NSDDC - Coaching Staff

Coaches

	Kostya Karibyan - Head Coach Our Head Coach, Kostya Karibyan, is a former diving champion and holds a Physical Education degree. Kostya is a former coach of the Ukraine National Team and is a nationally-certified NCCP Level 3 diving coach with over 30 years of diving and gymnastics coaching experience in Europe and Canada. After moving to Vancouver in 2003, Kostya started the North Shore Dolphins Dive Club and has been our Head Coach since 2004. Kostya has also coached the Trampoline/Diving summer camps for the West Vancouver Aquatic Centre since 2005. In addition to coaching the North Shore Dolphins Dive Club, Kostya is the Head Coach of the Fraser Valley Diving Club and also coaches his teams at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre.
	Soraya - Coach Soraya joined the Dive Club in 2004 and was the club’s senior diver until her retirement from competitive diving in 2008. During that time, Soraya competed in numerous local and Provincial diving competitions. Soraya is nationally-certified and is trained as a Level 1 Competitive Coach and holds her NCCP Learn-to-Dive Instructor’s Certificate. She has been an Assistant Coach since 2008. In addition to coaching the North Shore Dolphins, Soraya also has coached diving for West Vancouver, Hollyburn, UBC, Cruisers and at the BC Diving Christmas camp. She has started working with the Dolphins junior competitive divers in 2010 taking them to meets where her divers had a lot of podium success. Soraya is also trained as a lifeguard and in first aid and her gentle nature always bring huge smiles out of our divers
	Stuart - Coach A former diver of Kostya's, Stuart dove in Vancouver for seven years during which he finaled at numerous Junior and Senior Nationals, placing him among the top 10 Canadian divers at that time. He continued his training and studies at Princeton University, where he competed at the Ivy League Championships and twice at the NCAA National Championships. Stuart works with both our competitive divers as well as our class divers and is lots of fun on deck. He inspires all our divers to bring their best to the board. He holds his Level 1 NCCP coaching certification. Stuart retired from the sport in 2008. He holds a degree in Chemistry from Princeton, served as a pediatric-HIV testing coordinator for a year in sub-Saharan Africa, and now performs drug delivery research at the Department of Biochemistry at UBC.
	Maia - Coach Maia joined the North Shore Dolphins Dive Club team as one of Kostya's competitive divers in 2005 and remained with the Club until 2009. During these years she competed in many Irene MacDonald and BC Provincial Championships and finished in the top three multiple times. In 2008 she qualified to represent her zone in the BC Summer Games. Maia is a certified Learn-to-Dive coach who enjoys passing on her love of sport to new divers. When Maia is not on the pool deck, she is busy playing soccer and field hockey. She is a West Vancouver Community Volunteer and also volunteers at Capilano Care Centre and at North Vancouver Outdoor School as a Counsellor. In addition to her athletic and community pursuits, Maia was on the West Vancouver Secondary School academic honour roll in both 2009 and 2011.
	Rachael - Assistant Coach Rachael joined the North Shore Dolphins competitive team in 2005 and participated in various meets and competitions including the BC Provincial Championships and the Victoria Sting. She has numerous top 3 finishes and several first place awards. She retired from diving in 2010. Rachael is a qualified learn-to-dive coach having completed her certification courses in 2008 and has put those skills to use coaching children's summer dive camps and Dolphin's "Learn to Dive". Rachael also coaches gymnastics at the West Vancouver Community Centre, participates in club volleyball and is an accomplished track and field athlete. She displays a keen sense of community spirit and volunteerism through her many extracurricular activities. Rachael is an academically gifted student who has won a number of prestigious academic and service awards.
	Allegra - Substitute Coach Allegra dove competitively for 8 years qualifying for Canadian Jr Nationals in 6 of the 8 and finishing in the top 12 in the 4 years she travelled to compete at Nationals (the two she missed were because she was competing in the BC Soccer Provincials those years). She won BC Provincial diving championships 2001 - 2006 and finished in the silver medal spot at the 2006 BC Summer Games. Training under Sarah Safric as well as our head Coach Kostya Karibyan, Allegra has also volunteered on deck during dive meets. Coach Allegra is a seasoned soccer, volleyball and gymnastics competitor earning numerous recognitions including player of the year in 2009 - 2010 (Gold level) and placing 2nd in the Provincial high school gymnastics competition (2009). Also an accomplished Bronze 5 sailor she won the Commodores Cup in 2007.
	Kelly - Substitute Coach Kelly joins us as a substitute coach when Kostya or one of our other coaches are not available. Kelly dove as a competitive diver for ESPDC (Edmonton Springboard and Platform Dive Club) in Edmonton under coach Adam Marsh. He reached finals at two junior nationals championships and was a member of the Alberta diving team. He coached the junior developmental program in Edmonton for 7 years taking numerous divers to compete at national level events before moving West in 2010. Kelly now coaches with Fraser Valley and of course the North Shore Dolphins. We are pleased to have Kelly coach with us as he is lots of fun, the kids love him and he's great at bringing out the potential in our divers.