2023 Coaches

Head Coach

Devon May

Devon is a full time training professional beach volleyball player and coach, as well as a co-founder and coach at @thebeach.co, Vancouver’s premier beach volleyball program. 

Devon spent her younger years playing for Thunder Beach and Sideout before playing indoor varsity volleyball at SFU. She followed that up with a victory lap at the University of Alabama in Birmingham where she competed on the NCAA 1 pairs beach team. Devon then returned to UAB as an assistant coach before pursuing her dream of making Team Canada beach volleyball.

Devon can also be reached through her personal webpage at devonmay.ca 

Head Coach

Blue Head Coach

Adam Thompson

Adam is an experienced beach and indoor volleyball player and coach. Adam became a member of Volleyball Canada’s beach national team in 2018 and has trained and competed in many countries around the world.

Adam also earned a Bachelor of Human Kinetics while playing varsity indoor volleyball at the University of Windsor for 5 years.

Adam’s coaching experience includes lead assistant coach for the University of Manitoba men’s team, Resident Professional at the Indoor Beach Volleyball Centre in Winnipeg, as well as coaching at multiple provincial and national competitions.

Assistant Coach

Elizabeth Fesechko

Elizabeth has been a certified development coach since 2016 and has coached over 8 years of both school and club youth volleyball.

Elizabeth has played indoor volleyball since the age of 12 and now spends her time playing beach, occasionally competing at AA tournaments.

Her goals as a coach include building lifelong athletes and instilling core values and principles players will carry with them on and off the court. Elizabeth joined Powerwest as an assistant coach last season and built strong connections with her athletes. She looks forward to both head coaching and assisting again this year.

Blue Head Coach

Adam Thompson

Adam is an experienced beach and indoor volleyball player and coach. Adam became a member of Volleyball Canada’s beach national team in 2018 and has trained and competed in many countries around the world.

Adam also earned a Bachelor of Human Kinetics while playing varsity indoor volleyball at the University of Windsor for 5 years.

Adam’s coaching experience includes lead assistant coach for the University of Manitoba men’s team, Resident Professional at the Indoor Beach Volleyball Centre in Winnipeg, as well as coaching at multiple provincial and national competitions.

Assistant Coach

Sophia Birley

Sophia grew up and went to high school in Toronto playing volleyball for 8 years.

She played with both Titans Volleyball Club and Leaside where she first met Devon.

She now Studies Economics and international relations at UBC, while still maintaining her passion and love for volleyball joining the Powerwest coaching team!

Navy Head Coach

Aimee Tilly

Aimee attended Sutherland Secondary School in North Vancouver and spent 4 years playing for BCO Volleyball Club from 2015-2019. While playing for BCO, Aimee had Power West Director Devon May as an assistant coach in her u15 year.

After high school Aimee moved on to play for the Capilano University Women’s Volleyball team and is currently in her fifth year as a right-side hitter for the Blues. At Cap U, Aimee is working towards a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology.

Aimee has previously coached for Seaside Volleyball Club at the u14 and u17 levels and has been a coach for the West Vancouver Volleyball Academy for the past year. 

Assistant Coach

Annika Kuznik

Annika grew up in Delta, BC, playing club volleyball with Seaside. She is going into her third year on the Capilano University women’s volleyball team while pursuing a degree in biology.

She has more than three years of club coaching experience and is excited to be a part of the Powerwest team.

Head Coach

Mike Walkinshaw

Mike is a Trained Advanced Development Coach, and has a long history of playing competitive sports, including volleyball, ultimate, and football.

This is Mike’s 5th year coaching for Powerwest as well as 2nd year coaching high school volleyball. Mike looks forward to building strong fundamental skills and having a lot of fun with entry level volleyball athletes.