Coaches

Coach Donna is excited to lead the U12 team again this season. She began her coaching journey with DYS in 2015 when her daughter joined the program and has since coached across multiple levels, including the House League, the HEAT team, the U14 Club team, and most recently the U12 Club team. She also coached with Loudoun Youth Volleyball from 2016 to 2021. Coach Donna is IMPACT and SafeSport certified.

Currently in her fifth year as Head Coach of the Freshman team at Freedom High School, Donna focuses on building strong fundamentals, fostering teamwork, and developing a genuine love for the game. She is passionate about helping young athletes build confidence, improve their skills, and enjoy their Volleyball journey, whether they continue into club, high school, or even college play.

After helping DYS successfully bring back its U12 Club team last season, Donna returns with the experience and steady leadership needed to continue building the program for its youngest athletes.

Coach Sabina will serve as an Assistant Coach for the U12 Thunder team this season, marking her first year coaching Club Volleyball with DYS. She previously coached in the DYS Recreation League and brings a unique connection to the U12 program — Coach Donna was Sabina’s first Volleyball coach when she began playing in sixth grade. Her journey has now come full circle as she joins Donna on the sidelines as a coach.

Sabina is passionate about creating a supportive, positive, and fun environment where young athletes can build confidence, develop their skills, and create lasting memories through Volleyball. She looks forward to sharing her own experience and love of the game while helping the U12 players grow both individually and as a team.

Outside of Volleyball, Sabina is also a competitive powerlifter and a member of USA Powerlifting (USAPL). She plans to pursue a degree in Elementary Education when she begins college next year.

Coach David is excited to begin his first season as Head Coach of the DYS U13 Thunder Club Team. His athletic background spans the high school, collegiate, and semi-professional levels, but his connection to Volleyball began closer to home when he stepped up to coach his four daughters through Loudoun Youth Volleyball.

His Volleyball coaching journey began in 2018 with his oldest daughter. As his younger daughters followed her into the sport, his involvement grew into a deep passion for coaching and mentorship. Over the past eight seasons, David has developed a love for teaching the game and helping young athletes reach their full potential.

David’s coaching philosophy centers on strong fundamentals, confidence, communication, accountability, and sportsmanship. For the past two years, he has coached within DYS across both the Recreation League and the DYS HEAT travel program alongside his wife, Coach Toni. Together, they strive to create a positive, high-energy environment where players are challenged, supported, and taught the importance of playing as a unified team.

Outside the gym, David brings 20 years of experience to his career as an Aerospace Engineer. He is excited to continue giving back to the sport that has enriched his family’s life while helping Thunder athletes develop into skilled, confident, and competitive players.

Coach Toni will serve as an Assistant Coach for the U13 Thunder team this season. Although this will be her first year coaching club Volleyball with DYS, Toni has been involved in the DYS program for many years. She has coached in the DYS Recreation League and with the DYS HEAT travel team. She also coaches elementary- and middle-school recreational teams with Loudoun Youth Volleyball alongside her husband, David, each fall.

Toni’s connection to Volleyball began when her oldest daughter started playing recreational Volleyball in fifth grade. Her daughter’s immediate love of the sport quickly became her own. Wanting to better support her daughter’s development, Toni began studying the fundamentals and mechanics of the game. Coaching and helping other young players soon became the natural next step.

By day, Toni is an accountant; by night and early morning, she is a certified fitness instructor. She is also the proud mother of four daughters, ages 8 to 17, all of whom play either club or recreational Volleyball. Her background in fitness and Volleyball has strengthened her passion for developing and conditioning young athletes while helping them build strong minds and bodies they can be proud of.

Toni’s coaching philosophy centers on building confident athletes and developing a strong sense of team. She believes individual growth and team success go hand in hand. Her goal is to help players become not only stronger Volleyball players, but also resilient and supportive teammates who celebrate one another’s successes and lift each other up through challenges. Toni is excited to begin coaching at the club level and looks forward to helping the U13 Thunder players develop a lasting passion for the game.

Coach Madeline is excited to step into the Head Coach role for the U14 Thunder team this season. This will be her second year coaching Club Volleyball with DYS after serving as an Assistant Coach for the U13 team last season. She also brings several years of experience from the DYS Recreation League, where she often worked alongside Coach Kristie and helped lead teams to strong results.

Madeline is currently the Varsity Volleyball Head Coach at Cornerstone Christian Academy. She brings a strong passion for the game and a commitment to helping young athletes grow in both skill and confidence.

She looks forward to taking the next step in her club coaching journey and leading the U14 team this season.

Coach Kristie will serve as an Assistant Coach for the U14 Thunder team this season. This will be her second year coaching Club Volleyball with DYS after serving as the Head Coach of the U13 team last season. She also brings many years of experience from the DYS Recreation League, where she has frequently coached multiple teams in a single season and consistently led competitive teams. Kristie remains an active Volleyball player herself, competing in a local women's league.

In addition to Volleyball, Kristie has coached DYS Basketball for several years and previously led the fourth-grade DYS Select team.

Kristie’s coaching philosophy centers on teamwork, positivity, and harmony. She believes great teammates build strong teams and works to create an environment where athletes support one another, grow together, and enjoy the game. She is excited to move up with the team and continue supporting the players as an Assistant Coach at the U14 level.

Coach Cris serves as President of DYS Sports and will lead the U15 Thunder team this season. This will be his 12th year coaching club Volleyball with DYS, in addition to his many years coaching in the recreation program. His experience also extends to the high school level, where he coached at Freedom, Independence, and Park View High Schools. Before being elected to his current role, Cris served as the DYS Volleyball Commissioner.

Cris was first introduced to Volleyball by his oldest daughter when she was in fifth grade. Although he had never played the sport competitively, he quickly fell in love with it and has been coaching ever since. Before Volleyball, he was an accomplished rugby coach at the club, college, and high school levels, including coaching at George Mason University and winning the 2013 Virginia State High School Rugby Championship.

Coach Sydney is excited to return for her second year coaching with DYS. After serving as an Assistant Coach for the U14 team last season, she looks forward to moving up to the U15 team and continuing to share her love of volleyball with the next generation of DYS players.

Sydney spent her entire club volleyball career playing for DYS and is excited to now experience the game from the other side of the court. She played volleyball at John Champe High School, where she served as team captain, and continued playing on Christopher Newport University’s club volleyball team, where she was also part of the team’s leadership. Sydney currently serves as the Assistant Coach for the Freshman team at Freedom High School and works in a special education classroom, where she supports students with autism.

A big part of Sydney’s coaching philosophy is helping players build confidence and resilience while continuing to grow as athletes and teammates. She sees her role as more than just a coach and takes pride in being a mentor and someone the girls can turn to both on and off the court. Most importantly, she wants them to have fun, support one another, and never lose their love of the game.

Coach Haley will serve as an Assistant Coach for the U15 Thunder team this season, marking her first year coaching with DYS. A former setter, Haley played club Volleyball with DYS and was also a member of the Independence High School Volleyball program, where she served as a team captain.

After recently graduating from the University of Tennessee, Haley has returned to Northern Virginia and is excited to be back with the DYS program in a new role. Having experienced the program herself as a player, she looks forward to working with the U15 athletes and helping them continue to develop their skills, confidence, and love of the game.

Haley is excited to be back with her DYS family and begin her coaching journey this season. Go Vols!

Coach Chrissy is excited to step into the Head Coach role for the U16 Thunder team this season. This will be her fifth year coaching with DYS. Last season, she served as a floater coach across the Club program, supporting all six DYS teams and working with athletes across multiple age groups.

Chrissy grew up in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, where she played basketball and Volleyball in high school. She attended the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, playing basketball during her freshman year before transitioning to Volleyball for her sophomore through senior years. After moving to Virginia, she continued playing co-ed and women's Volleyball for many years.

Chrissy also brings experience coaching with Loudoun Youth Volleyball and working with athletes across a wide range of ages and skill levels.

She has a passion for coaching and looks forward to sharing her knowledge and love of the game with the U16 team while building confidence, positivity, and strong fundamentals.

Coach Abby will serve as an Assistant Coach for the U16 Thunder team this season, marking her fifth year coaching with DYS Volleyball. Last season, she served as the Head Coach of the U15 team after previously leading the U16 team, giving her valuable experience working with athletes across multiple age groups.

A high-level player herself, Abby competed at both the high school and club levels. She brings that same competitive spirit to her coaching, pairing personal achievement with a strong commitment to player development. Abby previously served as the Varsity Coach at PVI High School and now leads the school's JV team, in addition to working as an elementary school teacher.

Passionate about building confidence and growth, Abby creates a team environment rooted in effort, resilience, and teamwork. She is excited to move into the Assistant Coach role with the U16 team and looks forward to supporting the athletes throughout the season.

Coach Jimmy returns for his 11th season coaching Club Volleyball with DYS and will once again lead the U17 Thunder team. During his time with the program, he has coached every age group from U13 through U18.

As the DYS Volleyball Commissioner, Jimmy oversees the full Volleyball program, including Club Volleyball, the Recreation League, HEAT, and a variety of clinics and camps designed to provide opportunities for players of different ages and experience levels.

Coach Jimmy and Assistant Coach Charity guided their U17 and U18 teams to back-to-back championships at the Capitol Hill Classic in 2022 and 2023, which remain two of his proudest coaching accomplishments.

Jimmy previously served as the Varsity Head Coach and Program Director at Freedom High School in South Riding. He is IMPACT and SafeSport certified through USA Volleyball and has completed Level 1 and Level 2 training with The Art of Coaching Volleyball.

Coach Charity returns for her 11th year in the DYS Club Volleyball program and will once again serve as an Assistant Coach for the U17 Thunder team. During her time with the program, she has coached every age group from U13 through U18, bringing extensive experience and a steady, positive presence to each team.

Before coaching at the club level, Charity spent nine years in the DYS Recreation League, including time as Head Coach of the Rec League All-Star Team.

Charity is IMPACT and SafeSport certified. She is known for her ability to connect with players, help them manage the emotional side of competition, and build lasting confidence. Her goal is to inspire athletes to become the best versions of themselves, both on and off the court, by emphasizing resilience, teamwork, and self-belief.

Coach Emma will serve as an Assistant Coach for the U17 Thunder team this season, marking her first year coaching Club Volleyball. Emma is no stranger to DYS, having played her entire club career with the program from U13 through U18.

Emma is currently playing Division I Volleyball at Gardner-Webb University, which competes in the Big South Conference. She has recorded more than 700 kills during her collegiate career. As a freshman at Millersville University, Emma finished the season with 360 kills, placing her 10th in the program’s single-season record book.

Emma is excited to return to DYS in a new role and join the coaching staff of the program where she spent six seasons as a player. She looks forward to sharing the experience and perspective she has gained at both the club and collegiate levels with the U17 Thunder athletes.