Coaching Staff @ SMBC Boys

Our staff features exceptional people: teachers, educators, mentors, positive thinkers, and experienced volleyball minds. Our coaches share a deep passion for volleyball and view athletics as a vehicle by which many of life's lessons can be learned. We encourage you to read about the wonderful coaches and people of SMBC Boys.

COACHES @ SMBC WEST
(THOUSAND OAKS)

COACHES @ SMBC NORTH
(SANTA CLARITA)

COACHES @ SMBC SOUTH
(ENCINO)

COACHES @ SMBC SHACK
(WEST LOS ANGELES)

COACHING STAFF @ SMBC WEST
THOUSAND OAKS, CA

MATT DIAZ
DIRECTOR - SMBC WEST

Return to SMBC West Home Page

Email Matt Diaz - West Director

It is not hyperbole nor an understatement to say that Matt Diaz is one of the most respected boys volleyball club figures in all of Southern California, nor is it an understatement to say that the athletes and families of SMBC West are lucky and blessed to have a man of Matt's integrity, character, and coaching acumen as their Director.

Matt is a teacher first, in volleyball and in life. At SMBC West, Matt builds and guides the gentlemen of tomorrow with his hard work today. He values passionate competition, hard work and dedication to craft, playing the game the right way, respecting your opponent, and never comprising integrity; in other words, using volleyball as the vessel by which we teach our athletes to be responsible, contributing young male members of society.

Please feel free to contact Matt with any questions about the SMBC West program. His contact information is below and he is eager to speak with you.

(email) matthew.diaz@me.com
(cell) 818-395-4495

Read More About Trevor Julian

A former award-winning volleyball player himself — captain and four-year starter for the USC Men’s Volleyball Team, captain and member of USA Youth and Junior National Teams — Trevor transitioned seamlessly into coaching and swiftly made his mark. He spent ten superlative seasons as a top Head Coach for SMBC Girls before joining with Nabil Mardini as Co-Founders of LAVA, where his work has been equally impressive.

A consistent presence in the upper echelons of the SCVA’s Gold Divisions, Trevor’s teams have also triumphed repeatedly and to significant degree on the national stage, boasting a multitude of Top Five finishes at national travel tournaments, several qualification bids to the Junior Nationals, a Junior Nationals 18’s Championship, a Volleyball Festival 16’s National Championship, and nine medals at national competitions. Highlights include:

– Silver Medal, USAV 16’s Junior National Championships 2019
– Gold Medal, USAV 18’s Junior National Championships 2017
– Bronze Medal, MidEast 16’s Junior National Qualifier 2017
– Gold Medal, Pacific Northwest 16’s National Qualifier 2016
– Gold Medal, SoCal 16’s Junior National Qualifier 2015
– Bronze Medal, SoCal 16’s Junior National Qualifier 2014
– Bronze Medal, Show Me 16’s Junior National Qualifier 2014
– Bronze Medal, Fiesta Classic 16’s Championship 2012
– Gold Medal, Volleyball Festival 16’s National Championship 2010

Additional highlights include: 5th place overall finish in 16 USA at the 2017 USAV 16’s Junior National Championships; five straight years of qualifying bids to higher divisions at Junior Nationals (2014-2018); #3 overall ranking in the SCVA for 16’s in 2017; #5 overall ranking in the SCVA for 18’s in 2017; #5 overall finish at the SCVA 16’s Regional Championships in 2013; and Top Five finishes at more than twenty national tournament competitions since 2010.

As Director of LAVA West, Trevor oversees the entirety of the program from its youth program to the success of its top oldest teams. LAVA West is the premier volleyball club of the Conejo Valley and owes much of its success to Trevor’s stewardship.

HUNTER HORN
SMBC WEST COACH

FULL NAME: Hunter Horn

MY HOMETOWN: Lancaster, California

BEFORE LAVA/SMBC I was a 3 sport high school athlete at Quartz Hill High School playing Football, Basketball and Volleyball. We won CIF in Football my senior year as I earned 2nd team all conference honors. We Won CIF my junior year in Volleyball, lost in the semis sophomore and junior year and gathered all league honors, 1st team all CIF, and League MVP.

COACHING BACKGROUND: consists of 9 years of experience beginning at Pacific Palisades Volleyball Club in the winter of 2012 with my previous coach and Mentor Matthew Diaz (Our current SMBC West Director) and longtime successful coach Carlos Gray, where we were able to medal and win multiple events in the boys club world. I began coaching at LAVA in the Fall of 2013 and have been coaching every years since ranging from LAVA Lite, Lite plus, 13s, 14s, 16s, 17s and have worked with athletes of all ages and levels. I have won a two handfuls of medals between my boys and girls club coaching careers including most recently a bronze medal in the 18 club division for boys last year in Kansas City Missouri and a Silver Medal in the 16s Patriot division for girls in 2019.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE: I played club volleyball growing up in the Antelope Valley For AVVC, then made the drive to Pierce College to play for SMBC and my 18s year I played for Matt Diaz at Pacific Palisades Volleyball Club in the palisades. During my high school club volleyball career I had a 5th place open finish (17 Open) and a 3rd place Bronze Medal winning finish (18 Open). I played college club volleyball during my undergrad at Cal Lutheran (while simultaneously playing NCAA DIII Football) before playing for their first NCAA DIII team in the 2017 season during my undergrad. I still hold the single season kill record for Cal Lutheran and in 2017 was 2nd on the team in Aces, Digs, Assists and 3rd in Blocks while earning All tournament accolades once.

FUN FACT: I met my Wife at my teaching job, were engaged within 4 months of dating and now have 2 awesome little boys.

GUILTY PLEASURE: would be playing Golf and eating tea cakes from Martino's Bakery in Burbank, CA

Read More About Chris Forrest

COACHING STAFF @ SMBC NORTH
SANTA CLARITA, CA

RICK PHILLIPS
DIRECTOR - SMBC NORTH

Return to SMBC North Home Page

Email Rick Phillips - North Director

Rick's full bio is coming soon.

Please feel free to contact Rick with any questions about the SMBC North program. His contact information is below and he is eager to speak with you.

Rick Phillips - Director, SMBC North
(email) rphillips@hartdistrict.org
(cell) 661-713-7701

NATE SPARKS
SMBC NORTH COACH

Bio coming soon.

BRITTANI ELSER
SMBC NORTH COACH

NAME: Brittani Elser

HOMETOWN: Santa Clarita, CA

BEFORE LAVA: Just finished a State Championship title in 2012 for Pierce College.

COACHING EXPERIENCE: Started coaching in 2012 for LAVA with years of assisting local parks and rec clinics. I have contributed to several roles for the club including LAVA Lite and Juniors program, administrative work, and coaching for SMBC as well. This season, I will be assisting the 13U girls team and helping with the 16U SMBC boys team.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE: Played at Hart High School and was on varsity all four years earning CIF First team All- League and Team MVP in 2011. I still hold the serving ace record for the Hart program. I continued on to play for Nabil Mardini at Pierce College having a successful record of 33-0 in 2012 and earning the coaches award back to back years during my time at Pierce along with 2013’s First team All Conference and Team MVP.

FUN FACT: I am an avid Hallmark Channel viewer

GUILTY PLEASURE: Vegas Slots

SAM HAND
SMBC NORTH COACH

Bio coming soon.

ISAAC SHEFTON
SMBC NORTH COACH

Bio coming soon.

COACHING STAFF @ SMBC SOUTH
ENCINO, CA

RYAN VAN LOO
DIRECTOR - SMBC SOUTH

Return to SMBC South Home Page

Email Ryan Van Loo - South Director

Please feel free to contact Ryan with any questions about the SMBC South program. His contact information is below and he is eager to speak with you.

Ryan Van Loo - Director, SMBC South
(email) rvanloo9@gmail.com
(cell) 818-795-2276

FULL NAME: Ryan Van Loo

MY HOMETOWN: Burbank, CA

BEFORE LAVA: I recently graduated from Lewis University with a B.S. in Finance and Business Administration. Academically, I was a part of Delta Mu Delta Honor Society, Delta Epsilon Sigma National Scholastic Honor Society, and graduated summa cum laude.

COACHING BACKGROUND: This is my first full year as head coach of a club volleyball team. As a college student, I would come home for the summer and assist both SMBC and High School volleyball teams. I also have experience running camps, clinics, and private lessons for all age groups.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE: I chose to pursue volleyball my freshman year of high school playing for the John Burroughs Varsity team and SMBC South from 2012-2016. During those four years, I earned various athletic accolades including 2016 State Champion, All-CIF Southern Section, and a USAV Junior National Championship Gold Medalist. At Lewis University, I played four years traveling/competing all across the country, Canada, and a summer trip to Europe playing professional and National teams. I was awarded the Male Senior Student-Athlete of the Year (2020) and the NCAA ADA Academic Achievement Award (2017-2019). Team accolades include NCAA DI-II Semi-Finalists (2019), MIVA Conference Champions (2019), and MIVA Conference Regular Season Champions (2019).

FUN FACT: I love the outdoors whether it be hiking, backpacking, fishing, snowboarding/skiing, or mountain biking.

GUILTY PLEASURE: Calamari, Rock concerts, and film photography.

GREG SPECTOR
SMBC SOUTH COACH

FULL NAME: Greg Spector

MY HOMETOWN: Los Angeles

BEFORE LAVA: I am a teacher and coach by trade and just moved back to LA for Olympia WA to be back with my family.

COACHING BACKGROUND: I have coached volleyball for 25 years with experience at nearly every level of the sport. From Middle school to High School , college as well as internationally. Along the way I’ve grown to love the process of learning and teaching the sport to athletes and watching them grow within the sport.

PLAYING EXPERIENCE: I started playing volleyball at University HS back in 1985 and went on to play for the US Junior National Team during the summer of 1988. From there I continued my career at SDSU as well as 3 trips to Israel playing for the US nations Maccabi Team.

FUN FACT: I love puzzles!

GUILTY PLEASURE: Naps