NW Juniors Elite Volleyball Club is proud to announce it has assembled one of the best coaching staffs in the region! This staff includes collegiate coaches and collegiate players, several local respected high school coaches, and multiple former NWJRS players who competed for us, went on to play collegiately and now are back. As a group, we have some of the top volleyball minds on staff!
Our entire staff is IMPACT and Safe Sport certified and our coaches annually attend the NW Juniors Elite Coaches Clinic led by Club Director, Tony Miranda. Several coaches have their CAP certification; high school coaches have their CPR certification and regularly attend WIAA Coaching Clinics. Our experienced staff guides our new coaches to ensure that all of our coaches find success.
All of our coaches share a love of the game of volleyball, and a love and passion for NW Juniors Elite and all the players that pass through our doors. Several coaches compete indoors and on the beach -- our coaches have a passion for the game of volleyball and that passion shows when they coach our athletes. We could not be more excited about the upcoming season and the staff that you will all get to know. If you would like to join our incredible staff, please fill out the application below.
"The best teachers are also the best students -- as the program director of this club, I'm always looking for ways to improve my own skills as well as those of my coaches, so with that in mind, I meet with them at the start of every season for training to bring them up to date on the latest most innovative forms of training that our profession has to offer. With over 25 years in this business, I want to take what's best from the tried and true methods, but also keep learning as new information and training techniques keeps us fresh and motivated." ~Tony Miranda |
For the 2024-25 Season, we are still looking to hire head and assistant coaches. We have openings at most age groups. If you are interested and looking for your next (best) coaching opportunity, please contact our club director, Tony Miranda (Tony@nwvolleyball.com) and/or fill out a coaching application.
Key to Team Names:
All of our teams are Under Armour (UA) Teams. They vary based on length of season and number of tournaments played. Most #1 teams
Rank | EASTSIDE | NORTHEND | SEASON END |
# 1 | UA BLUE | UA BLACK | Memorial Weekend (except 12's) |
# 2 | UA GREY | UA WHITE | Mother's Day Weekend |
# 3 | UA NAVY | UA TEAL | Regional Championships |
18's & 17's COACHES |
18 UA BLUE |
Taylor started coaching for NW Juniors during the 2023-24 Season. He grew up in Northen California and was a setter at Cal-State Northridge where he got his degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is USAV Impact and Safe Sport Certified.
Playing career:
Coaching Career:
This is Greg's first season with NW Juniors. He is from Glendale, CA and was a teammate of Taylor's at Cal State Northridge where he was a middle blocker. Greg is currently an advertising manager for a local company.
18 UA BLACK |
Heather Goodman is currently an assistant at Edmonds College after two seasons as the head High School and Middle School Coach at Sound Christian Academy in Tacoma.
Heather grew up in Florida where she played volleyball all through middle school and high school. During her high school career she won numerous athletic awards, including region player of the year her senior season.
Heather moved to Washington where she attended and played for Edmonds College. She was captain both years at Edmonds and helped lead her teammates through very successful seasons - including a 4th place finish at the NWAC tournament.
Heather started coaching for NW Juniors during the 2018-19 season while playing at Edmonds. She also has spends her summers on staff with NW Juniors Volleyball Camps.
Maria is a sophomore Libero on the Edmonds College Volleyball team. She was Heather's assistant with the 16 UA Black team in 2024. She went to Shorecrest High School and played club with Seattle Juniors & Space Needle.
17 UA BLUE |
SABRY HEFNY: Head Coach
Sabry started with NW Juniors in 2015. He has over 15 years coaching experience in High School, club, camps and our Fall Academy. He has coached in Egypt, Minnesota, and Seattle. Over the years, he has done a fantastic job developing our younger teams and focuses on fundamentals and teamwork. He has proven to be a fantastic technical coach and is able to coach players of varying ages and skill levels.
Previous to coaching with NW Juniors, he was an area director and coach for Sabotage VBC. With Sabotage, he coached 12's, 15's, 16's and 18's. His versatility as a coach and trainer allows him to be successful at varying age groups. He has also served as assistant and JV coach at Jackson and Bellevue High Schools. He also brings 10 years of professional playing experience.
His coaching training includes several clinics:
17 UA BLACK |
Mike joined our staff in 2021 after running his own club for several seasons. He is the head coach at Sammamish High School and has directed their program to post season several times. Mike was the director of Mukilteo Volleyball Association for 6 years and has coached the U13, U14, U15, U16, U17 and U18 teams. The U18 team his last year did very well getting a Bid to the Top 16 Bid Tournament for the fourth year in a row in the Puget Sound Region and finished 12th in U18 Championships. Finished in flight 3 of power league for the season.
Mike coached 6 season with MVA and over 11 years with Boys & Girls club volleyball.
16's COACHES |
16 UA BLUE |
ANDREW BARLOS - Head Coach
Andrew joined NW Juniors during the 2023-24 Season. He comes to us from Chicago where he has extensive experience as a player and coach.
Andrew played 2 years of Men's Basketball at Lake Forest College, after he ended his career, he became a Student Coach/Assistant for the Women's Volleyball Team. He has also coached clinics, camps, and individual sessions throughout his career.
High School Coaching Experience: Walter Payton College Prep Junior Varsity Head Coach & Varsity Assistant Coach: 2015-2017
College Coaching Experience: Lake Forest College Women's Volleyball Assistant: 2012-2014
Club Coaching Experience: Illinois Juniors Volleyball Club Head Coach: 2012-2018 (Girls National 14U, 15U, 16U)
Playing Experience: Oak Lawn Community High School:
16 UA BLACK |
TONY MIRANDA - Head Coach
Tony has experience playing and coaching indoors and outdoors. He has been involved on the indoor part of the club since 1989 and has been involved in the growth of junior beach volleyball here in the Northwest since before the very first USA Beach Tour "Western Open". His NW Juniors-sponsored beach tournaments at Alki Beach are where the junior beach movement here in the area started.
In addition to regular indoor coaching duties, Tony offer his assistance to players in preparing for college and act as a liaison between the players and recruiters as the club’s recruiting coordinator. He also oversees the direction and growth of our junior and adult beach programs and runs a Junior College beach championship event every May.
Tony is currently the head coach at Edmonds College and enters his fifth season back. He has extensive college coaching experience, having spent the 2005-2009 seasons at Edmonds Community College (3 NWAACC Tournament appearances and a 3rd place in 2008); four years at Bellevue College (finished his career there with a record of 39-9 in the North Division and 124 – 76 overall, was voted coach of the year in the Northern Division in 2001 & 2002, and in 2002 was voted all-NWAACC coach of the year); and two years as assistant coach at Seattle Pacific University in 1999 & 2000.
Tony has been involved with Northwest Juniors VBC since 1989 and has been the director of the club since 2000. Over the years, Tony has taken several teams to YJOV National Championship events. Tony’s responsibilities also include coaches education and beach programming.
DEBBIE MIRANDA - Assistant Coach
Years coaching volleyball: 18 years, 12 seasons with NW Juniors.
Other Duties: Off-and-on Club Administrator since 2014. 2018 - Assistant Coach at Edmonds CC. Also coaches at NW Juniors Summer Camps, NW Juniors Beach Camps, and Fall Academy. Tournament Director.
Your coaching philosophy: My goal is to always bring out the best from these student athletes, whether it be on the court or off. To teach the skills it takes to be the very best volleyball player you can be as an individual and as a team. I believe hard work pays off in everything you to do in life.
Why do you coach? I love teaching this game, and watching these young girls grow as volleyball players and into young ladies.
Any coaching accomplishments? 2012 & 2013, led my NW Jrs teams to the Junior National Championships.
Coaching education & training: Gold Medal Squared Clinics; NW Juniors VBC Coaching Clinics, Impact Certified, First Aid Certified.
Sydney is a Sophomore OH/DS at Edmonds College, 2024-25 will be her second season coaching with NW Juniors. She is from Las Vegas where she played for Underrated VBC and Liberty HS.
16 UA GREY |
Alex joined NW Jrs back in 2022 and has been coaching Volleyball for the past 6 years. He graduated from Woodinville High school in 2018 and currently enrolled in Eastern Oregon University to get his BA.
High School coaching Experience:
Club Coaching Experience:
Coaching Training:
16 UA NAVY |
16 UA WHITE |
Katie joined NW Juniors for the 2023-24 season after coaching at Apex in Bellingham. He has experience with club, Fall Academy, and camps. She is currently the head coach at Woodinville High School.
15's COACHES |
15 UA BLUE |
15 UA BLACK |
Kirsten joined the NW Juniors coaching staff for the 2023-24 season and jumped right in, working with our Fall Academy, and then our 14-1 team in the Northend. She started playing volleyball when she was 10 years old as a Libero/DS. She grew up in Spokane and played for various clubs and graduated from HS volleyball powerhouse, Mead High School. She went to Boise State University and played on the women’s club team before graduating in Spring 2023. The 2024-25 season will be her fourth season coaching club, and she started her career at Idaho ONE VBC while at Boise State. She has coached U11s through U15s for club and all ages for camps, leagues, fall academy, and more!
"My goal as a coach is for my players to not only grow as athletes on the court but grow as individuals off the court. I encourage hard work, dedication, and teamwork. As a coach, I love seeing how much my players improve throughout the season and their growth in passion for the game." - Kirsten Hallock
Ali played two seasons at Edmonds College and finished her playing and academic career at nearby Northwet University in Kirkland. She played DS at Northwest U and was a setter & DS at Edmonds College. She is a local athlete from Marysville-Pilchuck High School and a NW Juniors alumni giving back to the sport in many ways. She started coaching for the club while still in High School, serving as an assistant for our younger teams. Ali has also spent several summers coaching with our indoor and beach camp programs.
15 UA GREY |
Gen is a NW Juniors alumni and played High School volleyball at Mt. Si High School. She went on to play at Colby Community College in Kansas and at Missouri Valley College. After graduation, she stayed in Missouri and coach High School and Club. Upon returning to the Seattle area, Gen rejoined the club as a coach. Gen also coached one season on staff at Edmonds College and served as the club's assistant director during the 2022-23 Season.
15 UA NAVY |
15 UA WHITE |
Miranda Grieser was a Setter for Tahoma High School Volleyball Team and continued career at Highline Community College and University of Alaska Fairbanks. She comes from a family passionate about volleyball; both parents and two sisters also play. Her coaching philosophy emphasizes mental toughness and adaptability in all game scenarios and she believes in developing players who can excel under pressure and think strategically. Because of her exposure to volleyball from a very young age, Miranda has a lot of coaching experience. This will be her second season with NW Juniors.
"Volleyball taught me that keeping a steady mentality and poise are essential. In every game, no matter the score or situation, maintaining focus and composure is key to success on the court and in life." - Miranda Grieser
14's COACHES |
14 UA BLUE |
KELCI STEWART: Head Coach
Kelci is a graduate of Kentwood HS and has played volleyball for 8 years, Five of those seasons she played club including her last three seasons with NW JRS. She did not play in college, but stayed active as a player after graduating high school.
She joined the NW Juniors staff for the 2013-14 season and has been fantastic with our younger athletes. Her coaching career started in the Kent parks recreational league in 2009-2010 where her teams went undefeated for two seasons.
Her coaching philosophy: She believes that how you practice, is how you play. She teaches the game with a positive attitude and works hard on building a team who can come together to accomplish goals that they set.
Why does she coach? "Volleyball is my passion and I have had amazing coaches who have impacted who I am today. I want to give back!"
Her other interests & hobbies include photography, traveling, and hanging around the city.
14 UA BLACK |
CAROLINA PAGAN - Head Coach
Carolina started coaching for NW Juniors in the Fall of 2021 with the Fall Academy. In the Fall of 2022, she was the JV coach at Kamiak High School, in Mukilteo. This is her second season coaching with NW Juniors and her first season as a head caoch.
14 UA GREY |
14 UA NAVY |
14 UA WHITE |
Ciara is a recent graduate from Glacier Peak HS and currently attends Everett Community College. While at Glacier Peak, Ciara played indoor and beach for NW Juniors VBC and has worked spring and summer as a coach in our beach and camp programs.
13's COACHES |
13 UA BLUE |
Chris has been with NW Juniors since 2016. Aside from one season as a head coach, he has primarily served as an assistant coach for Vettiar Chup (including his one season with Lake Tapps). He worked with our 12's during the 2024 season and will move up to 13's for 2025. He started his club coaching career in 2015 at Lake Tapps VBC. Chris has also worked with our Beach program as a program assistant and staff coach. Chris plays adult leagues indoors and also plays outdoors during the summer.
He is IMPACT and Safe Sport certified.
13 UA BLACK |
HEIDI SHRADER: Head Coach
Heidi grew up around volleyball as her family started Rain City Volleyball club when she was growing up. Whether as a player or as a coach, Heidi has been part of Rain City nearly her entire life. Heidi has also been on staff for Juanita High School.
"Jo" is a recent graduate of Grand Canyon University where she got her teaching certification. Before heading down to GCU, she played two seasons at Edmonds College where she played Outside Hitter and Libero while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. She is a local athlete from Nathan Hale HS and she played for several clubs. As a Freshman at Edmonds, she was named to the North Division 2nd Team and to the first team as a sophomore Libero. She has been coaching at the Boys & Girls Club for several seasons and worked camps at the NW Juniors Beach throughout her late HS and early college career.
KENNA FENTON - HEAD COACH
Kenna is a 2021 graduate of Liberty High School and has played for NW Juniors for several seasons. She began her coaching career as a Junior as an Assistant Coach.
TRACIE FENTON - Head Coach
Tracie started coaching with NW Juniors in 2015 and has coached all ages from U13 to U18 for the club. She has been coaching for over 20 yrs. Her first stint as a club coach was with Club Wahine in South Seattle where she was a coach and club administrator. She stayed at Club Wahine for a few years and then moved to Northwest Juniors. She continued coaching off and on mainly coached CYO volleyball while her kids were younger and then came back to coaching once they were old enough to play club. Tracie is also a mainstay with our Fall Academy and Beach club programs.
She started playing volleyball when she was in 4th grade and continued through high school and played 3 years of club volleyball. After high school, she continued on to play at Bellevue College. She continued to play recreationally after Bellevue and still enjoys playing indoor and outdoor volleyball.
Tracie is Impact and Safe Sport certified.
13 UA GREY |
13 UA NAVY |
13 UA WHITE |
12/11's COACHES |
12 UA BLUE |
12 UA GREY |
Gen is a NW Juniors alumni and played High School volleyball at Mt. Si High School. She went on to play at Colby Community College in Kansas and at Missouri Valley College. After graduation, she stayed in Missouri and coach High School and Club. Upon returning to the Seattle area, Gen rejoined the club as a coach. Gen also coached one season on staff at Edmonds College and served as the club's assistant director during the 2022-23 Season.
11 UA BLUE |
12 UA BLACK |
ROVING/UNASSIGNED STAFF COACHES |
VETTIAR CHUP: Head Coach
"V" started coaching with NW Juniors VBC in 2009 when he was also the Graduate Assistant Coach at Edmonds College. He is currently an assistant at the University of Puget Sound.
Aside from one seson at Lake Tapps, V has coached his entire club career at NW Juniors. He has served as a coach at Everett High School for the 2010 & 2011 seasons. "V" has coached all ages while at NW Juniors, is one of our more popular coaches and has done a great job in training athletes. He plays indoor and outdoor volleyball and brings great youth and enthusiasm to the staff. He is a patient and knowledgeable coach with a great understanding of the game.
CARLEE ROWELL: Head Coach
Carlee has been coaching indoor and beach volleyball with NW Juniors since the 2017-18 season. In spring 2021, she will graduate from UW with a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering. Last season, she played on the UW club volleyball team. Before transferring to UW, she attended and played at Bellevue College where she made second all-tournament team at the NWAC championships and her team took second in their league.
Carlee grew up in Tri-Cities, Washington playing for Kamiakin HS and Shockwave VBC. She played at five different Nationals with her club team.
JOE TASSIA
Joe has coached for our indoor club for 9 seasons and has been around volleyball all his life. His true love is for the beach game. He's been one of the top rated beach players in the Northwest for almost two decades. Whether he is coaching indoors or on the beach, he consistently works to improve as a coach and to improve his athlete's overall volleyball IQ and technique. As an experienced player and coach, Joe will lead our beach staff and help to continuously strive to improve as well. He's an AVP certified coach and has his USAV Beach CAP certification. His roots may be on the beach, but his overall knowledge of the game, his experience, and his passion for teaching give him the tools to be a successful coach on any surface.
"Players will do what they’re told by a coach but they will only truly follow someone whom they believe in and who believes in them. Coaching is all about relationships. It doesn’t happen on chalkboards, with titles, or in newspaper articles. Transformational coaching occurs only when people believe in you and choose to follow because they know that you believe in them, too."
-InsideOut Coaching
Jocie is a Freshman DS on the Bellevue College Volleyball team and went to Evergreen HS in Vancouver, WA.
RICK FARRELL
Rick Farrell started coaching with NW Juniors in 2017 and joined the Edmonds College staff in the Fall of 2019. His coaching experience started over 15 years ago with the Mukilteo Boys and Girls Club. From there, he joined Mukilteo Volleyball Association (MVA), first as an assistant coach and then head coach.
Rick is dedicated to player development and the learning process. He earned his CAP I Certification through USAV to further his education and expand his knowledge of the game. He has been employed with the City of Mountlake Terrace for 31 years and is married with two daughters.
Kasey enters her first year with NW Juniors. She recently moved from Minnesota and is in Marketing. As a coach in Minnesota, she coached seven seasons with Vital Volleyball Club and started her coaching career at Minnesota Select while in college. Originally from Wisconsin, she played 4 seasons at Concordia St. Paul University (D2) where she was a three-time National Champion and three-time All-American setter. She was on the Dean's list all four years at Concordia St. Paul.
CAITLYN JAMES - Head Coach
Caitlin is a Senior Libero at Northwest University in Kirkland; in 2023 she will continue playing in the innaugural season for the Northwest University Beach program. Previous to NW University, she played two seasons at Spokane Falls CC. 2022 marks her second season coaching with NW Juniors, she is also on the NW Beach Club staff in the Spring and Summer. She is a graduate of Kentwood High School.
Abby is a freshman Setter & Opposite on the Edmonds College Volleyball team. She went to White River HS in Buckley, WA.