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16U BLAZE

 16U BLAZE ATHLETES

Nora A.

Olivia G.

Lily P.

Kenda S.

Charlie V.

Naima B.

Cami P.

Rachel M.

Stella C.

Sarah M.

Zoe T.

Sierra V.

Leah R.

 16U BLAZE COACHES

Erica Meagher

ASSISTANT COACH - 16U BLAZE

Erica’s lifelong passion for volleyball has seen her excel as both a player and a coach. A great rep experience in high school lead her to an opportunity to play right-side at a Division 1 school.  Upon her return, she got involved in playing women’s volleyball and coaching, co-founding the Etobicoke Titans.  Erica has spent over 20 years coaching at various levels, including high school, club, and Team Ontario.

As a former varsity athlete in both volleyball and track, Erica developed a deep interest in strength and conditioning, which eventually led her to training, and coaching CrossFit. Her coaching philosophy is rooted in a “whole athlete approach,” emphasizing not only skill development but injury prevention, nutrition, rest and recovery, and visualization. By focusing on these often-overlooked areas, she believes athletes can unlock their full potential on the court.  Her goal is to help each athlete find their “x” factor. 

Erica’s daughter is playing for 16U Blaze this season, and she is looking forward to an exciting year with the team.

Zandra Bear-Lowen

ASSISTANT COACH - 16U BLAZE

Coach Zandra’s extensive coaching background and dedication to developing young athletes shows she has a profound impact on both the Indigenous and volleyball community. Winning gold at the Alberta Indigenous Games is a significant accomplishment, especially given her commitment to empowering Indigenous youth through sport.

Her journey as a player, from competing at the Canada Games to her College experience in British Columbia at Vancouver Island University, also adds a valuable perspective to her coaching. She is aspiring to achieve her “Advanced Development Coach” certification. This shows her commitment to continuous growth and excellence in coaching.

Zandra has a daughter playing for the varsity women’s volleyball team at the University of Guelph, a son who plays Sr. boys basketball at BCI and on the Hamilton Elite AAU team, and a daughter who is on the U16 Hamilton Smash Blaze team.

Her coaching philosophy is to meet players where they are able to acknowledge their individual needs and foster a supportive and trusting environment. Focusing on developing the whole player—both body and mind—promotes skill enhancement, mental resilience, and personal growth. It’s a holistic approach that can lead to long-term success both in sports and in life.

Tauri Caputo

PRESIDENT/TECHNICAL DIRECTOR CO-HEAD COACH - 16U BLAZE; HEAD COACH - 15U DYNAMITE

Tauri is the Smash Raiders Volleyball Club  President/Technical Director.  He is also currently serving as the president of Region 3  for the OVA.

A fully trained NCCP Level 3 Performance Coach, this will be his 11th season as a coach in the OVA. He is focused on technical proficiency and developing the whole athlete.  Tauri runs technical clinics for athletes from all over the province and strives for continuous improvement.

Nick Peterson

CO-HEAD COACH - 16U BLAZE

This is my first year coaching club volleyball after spending the last 18 years teaching and coaching at Oakville Trafalgar High School and Dr. Frank J Hayden Secondary School in Burlington. I’ve been very fortunate to work with some excellent coaches and players over the years and that has returned a lot of success including multiple Halton/GHAC Championships and OFSAA Medals. Over the course of 10 years at Hayden Secondary our coaching team has worked tirelessly to build a strong volleyball program that also hosts the largest high school volleyball tournaments in Ontario and hosted AAA Boys and AAA Girls OFSAA, 3x.

I’m originally from the United States where all my volleyball playing experience is. Volleyball has been part of my life since the age of 10 where I started learning and playing the game at a highly competitive level until my first year of post secondary where playing volleyball and needing to focus on academics came to a head.  I attended Indiana University where I was fortunate to have met my wife of 21 years. We moved to Canada in 2005 where I began my teaching and coaching career and have two daughters named Camryn and Bryn. 

I’m a Development Coach who pushes an aggressive offense and shut down defense. My philosophy is to teach and give the necessary tools for success to the players during practice, so they can be confident and comfortable in their abilities during games. Volleyball is both skill and mentality, so players need to have both to reach their full potential. As a teacher I strive to fill the players with confidence so they’re hungry to learn and improve day in and day out. A team will go as far as the group’s passion and connectedness will allow them. When you enjoy who you’re playing for and playing with, growth is exponential. 

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