TORONTO, Ont. - McMaster Marauders' coaches, Larissa Byckalo (women's volleyball) and Ahmed Shamiya (wrestling), are two of only ten coaches from across the province to be awarded a 2022 Ontario Coaching Excellence Award.

The Ontario Coaching Excellence Awards are awarded annually to exemplary coaches across the province to recognize the important role coaches play within their teams, sport and community.

The awards were handed out by the Coaches Association of Ontario on Saturday night in Toronto at the Rogers Centre which kicked off the start of National Coaches Week, an annual campaign to recognize coaches for the integral role they play, and to take time to say #ThanksCoach.
 

Setting up to say #ThanksCoach to ten exceptional coaches from all across the province to kick off #CoachesWeek in Ontario! @HydroOne @ExploreON pic.twitter.com/UkOu9ZYdV8

— Coaches Ontario (@coaches_ont) September 17, 2022

Larissa Byckalo

Before turning to coaching, Larissa Byckalo was a well-accomplished student-athlete for the Marauders. As a captain of the team, Byckalo was twice named the team MVP and was also a two-time OUA West 1st Team All-Star. While at McMaster, Byckalo and the women's volleyball team went to the OUA Finals four times and won the first OUA Championship in women's volleyball for the maroon and grey.

Since graduating and becoming a teacher, Larissa has given back to the volleyball community she grew up in and is currently a coach with the Mountain Volleyball Club. With support from the Mountain Volleyball Club administration, she developed and implemented an outstanding developmental program for youth called the "Mountain Beach Club" which introduces novice volleyball players to beach volleyball techniques, training, and competition.

Outside of the club level, Byckalo is involved with Team Ontario Athlete Development Programs. Over the years, she has held a number of coaching roles at the provincial level including Head Coach of Team Ontario Red in 2020 and Lead Coach for Team Ontario Black in 2021. Within the volleyball community, Larissa's passion for the game and leadership is well-known and resulted in her being named as a 2022 OVA Achievement Award winner.

Larissa is entering her second season as an assistant coach for the McMaster Marauders, a team and program with which she is very familiar. The Marauders open the 2022-23 OUA season at home in Burridge Gymnasium on Friday, November 4th.

Ahmed Shamiya

Ahmed Shamiya, who was a five-time OUA and four-time national medalist while a member of the Marauders men's team between 2012 and 2017, took over head coaching duties at McMaster at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season.

A local standout through his high school years at Burlington's Robert Bateman, Shamiya burst on to the OUA scene in his first season at McMaster, winning conference gold and the Rookie of the Year award in 2013. His Marauders career went on to include a total of two OUA gold (2016, 2013) and three silver (2017, 2015, 2014) medals, as well as four medals at the national level, including consecutive titles in 2015 and 2016.

With Shamiya's help in 2015, McMaster's men claimed the fifth OUA title in their history and won national silver as a team for three consecutive seasons between 2015 and 2017. He completed his varsity career in 2017 by being named as the OUA's Outstanding Male Wrestler at the conference championship event hosted at McMaster's Therese Quigley Sport Hall. Since joining the coaching staff, Shamiya has coached the team to seven OUA medals and four U SPORTS Championship podium finishes. He was also named the OUA Wrestling Championship's Men's Coach of the Year.

Ahmed is preparing for his fourth season as Head Coach of the wrestling team at McMaster and will host the first invitational of the season on Sunday October 30th.

For the latest news and updates on the McMaster Marauders, follow @mcmastersports on social media or visit www.marauders.ca.