Libero Virginia Volleyball Club - youth club volleyball in Ashburn and Sterling, VA

MEET THE libero COACHES

Meet the Coaches | Libero Virginia Volleyball
Libero Virginia Volleyball Club · Ashburn & Sterling, VA

Meet the coaches

Our mission is to help kids build self-esteem and self-confidence through sport. Our coaches bring college, national-team and international experience to every practice.

Club leadership

Founder & owner

Libero Virginia was founded by Coach Vlad, who still coaches on court every week.

Vladimir Jelic
Founder & Owner U17 Open National

Vladimir Jelic

Coach Vlad

PhD, Sport & Physical Education

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching highlights

  • Head coach at Libero since 2013
  • CHRVA Club Regional champions: U14 (2014), U15 (2016), U16 (2019)
  • 2nd place, 2026 AAU National Championships (U16)
  • Former coach, Serbian Youth National Team (2006–2008)
  • Varsity head coach, Herndon High School (2017–2018)

Playing career

  • Club volleyball in Serbia, including Red Star Belgrade, NS-Seme Novi Sad and VC Niš
  • University of Niš

Credentials

PhD, University of Niš SafeSport CHRVA IMPACT First Aid CPR
Open National teams

Open National coaches

Our national-track teams, U11 through U17. Listed by team, oldest to youngest.

Nadezhda Shulga
U16 Open National U11 Open

Nadezhda Shulga

Coach Nadya

Head varsity coach, Stone Bridge HS

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching highlights

  • Libero coach since 2019, teams from U10 to U16
  • 1st place, 2026 AAU NYC Open (U12)
  • Qualified for 2026 USAV Girls Junior Nationals (U15)
  • 1st place at No Panic and Vienna Elite 2023 (U11)
  • Head varsity coach at Stone Bridge HS; formerly at Meridian HS

Playing career

  • Collegiate volleyball at Moscow State University and Chelyabinsk Polytechnical Institute (Russia)
  • 12 years of playing experience

Credentials

CHRVA IMPACT SafeSport M.S., Journalism
Anna McCandless
U15 Open National

Anna McCandless

Coach Anna

Head JV coach, Independence HS

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching highlights

  • Libero coach since 2024, ages 13–16
  • Head JV coach, Independence High School
  • Former head coach, Village West Swim Team

Playing career

  • Co-captain, University of Mary Washington women’s club team
  • West Springfield HS varsity

Credentials

B.A., University of Mary Washington
Dragana Mehmetoglu
U14 Open National

Dragana Mehmetoglu

Coach Dragana

NCAA Division II, Northwood University

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching

  • Fourth season with Libero

Playing career

  • 13 years as a middle blocker
  • VC Srbijanka, Valjevo, Serbia
  • Northwood University (NCAA D-II): NCAA championship and Great Lakes Regional final
Stacy Denny
U14 Open National

Stacy Denny

Coach Stacy

NCAA Division I, George Mason

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching highlights

  • Coached the 2026 AAU National Champion U13 Huskies
  • Head coach, Libero U13 National (2024/25)
  • Varsity coach, George Mason HS (2002–2004); JV at Hayfield and George Mason HS
  • McLean Youth Volleyball boys league

Playing career

  • George Mason University, NCAA D-I (1997–2000)
  • USAV adult club (2001–2010) and DC Pro Women’s Volleyball Tour (2002–2003)
Tatyana Vishnyakova
U13 Open National

Tatyana Vishnyakova

Coach Tanya

Kazakhstan National Beach Volleyball Team

Full bio Hide bio

Playing career

  • Nearly three decades of elite volleyball
  • Member of Kazakhstan’s National Beach Volleyball Team since 2015
  • 10 national titles and an Asian Beach Games medal

Coaching

  • Beach volleyball coach in Florida

Credentials

Degree, Accounting & Auditing Degree, Valuation
Melissa Balgavy
U12 Open National

Melissa Balgavy

Coach Melissa

Assistant varsity coach, Kettle Run HS

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching highlights

  • Assistant varsity coach at Kettle Run HS; runs its grade 6–9 camps
  • 7 years coaching at Auburn Middle School, plus intramurals
  • Travel coach at U12 and U18 for American Volleyball Club
  • 25 years teaching math, now at Patriot High School

Playing career

  • Three-sport high school athlete

Credentials

CHRVA IMPACT Gold Medal Squared training
Laura Coblentz
U12 Open National

Laura Coblentz

Coach Laura

NCAA Division I, Valparaiso

Full bio Hide bio

Playing career

  • Valparaiso University on full scholarship, outside hitter (1993–1997)
  • Academic All-American, 3rd team (1996)
  • Mid-Con Student Athlete of the Year (1996–97)
  • Crystal Lake South HS: 2nd and 3rd at state

Coaching

  • Head coach, U17, Sky High Volleyball Club (Illinois)
  • Assistant coach, Libero U11
  • Girls on the Run coach since 2023
American teams

American coaches

Our regional teams, U13 through U16. Listed by team, oldest to youngest.

Kelly Doolan
U16 American

Kelly Doolan

Coach Kelly

NCAA Division I, Xavier

Full bio Hide bio

Playing career

  • Xavier University, NCAA D-I (1996–2000)
  • 1998 Atlantic 10 Conference champion

Coaching

  • Four years coaching Junior Olympic travel teams
  • Varsity assistant, Bishop Ireton (2025)

Credentials

Ph.D., The Catholic University of America
Kimberly Rodriguez
U15 American

Kimberly Rodriguez

Coach Kim

15 years playing · 4 years coaching

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching highlights

  • 1st place, 2025 NVVA season finale as head coach of LYV Seneca Ridge Red
  • Varsity assistant coach during Riverside HS’s postseason run to its first Virginia State Title (2024)
  • JV head coach at Dominion HS (2023) and Riverside HS (2024)
  • 2nd place, 2019 NVVA finals with LYV Seneca Ridge Open Division

Coaching approach

  • Builds resilience and a genuine love for the game
  • Combines mental toughness training with a positive, supportive environment so players learn to handle high-pressure moments

Beyond the court

  • Organizer and host, F & L Competitive Volleyball

Credentials

CPR / First Aid (American Red Cross) VHSL Foundations for Coaching 3DI NFHS Heat Illness Prevention NFHS Sudden Cardiac Arrest NFHS Concussion in Sports REVIVE! Opioid Overdose & Naloxone Epilepsy Foundation Seizure Training
Arnold De Leon
U14 American

Arnold De Leon

Coach Arnold

Assistant coach, Chantilly & Manassas VBC

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching

  • Three years as an assistant coach at Chantilly Volleyball Club (middle and high school boys)
  • Assistant coach, Manassas Volleyball Club 14U girls
  • Founder of the Herndon Volleyball Group

Beyond the court

  • Registered nurse, clinical instructor and nursing professor
Ricky Singh
U13 American

Ricky Singh

Coach Ricky

Club and high school varsity player

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching

  • Mentored boys high school varsity pin hitters (2021–2022)
  • Varsity assistant statistician (2022)
  • Mentored hitting and serving, 16U San Gabriel Elite (2019)

Playing career

  • High school varsity (2016–2019)
  • San Gabriel Elite club (2016–2017)
Summer staff

Summer coach

Coach Miloš joins Libero each summer from Serbia.

Coach Miloš
Summer coach

Coach Miloš

Assistant coach, Serbian U18 National Team

Full bio Hide bio

Coaching highlights

  • More than 15 years in athlete development and high-performance coaching
  • Head coach, OK Takovo (Serbia)
  • Assistant coach, Serbian U18 National Team, and scout for Serbia’s youth national teams
  • Has guided teams to national league promotions and championship finishes
  • Physical education teacher since 2008; volleyball coach since 2009

Credentials

Degree, Physical Education & Sport, University of Niš Doctorate in progress
Sashka the husky

Say hi to Sashka

Our husky mascot and the owner’s service dog. VSA is pet-friendly, and leashed pets are always welcome.

Ready to play for one of these coaches?

2026/27 tryouts: U10–U14 Oct 23–25 · U15–U17 Oct 30–Nov 1 at VSA Sterling.

Register for tryouts See the teams