14U Female Burgundy

After playing volleyball at FHS, for the NB Canada Games Team and UNB Men’s Team, I was asked by a friend (now my wife, Lisa) to help her coach middle school boys’ volleyball.  I then went on to help coach FHS Varsity Boys with my brother-in-law and then later help with the FHS Varsity Girls, again with Lisa. 
 
When she got a job at Leo Hayes and began coaching the Varsity Girls team there, I stayed at FHS coaching against her – it wasn’t always fun, but we think that both teams benefited from it in the end.  We coached together again over the summer for Team NB and winning the 18U Atlantic Championships that year.  I also coached some of the first club teams in the city with her when the Reds Club made its debut.  At that time, I also started playing in the Reds Club system as a Senior Men’s player.  Back then, we pulled kids in from every walk of life to try and get a team together, but those first teams and players were the building blocks of the Club programs that exist today.  I’m definitely proud to have had a small hand in helping to build the foundations of Club volleyball in Fredericton. 
 
After some time off from coaching to focus on our daughter Evie, I recently returned again when she showed an interest in the sport, helping to coach the 12U and 13U Spartans Girls’ Teams.  As a coach, my favorite part is helping kids grow both as players and individuals.  There is nothing like the “aha moment” when a player figures something out, whether it’s as an individual or a teammate.  For me, those are the best moments as a coach.  I have a passion for volleyball and I do my best to pass that along to my players.

I began my coaching journey in 1994 as the head coach of the Nashwaaksis Junior High Varsity Boys Volleyball team. Over the next two years, I had the privilege of guiding these young athletes and laying the foundation for what would become a lifelong passion and influenced my decision to become a teacher. After that, I took on the role of coach for the JV Black Kats Boys Volleyball team, where we won the provincial banner.

My coaching career continued to evolve as I worked with various varsity girls teams at Fredericton High School (FHS). Eventually, I moved to Leo Hayes High School when I started teaching in 2002 and spent several years coaching both the varsity boys and girls volleyball teams. Each season brought new challenges and successes, enriching my experience, and deepening my love for the sport.

In 1999, I reached a significant milestone by co-coaching with my husband the Provincial 18U Girls Volleyball team to victory at the Atlantic Championships. It was an honor to receive Coach of the Year by Volleyball New Brunswick in 2000. Alongside my work with the provincial team, I also had the pleasure of coaching many 18U girls’ teams with the Reds Program, contributing to the development of young players, several of which went on to play at the University level.

In 2011, we took a break from coaching to focus on welcoming my daughter, Evie, into the world. Even though I stepped away from coaching, I continued to play competitive volleyball and finished my last season with the Senior A Reds in 2019.

In 2021, my husband Mike Walsh and I returned to coaching when Evie expressed an interest in playing volleyball. It felt wonderful to reconnect with something that had brought us so much joy over the years. Mike, who has been an incredible player and coach himself, has always been a great support throughout my career. Together, we are excited to once again be part of the Spartans community and look forward to the upcoming 14U season.

Coaching has been a central part of my life and I am grateful for the opportunity to inspire and guide the next generation of volleyball players.

3rd Year Coaching Indoor Volleyball at the Club Level for SVC (13U Girls 2022-23, 14U Girls 2023-24 and 14U Girls 2024-25)

Previous Coaching Experiences: Leo Hayes High JV Girls Tier 2 2024, NMS JV Girls 2021 & 2023 and NMS Gr. 6 Girls 2022.

Current Coaching Level: Advanced Development Coach (In Training)