Meet The Coaches

Becky Zeeman (Billings)

Club Founder & Director
***Getting personal:*** I am a proud mother of 3 young kiddos, daughter Zola (7yrs old) & son Ezra (5.5yrs old) and little Kylo who just truned 18 months. I am originally from Ottawa and I have a degree in Physical Education & Health Studies from Queen’s University where I played on the Women’s Varsity Volleyball Team. In the summer of 2011, I was selected to represent Canada at the FISU World University Games in Beach Volleyball which was an unforgettable experience. After graduating from Queen’s I went on to live, play indoor volleyball, and travel around Europe for a few years with my now husband and fellow Queen’s Men’s Volleyball Alumni, Joren Zeeman. Returning to Canada, I then landed an amazing role as the Full-time Assistant Coach for the Women’s Varsity Volleyball Team at the Toronto Metropolitan University (then Ryerson University). Coaching at the intercollegiate level was a dream position come true for 3 unforgettable seasons. That life chapter was rich in growth, development and genuine connections and just so happens to have a fairytale ending with a perfect and undefeated season, 2 banners (OUA + USPORTS), and then 4 weeks later with the birth of my first baby girl, Zola. I am especially grateful for my time at TMU because they truly value their coaching staff by providing a stable career opportunity for many young aspiring coaches while also making space for professional development and opportunities to explore and invest in my passion for community initiatives and empowering women through sport. I currently work for the SMASH Raiders Volleyball Club as a Club Coach, working on Program, Coach and Athlete Development.
I love being able to say that I “still” work in volleyball full-time! :D
I’ve always aspired to start my own beach volleyball club and in the spring of 2022 saw the perfect storm of opportunities come together with my passion for working with youth athletes, my adoration for the sport, and desire to contribute to the growth of the game in Canada and our local communities!
Having a job that doesn’t feel like work - winning! #lifegoalsmet

Volleyball History

Beach Volleyball Coach

Certified Advanced Development Coach for Beach Volleyball (NCCP Level 2)
Team Ontario 18U Head Coach (2015)
Madawaska Camps Beach Volleyball Section Head (2011-2015)
Technical Director for Beach Volleyball Smash - Raiders Volleyball Club (2019)
Owner + Club Director of RiseUp Beach Volleyball Club EST 2022
Beach Volleyball Player

Team Ontario Beach Volleyball Member (2008-2011)
Team Canada Beach Volleyball representative (2010-2011)
World University Games (FISU) for Beach Volleyball in Shenzhen, China (2011)
Competed on the FIVB Tour
Competed on the NORCECA Tour
Indoor Volleyball Coach

Trained Performance Coach (Level 3)
Certified Advanced Development Coach (Level 2)
Trained Community Coach
SMASH Raiders Volleyball Club - Club Coach (2019, 2022 - Present) Program Developer, Coach and Athlete Development
Ryerson University Full-Time Assistant Coach (2015-2018)
OUA Champions & USPORTS Champions with an undefeated season (2018) with Ryerson University
Trained Coach Evaluator
Indoor Volleyball Player

Ryerson University 5th year (2016-2017)
Played professionally in Germany with T.V. Gladbeck Giants Volleyball Club (2012-2013)
Queen’s University (2008-2012)
OUA Champions in 2012
OUA All Star 2nd Team 2012
National Capitals Volleyball Club, Ottawa ON (2005 -2008)

DANI BOSS

Lead Rep Beach Team Coach & Club Head Coach
***Getting personal:***
Hi! I’m Coach Dani—a proud Southern California native with a lifelong love for sports. While I grew up playing a variety of them, it wasn’t until I was 14 that I truly fell in love with volleyball—both indoor and beach. That passion quickly turned into a pursuit of excellence, and I was fortunate to earn a full-ride Division I scholarship to play indoor volleyball at Boise State University in Idaho.
At Boise State, I had the incredible opportunity to compete year-round, playing indoor volleyball in the fall and representing the Broncos on the beach in the spring. From conference championships and all-team honors to unforgettable memories with teammates, my university experience was both fulfilling and bittersweet!!
After graduating, I moved across the country to Canada. Lucky for me, I met Becky and we quickly became good friends and she offered me to help coach her beach team. I’ve coached all throughout university for indoor and beach but now being able to dedicate more time and have a full time coaching role along side Becky, has been so been so rewarding for me.
My passion for helping young athletes grow, both on and off the court, is at the heart of everything I do. Watching players develop their skills, confidence, and love for the game is what drives me every single day!!
If you’re wondering if there’s anything else I like besides volleyball, here’s a few! 1. Music!! The amount of joy and creativity it brings me is unmatched! 2. Health + Fitness, I love to live an active lifestyle whether that’s volleyball, pickleball, weightlifting or running! It’s the best! 3. My cat Winnie, she is really my bff

Volleyball History

Beach Volleyball Coach

Assistant coach for RiseUp since 2022
Assisted Boise State training camps 2018-2021
1 on 1 technical coaching for 5+ years
Beach Volleyball Player

Competed for the Broncos 2020-2022
Played at the 3s pairing
Women’s Open Gold - The Good Games in Guelph 2024
Indoor Volleyball Coach

Assisted Boise State training camps 2018-2021
1 on 1 technical coaching for 5+ years
Indoor Volleyball Player

Mountain West Conference Champions 2021
Pacific North-All Region Honorable Mention 2021
First Team All Tournament Award 2021
First Team All Conference Award 2020, 2021
Honorable Mention All Conference 2019
Three time Academic All Mountain West 2018, 2019, 2021
Mountain West Scholar Athlete 2018
6th Bronco in History for all time assist record

Our Coaching Team

Mikayla McBain

Plays Indoor Volleyball for Trinity Western University
Libero
NextGen Team Canada Selection Tryout 2025
Teagan Adamo

University of Guelph
Assistant Coach with 14U MVC Girls - Provincial Silver Medalist 2024/2025
RiseUp Rep Beach Alumni
Kennedy Llewellyn

Plays D1 Beach Volleyball for UTEP - University of Texas at El Paso
Split Blocker/Defender
Team Ontario Beach
Zile Eglitis

RiseUp Beach Coach 2024, 2025
Smash Raiders Alumni
Team Ontario Beach
Maryn Petrie

Western University
Halton Hurricanes 18U National Champions
Smash Raiders Alumni
Chloe Golba

University of Guelph
Coach with RiseUp since 2023
Smash Raiders Alumni
Layla Gonsalves

Smash Raiders 17UBoom
Setter
RiseUp coach since 2024
RiseUp Rep Alumni 2023
Chloe Gauld

Smash Raiders 16U Ice
RiseUp Rep Team 2023, 2024
Colin Lash

2023 - U20 Canadian Beach Volleyball National Champion!
Represented Team Canada at Beach Pro Tour FIVB Futures Event 2024 in Halifax
Represented Canada at the U21 World Championships in Thailand 2023
University of Guelph Indoor Alumni
Very first hired RiseUp Coach in 2022
Lead RiseUp Coach for our Guelph division 2023
Kristina (Valjas) May

We are so honoured and thrilled to have Kristina with us as a Celebrity Guest Coach! Kristina is a 2016 Canadian Beach Volleyball Olympian and on top of her world class achievements, she’s also a mother of 3 adorable blonde boys and a wonderful person and friend! Kristina will be giving her time to connect with our youth athletes this summer to share her incredible expertise and history making experiences with us!
Rio Olympics (2016 - 9th place)
First Canadian Women’s Team to earn an FIVB medal (2015 in Fuzhou, China)
2x NORCECA Continental Champs (2013, 2015)
FISU World University Games, Shenzhen, China (2011)
Canadian Beach Volleyball National Team (2010-2018)
University of Toronto Women’s Varsity Volleyball Team (2005-2010)
OUA Champions in 2010

Kristina's Story
Niko Rukavina
Niko is one of our guest coaches this summer, when he can make some time in between being a new dad & husband, coaching the Ryerson men on the sand, and taking some much deserved R&R up at the cottage.
- Head Coach Men’s Ryerson Volleyball 2019-2022
- Professional Indoor Volleyball 2012-2015 in Sweden, Germany
- Queen’s University Men’s Volleyball 2007-2012
- Team Ontario Beach Volleyball Athlete
Helena Zeeman

Elementary Teacher & Camp’s Pro Face Painter ;)
Also Becky’s Bestie & Sister-In-Law :)
Kaelyn McNulty

University of Waterloo
RiseUp Rep Beach Team 2023
RiseUp Coach 2024
Smash Raiders Alumni
Lexie Miller

Plays Indoor Volleyball at York University
Halton Hurricanes 18U National Champions
Smash Raiders Alumni
RiseUp Beach Rep Team Alumni