Meet some of our fantastic coaches: Cheryl McCombe from PTC, Stephen Ralko from Acadia, Evelina Pescitelli from Byng, and Leslie Duhamel from Van Walleghem

(Scroll down to read about coaches Stephen Ralko, Leslie Duhamel and Evelina Pescitelli)

As we continue our daily celebration of the many great coaches we have in Pembina Trails, today we say #ThanksCoach to Cheryl McCombe from PTC.

Sports teams I’m either coaching now or have coached in the past: 

2024-25 school season I will be coaching PTC's Varsity Girls Volleyball Team and PTC's Junior Varsity Girls Team

Who was your coaching idol or mentor and what was it about them that inspired you?

I have been inspired by the people that volunteered their time to coach me, coach my own kids and my colleagues that volunteer their own time to coach. Teachers like Dave McNabb and Giselle Hudson who taught and coached me, as well as Coleen Dufresne who was my post-secondary coach.

I always appreciated how they believed in me as a person as well as a student-athlete. They all had their own coaching styles but interestingly they had a similar theme of building a strong team community, confidence and a sense of belonging within their players and teams. 

What do you love about coaching?

Without a doubt the kids :), I enjoy their energy. Just watching the student-athletes as they get excited about their teammates' and their own accomplishments and skill development makes my day.

Regardless of the sport there is nothing that compares to observing a group of players come together on and off the court. These are experiences that you know will transfer into their lives off the court and in their future endeavours.

Why do you believe sport is such a great way for students to learn important life skills?

Sport can bring so much fun, fitness and learning for players but truly the benefits outside of the actual playing of the sport is the development of the whole child/person. As coaches we have an opportunity to role model and teach citizenship, teamwork, resilience & perseverance, leadership, a sense of belonging, community and so much more. Coaching is an opportunity to build players sense of self; the chance to get them to believe in themselves and their abilities.

What skills and character traits make for a great coach? 

The ability to empower players to know their importance to the team (community) as both athletes and people. Being aware of your team's needs and meeting them where they are at from a skill as well as social/emotional perspective. Understanding that it's for the kids, have fun!

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As we continue celebrating a few of the many outstanding coaches we are lucky to have in our division, today’s spotlight features Stephen Ralko from Acadia

What sports teams I’m either coaching now or have coached in the past:

Basketball

-First started coaching as an assistant coach at Acadia Junior High for Volleyball and Basketball at in 2009

-Coached the Inner City Wesmen basketball team for 3 years while attending and playing College Wesmen in the MCAC.

-Coached FRC JV boys for 3 years

-Coached Acadia Junior High Girls for Grade 9

-Coached Vincent Massey boys for 1 year

-Coached 15U Centre for Performance (CP) 15U girls for 3 years

-Assistant coach for Team Manitoba 15U Girls for 1 year

-Head coach for Team Manitoba 15U Girls for 1 year

-Coach Linden Meadows grade 6-8 boys and girls for 6 years

• Have 2 former students from LM that is now Playing D1 basketball:
  • Ramogi Nyagudi - St. Thomas University - Minnesota 
  • Tanah Becker - Kentucky University 

Volleyball

-Coached Massey JV Boys - 1 year

-Coached Acadia Junior High Grade 7 Boys - 1 year

-Coached Linden Meadows 7/8 Boys - 6 years

-Coached Beach Volleyball Grade 8's - 1 year

Cross Country + Track and Field

-South Pointe School + Linden Meadows + Acadia for 7 years

Badminton

-Coached at Ecole South Pointe

Currently:

Acadia Junior High 6-8 Cross Country

Acadia Junior High Boys Basketball

****Overall coaching my 15th year*****

Who was your coaching idol or mentor and what was it about them that inspired you?

- My first coaching idols were my Phys. Ed. Teachers at Dalhousie School, Avril Pienaar and Foye Mar. They spent a lot of time providing opportunities and making all the sports/extra-curricular activities they offered fun. It was these two along with my coaches/teachers at Acadia Junior High and Fort Richmond Collegiate that inspired me to into wanting to become a teacher and be involved in coaching, thus a desire to giving back to the community. Once I was involved in coaching, I had a lot of peers who have helped develop my confidence as a coach.

- Randy Kusano has been an amazing mentor for me throughout the times at Centre Performance (CP) and the Provincial team. He has not only helped me within the sport of basketball but has helped develop me into a much better coach. Randy is very good at seeing everyone's strengths and providing constructive feedback. He also has a very strong connection with the basketball community, both players, parents and coaches. 

What do you love about coaching?

- I love watching and inspiring the growth and development of individuals both in their skills and character. This isn't just with the time I have coached them, but also with how they grow afterwards. The self-satisfaction comes from the relationships I have built, rather than the focus of wins and losses.  What is important to me is the big picture, ensuring players have improved, respect and celebrate each other's achievements, become better citizens and are enjoying the game. I have been very fortunate to have coached and coached with a lot of amazing individuals in this province. 

- Coaching is also an excellent opportunity for me to share my love, passion, knowledge and experiences for a variety of sports. 

Why do you believe sport is such a great way for students to learn important life skills?

- I strongly believe that sports is a vehicle for growth and development. Through athletics, you learn the importance of teamwork, communication, respect, discipline, time-management and organizational skills.  Students get to practice these important life skills in a setting where it is both enjoyable and impactful.

- We learn to set goals and reach our personal goals by striving together toward collective goals. 

What skills and character traits make for a great coach?

- Similar to being an athlete, it is an on-going journey and desire of developing to getting better and better. 

- There are many different aspects into what makes a great coach, but I truly believe that you have to learn what works best for yourself. Every coach brings their own unique qualities, experiences and approaches to the table. 

- I feel one of the most important skills as a coach is developing a deep understanding and knowledge of the sport and a commitment to being a continuous learner. Coaches need to develop and learn just as much as athletes do. A strong background knowledge will help equip the coach with the tools they need to provide guidance and advice.

- Important skills when coaching athletes are to be approachable, positive, patient and empathetic. Growth amongst athletes is a journey and athletes put in a lot of trust in a coach. In this journey we want athletes to feel supported and enjoy the process of improving themselves. 

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For today’s showcase of an outstanding coach in Pembina Trails, we are highlighting Evelina Pescitelli from General Byng.

What sports teams are you  I’m either coaching now or have coached in the past?

Cross Country, Volleyball, Basketball, Track and field, judo, wrestling and badminton. Where there is a need, I step up and step in. 

Who was your coaching idol or mentor and what was it about them that inspired you?

My father Mark Berger was not only an Olympic medalist in Judo but a physical education specialist too. He taught me the importance of giving back to my sport and inspiring the next generation of student athletes. He gave me a solid understanding of never making excuses for my shortcomings. My solid work ethic is from my papa. 

My other coaching mentor is Bob MacIntosh, he was my high school volleyball coach and Phys. Ed teacher. Mr. MacIntosh was able to get the best out of all of us. We wanted so much to be successful for him. He was able to make us believe that there wasn't anything we couldn't do if we gave our all. 

What do you love about coaching?

I love creating the types of bonds with student athletes where they know that the only person or people, they compete with is themselves. I'm not out here trying to create super athletes. I'm trying to build athletes who play with heart and integrity that go on to be good HUMANS. That is above everything. I want them to keep working, because my moto is "hard work beats talent when talent stops working." The philosophy I most want them to emanate is the one when they just keep out hustling their yesterday. 

Why do you believe sport is such a great way for students to learn important life skills?

Playing sports builds an understanding that there isn't an "i" in team, and even though there is a "me" good things only happen when everyone thinks as a "we". Collaboration with teammates helps you become a team player within your profession. Knowing that even when you have doubts or weaknesses that with a strong work ethic and belief system that we can accomplish hard things. This helps build skills to improve with goal setting. 

Playing sports help kids build resilience, develop self-esteem and an understanding that winning is not always the end goal. That you can constantly work to better yourself and make strides for improvement even when we fail. That we learn more from one loss than you can learn from a thousand wins. That Kindness and Integrity is far more important that winning ever will be, even though winning is fun. It teaches them the importance of being coachable and not being self-entitled.

Coachable kids will always become successful adults. 

What skills and character traits make for a great coach?

Passion and excitement for the sports you are coaching. The ability to amp up your team when they are too calm and calm them when anxieties fly high. A strong rapport with your kids so that when they inevitably become angry/sad/frustrated with mistakes (theirs or their teammates)  you can bring them to a place of calm and understanding. A high standard of integrity by far is the most important to me, I want to lead by example. My end goal isn't building better athletes, I want to help build good humans. 

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As part of National Coaches Week, we'll be highlighting a coach from within our division every day. We begin our weeklong celebration of coaches by showcasing Leslie Duhamel from École Van Walleghem School.

What sports teams are you coaching now or have coached in the past?

I have coached many teams within this division - cross country teams, basketball teams, volleyball teams, indoor track teams, outdoor track teams, badminton, soccer, handball and much more.

Outside of school I have focused on basketball and have coached for the Junior Bisons program - their 2010 Gold boys team and their 2011-2012 girls basketball teams. I have also started grass roots programs for girls in basketball at the Lindenwood CC and coached that team for two years. I was fortunate enough to be the assistant coach of the TAP program for the U15 level lasts year as well.

Who was your coaching idol or mentor and what was it about them that inspired you?

I have been fortunate to have many amazing mentors over the years who have taught me so much about being a great coach. My basketball coach in middle school - Mervin Busby - was an amazing man who gave so much time to coaching and who taught me about the importance of connecting with your players. My university coach Tom O'Brien taught me about seeing potential in athletes and creating programs that allow them to rise to the occasion and make great progress in their skill and understanding of the game. Randy Kusano has taught me about the importance of being positive and coaching high-performance teams. Dan Becker has taught me about being a high-performance coach and how hard work, lots of time in the gym, and team work makes such a difference in the lives of athletes. There are many more-this is just a few of them.

What do you love about coaching?

I love connecting with athletes and providing a positive, engaging and inclusive environment. Everyone deserves a chance to improve their skills and work together with others to achieve a common goal. One of my favourite parts of any season is connecting with the players at the end and reflecting on how far they've come. Their smiles and sense of pride in their accomplishments are always so amazing.

Why do you believe sport is such a great way for students to learn important life skills?

Athletics teaches students about time management, responsibility, dedication, hard work, working with others. These are all very valuable life skills for anyone to learn.

What skills and character traits make for a great coach?

I always try to create a positive environment that is supportive of all athletes and that is focused on making every individual better, while still working as a team. Connection is so important. If athletes feel valued and seen, they're excited to work hard and have a positive experience.

#ThanksCoach Leslie!