2008 TACHIKARA 18U WOMAN TEAM COACH OF THE YEAR

Linda Merrick has been involved as a coach and mentor in the sport of volleyball at many levels including high school, club, provincial team, and university.  The experience and knowledge of the game that she provides her athletes has had a tremendous impact on their performance as well as their development as volleyball players. 

Linda led the Sturgeon Composite High School team to three Edmonton Metro League City Championships during her six year coaching stint with the Spirits.  She was also involved with the 16U provincial teams in 1997 and 2002, winning the 16U Western Elite Championship.  Linda was an Assistant Coach with the U of A Pandas from 2000-2002; during this time she also volunteered with the Northern Alberta Volleyball Club (NAVC) as a resource coach. 

Linda has been affiliated with NAVC since 1994 and up until 2001 she coached the 16U women’s program that was consistently one of the top teams in the province.  In 2000 and 2001 her teams finished with a Provincial Gold and Bronze medal respectively.  The past two years, Linda has been coaching at the 18U level where once again her teams performed up to her high standard of excellence.  In 2004 Linda’s NAVC Gold team captured the Gold medal at the Provincial Championships and narrowly missed the medal podium, finishing fourth at the National Championships in Moncton.   

Linda has the utmost respect from her players and the parents of the team.  She treats her athletes with respect, honesty and fair play, and expects the same from them both on and off the court.  All of the athletes on the NAVC Gold team will be continuing their volleyball careers at the post-secondary level; this alone is testament to her dedication and excellence in coaching