John Long

President

John started playing volleyball in his native Switzerland. In Canada, his playing experience includes setting for the U of T Varsity Blues, playing in the Ontario A/AA leagues, and, finally, competing at the Golden Masters level in the USVBA National Championships.

After graduating from the University of Toronto, John taught physical education for 31 years in Etobicoke Middle Schools, coaching numerous volleyball, track & field, cross-country championship teams before retiring in 1998.

John and his wife, Valerie, founded The Etobicoke Volleyball Association - Toronto West in 1969. Since then, John has spent much of his time managing the club and coaching male and female teams from Age Division 12U to Sr. AA calibre. John's program of effective club funding has made it possible for Toronto West to maintain membership fees at a reasonable level during times of escalating costs.

Over the past decades, John has also served on the OVA Region 5 Board of Directors, conducted clinics for referees, and officiated at competitions ranging from local to international levels of play.

Since his retirement from teaching, John has had more time to focus on elite club development and administration. John and Val also run the ISLINGTON YOUTH CLUB, which offers yearly youth programming in various forms of art as well as cross-training for aspiring volleyball players and other athletes. During the summer months, John and Val also run volleyball and multi-activity day camps.

Val and John are partners in running EVA-TW and the IYC. Val is in charge of the artistic and technical aspects, while John takes care of administration and day-to-day operations. Daughter, Kathryn lives on Ganbier Island off the BC coast and runs her own successful ballet school in Vancouver. Son, Noah is a dancer with the National Ballet of Canada and also one of the top Magic Card players in Canada. Son, Byron attends Grade 11 at Glenforest S.S., plays power for his TW 17U club team, and excels in instructing volleyball, gymnastics, trampoline, hip hop, improvisation and multi-media computers at the IYCLUB. Phoebe is the family’s seven year-old Wheaton Terrier. She unconditionally returns 150% of the love and affection extended to her by the rest of the family.