Mariners volleyball champion returns to team as apprentice coach

Whether she is killing it on the court as a player or, like now, leading on the bench as a coach – it’s good to have Tylar Turnbull on your side.

The former Vancouver Island University (VIU) student-athlete graduated in 2016 after leading the Mariners Women’s volleyball team to two Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Championships (2012 and 2016) in five years.

In her spare time the former Mariners team captain actively coaches youth camps and various youth teams in the community while working with Nanaimo’s John Howard Society, a non-profit that addresses social justice issues.

It is that balance of commitment to education, team and community that led the CCAA to name Turnbull to their 2016-2017 CCAA Female Apprentice Coach Program. Through the program she was awarded funding and support to spend a year back on the Mariners bench as an apprentice coach. During the term she is being supervised by her mentor and former Mariners volleyball coach, Shane Hyde. For Turnbull, the move really brings her love of the sport full circle.

“Coaching will give me a little more experience with helping others not only on the court but also off the court and within the community,” said Turnbull. “I’m an individual who loves being there for others and helping them, which is exactly what I’m doing for work. Coaching is just another way to add to the experience.”

Hyde is thrilled to get the opportunity to be a CCAA mentor. He credits a lot of his success to the guidance he received from his own mentor, Rick Bevis. Through Bevis, Hyde learned how to overcome pressure situations, deal with team conflict as well as team organization - parts of the game that are not taught in the manuals or clinics.

“Being mentored by Rick allowed me to be exposed to situations that I may not have known how to deal with,” said Hyde. “I was able to watch and learn how to deal with players, how to talk to them, how to motivate them and how to prepare them. I hope to inspire Tylar in the same way.”

In 15 years as head coach at VIU, Hyde has guided the Mariners to 10 Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) Championships and three CCAA National Championships. He has twice been named the CCAA Coach of the Year and was the recipient of the CCAA Coaching Excellence award in 2008.

Over the last five seasons, Hyde has had the pleasure of coaching Turnbull.

“I’ve watched Tylar develop from a high school volleyball star into a very confident, professional female leader. In her five years in the CCAA she has been a standout on and off the court,” he said. “She is a great ambassador to female student athletes and she has become a great role model for our community.”

Hyde believes that through the CCAA Female Apprentice Coach Program, Turnbull will become a great female coach.

“Good female coaches are so important in women’s sport,” said Hyde. “For our program to have a female athlete of Tylar’s status come back to the program and pass on her expertise to our athletes is amazing.”

Turnbull, Hyde and the entire Mariners volleyball program will have the chance to shine yet again as VIU prepares to host the PACWEST volleyball championship tournament February 23-25. The top six men’s and women’s teams from across the PACWEST will be competing for first place in the conference right here at the Nanaimo campus. The last time VIU hosted was back in 2008.

- COURTESY OF Dane Gibson, Vancouver Island University