Pinellas Heat Elite Volleyball, Inc

Our mission is to strive to foster the growth of superior volleyball players whose aspirations are to reach a skill level of elite performance. To accomplish this goal, the Directors and Staff are committed to developing young athletes through quality instruction by certified coaches; to exposing them to high-level competition; to creating an environment that is fun and fulfilling; and to facilitating opportunities for future successes.

Head Coach & Director Terry Small was the varsity volleyball coach at East Lake High School for 15 years. During his tenure he compiled a 311-106 record, won 5 District Championships, 3 Regional Championships, 3 Final Four appearances, including the 2002 Class 5A State Runner-Up and the 2010 Class 5A State Championship. Terry was the 2001, 2002 and 2010 Pinellas County Coach of the Year. His players have earned numerous awards including County Player of the Year, All-County, All-Conference, All-State, and numerous All-Tournament teams. His players have gone on to play Division I, Division II, and also Junior College volleyball. Every player that he has coached that has wanted a scholarship has received one. In club he has coached 3 AAU All-Americans and been named Outstanding Male Coach for the Florida Region and is CAP 1 certified. In the past, Terry has been a coach for the USAV Florida Region’s High Performance Team Florida, training the most elite players in the state of Florida. In 2009, Terry’s 15 Elite team won the 15 Club division at The Big South National Qualifier, earning a National bid to JO’s and finished 6th in 15 Open at The Northeast National Qualifier, earning Heat’s 1st Open Bid to JO’s. In 2011, Terry’s 17 Elite team won the 17 National division at The Northeast National Qualifier, and earning a bid to the Junior National Championships.

Director Barb Small has assisted Terry in every aspect of running the club since its inception in 1999. Her duties are basically to know everything and be able to do anything at a moment’s notice. Barb was the JV coach at East Lake for several years and also was an assistant coach with the Florida Region’s High Performance Team Florida. She is also CAP 1 certified.

Client Account Manager Kim Foster joined Pinellas Heat in 2001 as a result of her marriage to Mark Foster. She was the Junior Varsity coach at Clearwater Central Catholic in 2001-02 while also assisting the Varsity team. Kim is CAP 1 certified; the past 9 high school seasons she has been an assistant coach at Indian Rocks Christian School and she is currently the Junior High coach. Kim’s primary focus will be to handle the individual financial accounts for each Heat family. Her attention to detail assures each family that their accounts will be well maintained.

Program Coordinator and Donna Collins has been with our club for the past 6 years; she is CAP 1 certified and in May 2010 she was awarded Outstanding Female Coach by the Florida Region. Donna has coached for 16 years at the varsity, junior varsity, and middle school levels as well as coaching club volleyball. Besides coaching with Pinellas Heat and Tarpon High School, Donna is also our Program Coordinator; her responsibilities include coordinating private lessons, clinics, camps, leagues and Mini-club. 

Coach Jonathan Aponte was the starting outside hitter and libero for the FSU Men’s Club Volleyball team from 2005-2009.  Jonathan has won a Class 6A State Championship and 2 State Final appearances for both University and Timber Creek High School in Orlando, FL and finished his high school career with a record of 80-3.  Jonathan began coaching club volleyball in 2006 for Tallahassee Juniors and was also the Assistant Varsity Coach for Chiles High School in 2009.  Several of his players have gone on to play college volleyball for programs such as Pepperdine University and various Division II and III schools.  Jonathan has been a member of USAV and AAU volleyball since 2004 and enters his 2nd year coaching at Pinellas Heat Elite. Jon is also one of our most requested coaches for private lessons!

Jovanie Aponte is currently an assistant coach at Lakewood High School. Last year he helped with our Friday night Middle School Training; this year will be his 1st year one of our club teams!

Bryan Avergonzado is in his 1st year with Pinellas Heat.

Coach Brittany Beard played club volleyball for four years and has been coaching club for the past four years.  She played volleyball at Clearwater Christian College and was part of the national championship team.  She has coached the Varsity team at Lakeside Christian School and is currently the JV coach at Northside Christian. This is Brittany’s third season with us.

Head Coach Emily Bell is in her fifth year with Pinellas Heat but has been coaching for the past ten years in Missouri and Florida.  She played at Missouri State University 00'-04' and was an assistant coach for the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 08'.  Aside from playing and coaching, Emily also referees so she has the knowledge of the game from all aspects.  She helps run summer camps, trainings, and assists where she’s needed.  Last year, every player on Emily's 18's team received a scholarship to play volleyball in college too!

Reggie Canezo is beginning his third year coaching with Pinellas Heat.  He is currently the Head Coach at Gibbs High School.  Reggie’s playing career includes playing one year in college until his second ACL tear sidelined his indoor career.  After a long battle in rehab Reggie moved back from California and began playing on the beach circuit and various pro qualifiers.  He is also the father of 3.  His daughter Whitley Canezo plays for Heat’s 14 Elite team. Reggie is not only coaching a girl's team, but is also helping start our Heat 14 Boys team as well.

Amy Clark started her volleyball career back in 1999 where she played volleyball as a freshman at Largo High.  Her senior year she played club ball at Pinellas Heat Elite and was coached by Terry Small.  She continued her career for two additional years at St. Petersburg College.  In 2004, she came back to Pinellas Heat Elite as a coach.  She has been the Varsity Coach at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School (07-09) and Pinellas Park High School (2010).  Amy has coached girls that have gone on to play College at Division I, Division II, and Junior College. This will be Amy's 7th year coaching at Pinellas Heat.

Mike Collins has been a middle school PE teacher for the past 30 years, during which, he had coached either the boys/girls volleyball teams for more than 15 years. Coach Collins is entering his 4th year with the heat.

Mark Foster is one of the "Original Coaches" of Pinellas Heat since the club started in 2000 and also the Head Coach at Indian Rocks Christian School since 2003.  In his 9 years at IRCS, he has comprised a 162-87 record.  After turning the program around in 2005 with the school's first winning season, he has led the Eagles to 2 District Championships, 3 District Runner-ups, 6 straight Regional Semi-Final appearances, and 1 Bay Conference Championship (2010).  Coach Foster was selected as the Pinellas County Coach of the Year in 2006.  Coach Foster has seen many of his High School & Club players receive scholarships to play at the next level in various Divisions.  Many of his HS/Club players have received All-County, All-Suncoast, All-Tournament, and AAU All-American Awards.  Coach Foster is also the President of the Pinellas County Coaches Senior All-Star Association and is CAP 1 certified.   
 

Kelly Flowers is in her 1st year with Pinellas Heat.

Alyssa Frontera
is in her 1st year with Pinellas Heat.

Kent Golden
enters his 2nd season with Pinellas Heat, where he has coached both mini-club teams and regular club teams. He also assists with many of our clinics throughout the year.

Callie Hasko

Julius Hasko

Elizabeth Klauka
grew up in Holt MI where she began playing volleyball as a freshman. She was a starter on her varsity team for 3 years. She went on to be captain of her team at Great Lakes Christian College where she was an All-American Honorable Mention Her junior year. This will be her 5th year coaching and her 3rd with the Heat.

This will be Ike Klauka’s third year with Pinellas Heat.  He has 4 daughters that played high school volleyball, two of which went on to play in college, and a son who played soccer in college.  Ike played both college baseball and basketball and has enjoyed coaching kids in basketball, soccer, and baseball.  He has helped at East Lake High School in different capacities over the last 3 years.  

This is Coach Robyn Mussler’s 2nd year coaching for with Pinellas Heat.  She has also coached 2 seasons with our Mini Club.  Robyn played varsity volleyball in high school, college, as well as various court and beach volleyball adult teams in Arizona and Colorado.  Her goals for her team are to instill in them the passion for the sport, have fun, and build the necessary skills to get to the next level.

Coach Brian Nowokunski is the Head Varsity Coach at Northeast High School; he was also an Assistant Coach to Head Coach Carol Kidman at Tarpon Springs High School from 1991-1992.  That year the Varsity Volleyball team won the Class 3A State Championship .  They had a perfect season with a record of 32 wins and 0 losses.  He has played many years out on the beach playing in volleyball tournaments and for fun at many of the local beaches.   From 2000 - 2006 he was an Assistant Coach at The Canterbury School of Florida under Head Coach Dave Smith.  In 2004, Canterbury won the Class 2A District Championship.   From 2007- 2010 he coached different age levels for the Mizuno Bombers Volleyball Club.  Also, Coach Brian is a certified volleyball official for FHSAA and also USA Volleyball and officiates for the Sunshine Volleyball Association.

Jon Nowokunski started playing volleyball in the early 90’s. He was the Assistant Coach at Tarpon Springs High School under Head Coach Carol Kidman in 1991-1992, the year they won the 3A State Championship with an undefeated 32-0 record! He also was the Assistant Coach under Dave Smith at The Canterbury School from 2000-2006, which included a 2004 District title. Coach Jon is also an FHSAA Volleyball Official and has played many years of beach volleyball with his twin brother, Brian, who also coaches for Pinellas Heat.

Jason Partington started playing volleyball at the age of 13 and has been playing and coaching ever since.  Jason played club volleyball all through high school and continued to play on the BYU men’s team followed by the Eckerd College men’s club team.  He has also played on multiple Florida Region Adult Championship as well as National Championship teams.  He was the Women’s Assistant Volleyball Coach for the University of South Florida from 2002-2004.  During that time he coached with Tampa Bay Juniors and led both the U17 and U18 team to National’s.  He has been a Varsity Assistant Coach for Northside Christian School and is in his third season with Pinellas Heat. 

This past season Kendrea Penrose was the Varsity Coach to Canterbury School of Florida in Saint Petersburg, Florida.  Last year as an assistant there, her team made it to the State Semi Finals for the first time in school history.  Kendrea has been coaching for Pinellas Heat for the past four seasons.  Her 2010 14 Elite squad received an America bid to the National Junior Olympics held in Reno, NV.  Prior to moving to Florida, Kendrea was the Junior Varsity Coach and Assistant Varsity Coach to Sandpoint High School Volleyball Team in Sandpoint, Idaho.  There she helped coach the Lady Bulldogs to 2 state titles (2007 & 2008) and a State Runner-up appearance (2006).

Coach Tori Ratcliffe has played volleyball since the age of ten in her hometown of Rochester, New York.  There she received many all-tournament, all-county, and all-state honors, as well as winning one state championship in her high school career at Wayne Central and Penfield high schools.  Tori played the bulk of her club ball with VolleyFX as an outside hitter.  She continued her career as a defensive specialist at Division I Auburn University before transferring to Division II Rollins College in Orlando, FL where she was captain.  While at Rollins, she also coached a 16’s regional OVA team.  Tori is a recent grad and has earned her degree in History and Archaeology.

Liz Schaner graduated with high honors from Indian Rocks Christian where she was a decorated player under Head Coach Mark Foster.  She earned the Most Improved on the team, MVP of the Keswick tournament, and a Florida Volleyball honorable mention. She was also selected to play in the 2007 Senior All-Star volleyball game. After high school she attended Eckerd College on an athletic and academic scholarship. She gained some coaching experience at Eckerd helping out with volleyball camps and middle school clinics. She has coach for both our mini-club and regular club teams.

Tom Schwemmin has been active for many years in coaching Oak Grove’s Middle School Girls Volleyball teams along with other junior and adult level clinics.  Tom has almost 30 years of playing experience including winning multiple regional championships in the adult open division along with many years of tournament beach play.  Volleyball has been a large part of Tom’s life and not only does he enjoy coaching, but he continues to play USAV and other events in the senior division. 

Alex Sevillano has 20 years of playing experience, including 4 years at FSU and playing professionally in Spain. Alex graduated from Clearwater High School, winning a State Championship in 1997, when her team went 32-0, and was a State Runner-up in 1996. She was named 1st team All-State and was the St Pete Times Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999. Alex is the Varsity coach at St. Petersburg High and has 7 years of coaching experience.

This is Patrick Sneed’s 9th year coaching with Pinellas Heat. Patrick is currently in his seventh year as the Head Varsity Volleyball Coach at Tarpon Springs High School as well as the Head Track coach.  This year, Patrick's Varsity Volleyball team were District Champions, Regional Champions, and made a State Final Four appearance! Patrick, was also voted Pinellas County's Coach of the Year by his peers. Patrick’s most successful season coaching with Pinellas Heat was in 2008 when his 13 Elite team was the first team in Heat history to win a match at Junior Olympics where they ended up finishing 13th in the American Division.   

Nikki Williams

ShaMika Williams


Andrew Wilson started playing volleyball at age 13 and has been playing or coaching ever since.  Andrew played club volleyball all through high school and continued on to play on the Eckerd College Men’s Club team as well as playing on multiple Florida Region Adult Championship teams.  He is an original founding Pinellas Heat Elite Volleyball coach and has been both a Junior Varsity and Varsity Head Coach in Pinellas County.  In 2008 Andrew was named the USAV Florida Region Outstanding Juniors Coach for 15U-16U.  That same year his team captured the first ever National Qualifier Win for Pinellas Heat at the Big South National Qualifier in Atlanta.  Two years later his 17U team won the Northern Lights National Qualifier in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Outside of volleyball Andrew has a wonderful wife Crystal and a son, Parker.

We know that you will agree that we have the finest group of coaches in the area, 
and all of our coaches come highly recommend from quality programs.