/power hitter. She studied Psychology and Humanities at Simon Fraser University.

    Sara has been coaching at the Stars since 2016 and has been a referee with the LMVOA since 2015. Sara joined the Stars Board of Directors in 2024 to assist with administrative duties.

  • Bobbi Tobin

    HEAD COACH

    Bobbi’s passion for sport started young. She played volleyball throughout high school In her small home town of Quesnel, BC, where with great team effort and coach dedication the team qualified for provincials her senior year. In grade 12 she also coached the junior girls at Correlieu and was assistant to the junior boys team. After high school, she played varsity soccer for Thompson Rivers University and UBC Okanagan.

    Graduating with her teaching degree in 2006, she coached many sports in a variety of settings. Moving to North Vancouver in 2022 brought many new opportunities. After coaching Bantam Girls Volleyball at Handsworth this year, she is super excited to become a part of the Stars community. Bobbi shares a passion for volleyball and recognizes the positive role of sport in young people’s lives. She is looking forward to working alongside the exceptional group of people at Stars.

  • Emma Dyer

    HEAD COACH

    Emma began playing club volleyball with the Stars at U14 and has been with the club ever since. She has been coaching around the North Shore since 2018 at Windsor, Handsworth and Stars between the U14 to U16 levels. Emma is currently studying at BCIT and is excited to be helping out at Stars for another season!

  • Camille Shariff

    HEAD COACH

    Camille has been a multi-sport athlete from a young age, with a particular passion for volleyball and tennis, which she still plays competitively. Throughout her volleyball journey, Camille has played various positions, including middle blocker, power hitter, and, in later years, setter. This diverse experience has given her insight into the specific skills required for each position.

    Camille holds a Bachelor of Education, and a degree in Child and Youth Counselling, both of which she believes have equipped her to help young people reach their full potential. She is passionate about fostering a sense of belonging among youth and hold team sports in high regard.

Assistant Coaches

  • J.J. Rawlinson

    ASSISTANT COACH

    J.J. recently joined the Stars coaching team after having coached the Handsworth Bantam team. A multi-sport athlete, she was a setter for Ashbury College and played varsity basketball for UBC. She played volleyball recreationally for most of her life. She recently relocated to Vancouver from California and is enjoying becoming a new member of the North Shore club volleyball community. Outside of volleyball, she is a veterinarian and sustainability professional.

  • Leanna Winberg

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Leanna grew up watching her mother’s volleyball games from the sidelines, and thus developed a love for the sport at a very early age. She played throughout elementary, junior, and high school, culminating her school career with gold medals in both the AAA senior women’s and coed divisions of the City of Toronto; ultimately earning the honour to represent her school as a starting middle at the Ontario Provincial Finals.

    Beyond school, Leanna competed at the club level with the U16 Scarborough Falcons and subsequently took home provincial gold with the U17 U of T Toronto Blues. She continued playing competitively during her university years in Halifax before taking a lengthy break to compete and coach athletes in the sport of roller derby.

    Following a series of injuries and recoveries, Leanna returned to volleyball in 2022 where she now competes four nights a week in both competitive women’s and coed divisions across Vancouver as a left-side attacker.

    Leanna is passionate about creating a safe and grounded environment for the mental, emotional, and technical development of her athletes. She is excited to give back to the volleyball community by coaching with the Stars.

  • Natalie Ranspot

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Natalie grew up on the North Shore and played volleyball through high school and recreationally during her four years at McGill University. She is a NCCP Level 1 certified coach and has been coaching with the Stars since 2013. Natalie also coaches at Handsworth Secondary Schoo1!

  • Mehrnoush Majidnejadi

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Mehrnoush began playing volleyball at the age of 9, developing a love for the sport early on. Though she quit at 15 due to an injury, she channeled her competitive spirit into tennis, where she has been playing since 2018. She graduated from Handsworth Secondary in 2021, and is currently pursuing a Business Administration degree at Simon Fraser University.

    When she's not at university or working at Athleta, she is either working out at F45, watching Formula 1, or at home reading a book.

    Mehrnoush is extremely excited to join the volleyball community again and cannot wait to help out the U14 team this season! 

  • Ryan Samuelson

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Ryan started his coaching career with the Stars in 2022. During the high school season he assists the St. Thomas Aquinas junior girls team. Ryan's own volleyball journey began in high school at Kelowna Secondary School as well as the Kelowna Volleyball Club, where he played as a middle and then as a setter. He went on to obtain a degree while playing USPORT volleyball for the varsity team at Nipissing University in Ontario. His experiences as both a player and a coach have given him a well-rounded perspective on the sport, where he hopes to help young players achieve their goals.

  • Jessie Thompson

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Jessie has been playing Volleyball since she was 10 years old. She played for 5 years at Notre Dame Regional Secondary and for the North Shore Stars her grade 9 and 10 club season. She returned to Stars as a coach in 2022 and is excited to continue. Off the court Jessie works for an engineering firm on the North Shore.

  • Alex Kraczek

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Alex began her volleyball career in 2008 and has been playing ever since. She coached at the high school level in 2021 in Toronto for her hometown team, the Etobicoke Titans.

    She studied denturism at George Brown College while competing on the volleyball team there as a middle. Alex moved to Vancouver from Toronto in early 2024 and is excited to get back into coaching with the Stars!

  • Emily Hardy

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Emily is a Stars alumna that played school and club all through high school. She graduated from UBC in 2024 with a degree in applied animal biology. She has been coaching with the Stars since 2019 and head coached the U16 team in 2022.

  • Tina Botteselle

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Tina's coaching career began in 2017 at Stars and St. Thomas Aquinas, but has been playing since she was young. She grew up playing club and school on the North Shore as a setter and put away her court shoes in grade 12. Today, she still plays in beach and indoor recreational leagues around the Lower Mainland with friends.

    Outside of volleyball, Tina works as an early childhood educator at Holy Trinity Elementary, after finishing her BA in Education from SFU.

  • Alisa Smigoc

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Alisa joined the Stars coaching team in 2023 after playing for the club for several years. She is currently a student at Simon Fraser University.

  • SOFIA PARENTE

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Sofia is a Human Kinetic graduate from UBCO, and has just returned from the Netherlands where she was studying and playing volleyball for the past year. She had strong interest in athletic performance and injury prevention. Sofia played with Stars for most of her youth, giving her particular passion for volleyball and the Stars Club. This diverse experience has given her insight into the specific skills required for the sport.

  • Sandy Hancock

    SPRING LEAGUE COACH

    Sandy has been with the Stars from the start, and has coached U14 and U15 as well as the Youth League. She has coached Elementary school grades 6 and 7, and at Handsworth Secondary school, grades 8 through 10. In her younger days, Sandy was an avid volleyball enthusiast playing indoor and outdoor ball, predominantly beach doubles and triples. More recently, she has taken part in outdoor (recreational level) 6s. In her spare time, she enjoys Irish dancing and step dance.

    Sandy served as the president of Stars from 2018-2024 and has played an integral role in shaping what Stars is and stands for today.

Junior Coaches

  • Karina Poyner

    U15 JUNIOR COACH

    Karina is a student at Handsworth Secondary School where she plays as a middle blocker on the Senior Girls Volleyball team. Karina is in her third year of school volleyball and she has played two years of club volleyball with BCO where she won a provincial title as a 14U player. Karina is a multisport athlete having played fastpitch softball and soccer and she spent this year as an assistant coach with the grade 8 girls volleyball team at Handsworth. She loves working with younger players and is excited to coach with the Stars this season.

  • Anika Farris

    U14 ECLIPSE JUNIOR COACH

    Anika is a grade 11 student at St. Thomas Aquinas. She has played volleyball for her school and most recently, the Stars. She is looking forward to getting into coaching and nurturing her passion for volleyball!

  • Kyra McNeill

    U14 FLARE JUNIOR COACH

    Kyra is a student athlete at West Vancouver Secondary School. She is a left side hitter and has played volleyball for the past 3 years for her school team and club teams. Kyra is excited to join the Stars community and looking forward to helping out this season. 

  • Raeeka Zandian

    U14 ECLIPSE JUNIOR COACH

    Raeeka is a student at Handsworth Secondary School where she plays as a setter. Raeeka has played 3 years of high school volleyball and has also played 4 years of club volleyball with TOT. Raeeka is a multi-sport athlete and has been playing competitive tennis since the age of 8. Raeeka loves volleyball and is excited to help the players improve their skills and have fun this season.

  • Ava Huang

    U14 ECLIPSE JUNIOR COACH

    Ava is a student at Handsworth Secondary School where she plays as a setter (and occasional defensive specialist). Ava has played 3 years of high school volleyball and also plays club volleyball, including with BCO and PCVC. Ava loves working with younger players and is excited to help coach with the Stars this season.

  • Emese Williams

    U14 FLARE JUNIOR COACH

    Emese attends high school at West Vancouver Secondary School and has been playing club and school volleyball since grade 8 (two of those club years playing with Stars). Emese has always had a love for the sport and hopes to continue to reflect her passion to the players. She’s very excited to join the coaching team this season!