Northwest Volleyball

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.

Key to Team Names: 
UA Teams are National Teams
Baden Teams are Regional Teams

 *Some Age Groups only have one UA (Under Armour) team

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.

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 adminsitrator. 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. 

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.

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. This year, she decided to take time off from directing a club, so she can focus on coaching. During the fall, she an assistant coach at Juanita HS. 

ALLEY HADDEN: Head Coach 

Bio Coming.

CIARA FORTIER - Assistant Coach

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.

SABRY HEFNY: Head Coach

Sabry started with NW Juniors in 2015. He is currently the head volleyball coach at Forest Ridge in Bellevue and has over 15 years coaching experience.  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:

• FIVB Technical Seminars
• USAV CAP I Certification
• Gold Medal Squared
• The Art of Coaching Volleyball
• Bill Neville's Coaching Seminar
• Athletes and Children Psychology clinics

ZOEY LANGE: Head Coach

Zoey started playing volleyball in the 5th grade and picked up club in the 9th grade. She played for NW Juniors from 10-12th grades and that coincided with her three years on varsity at Cascade HS in Everett. Her senior year, her U18 team was one of the top teams in the region and qualified for Nationals. 

She started coaching club and Fall Academy for NW Juniors VBC in 2017. During her first two seasons as a club coach, she served as an assistant for U12's and U13's. She has had great mentors as a player and as a coach in the club and has been prepared for a successful career as a head coach for NW Juniors.

She remains active as a player and plays in several adult leagues and outdoor tournaments.

She is IMPACT and Safe Sport certified and has attended several NW Juniors Coaching clinics.

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 adminsitrator. 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. 

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. 

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.

GEN KNOPPI: Head Coach

Gen is a NW Juniors alimni 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. 

Beginning the Fall of 2022, Gen will be on staff at Edmonds College with director Tony Miranda (her former club coach).

GEN KNOPPI: Head Coach

Gen is a NW Juniors alimni 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. 

Beginning the Fall of 2022, Gen will be on staff at Edmonds College with director Tony Miranda (her former club coach).

ALISON COMPTON: Assitant Coach

Ali is now a senior Defensive Specialist at nearby Northwet University in Kirkland. Prior to NWU, she was a setter & DS at Edmonds College. She is a local athlete from Marysville-Pilchuck High School. She is also a NW Juniors alumni giving back to the sport in many ways. This marks her fifth season coaching club, and she has also spent the last four summers coaching with our indoor and beach camp programs. 

SABRY HEFNY: Head Coach

Sabry started with NW Juniors in 2015. He is currently the head volleyball coach at Forest Ridge in Bellevue and has over 15 years coaching experience.  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:

• FIVB Technical Seminars
• USAV CAP I Certification
• Gold Medal Squared
• The Art of Coaching Volleyball
• Bill Neville's Coaching Seminar
• Athletes and Children Psychology clinics

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.

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.

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.

ANJA GRANT - Assistant Coach

Anja is a senior at Jackson High School and played several seasons with NW Juniors. Beginning the fall of 2021, Anja began coaching as a volunteer with our Fall Academy program. 

JOE TASSIA

Joe has coached for our indoor club for six 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 over a decade. 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

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.  

GLENN MOEN

Glenn started coaching for NW Juniors in 2016 as an assistant on the 12 UA Blue team his daughter Kate played on. Fast forward to 2021 and he is coaching 13 UA Blue with Kate as his assistant. 

Glenn brings over thirty years of volleyball experience with him. He has coached at many levels including high school, adult men's and women's teams, He also has nine years as a collegiate head coach at Simmons College in Boston (NCAA DIII), and the men's team at the University of Wisconsin (NCAA DI). Aside from coaching, Glenn has also played extensively. He has also been a referee, tournament director regional board member, camp director, and volleyball clinician. 

"I learned a lot from the girls that first season. I hope to share my knowledge and love of the game by giving the girls the tools they need to be successful. I want to teach them to bring intensity, focus, and athleticism to their game. I want them to be able to enjoy volleyball throughout their lives,: