The NAIT Ooks are thrilled to announce the appointment of Phil Dixon as the new head coach for the men's volleyball team. With a coaching career spanning over 25+ years, Dixon brings a remarkable wealth of experience and expertise to the program.
Dixon's coaching journey began in 1995, where he started coaching high school teams while pursuing his engineering career in various cities across Canada. His passion for the sport and dedication to coaching led him to join the Team Canada Program in 2002 as a Drill Coach with the Junior National Team.
Throughout his career, Dixon has worked with several prestigious volleyball programs, including the Youth National Development Program, where he had the opportunity to mentor and guide the country's top 16U and 17U volleyball players. Additionally, he served as an assistant coach with the Canadian National B Team at the Full Time Training Centre in Gatineau.
Dixon's success extends to the provincial level, where he made significant contributions to the Team Alberta program, securing multiple medals between 2012 and 2015. Notably, his Zone 5 team claimed Gold at the Alberta Winter Games in 2012, and he led Team AB 16U to a silver medal at the Western Elite Championships in 2014. Dixon was also part of the coaching staff that achieved a silver medal at the 2015 Canada Cup with the 16U team.
In 2014, Dixon took on the challenge of leading the men's volleyball program at The King's University in Edmonton. Under his guidance, the team became a perennial contender in the ACAC, earning him recognition as the ACAC Coach of the Year in 2017 and a nomination for the CCAA National Coach of the Year. During his time at King's, the team achieved a commendable record of 57 wins and 39 losses, with a notable second-place finish in the North division.
Following his successful time at The King's University, Dixon further honed his coaching skills as an assistant coach at Brandon University (BU). There, he played a role in the team's triumph at the 2019 CanWest Championship and the 2019 USports Silver medal.
Continuing his coaching journey abroad, Dixon moved to Nordenskov, Denmark, where he professionally coached in the top Danish league. His NUIF team's impressive performance resulted in a respectable fourth-place finish in the Landskopal Danish Cup in 2021.
Upon returning to Canada, Dixon has continued his commitment to coaching, serving as an assistant coach at NAIT and conducting private coaching sessions at Aspire Volleyball.
"I am delighted and grateful for the opportunity to be welcomed back to NAIT to work with this talented group of guys as their Head Coach after two years working with NAIT MVB in an assistant coach role. I'm most looking forward to getting in the gym, reconnecting with the ten returners & welcoming the seven players to the program who will don the OOKS jersey for the first time as we continue to build on NAIT Athletics culture of excellence," Dixon said.
With his extensive coaching experience and proven track record of success at various levels of play, Phil Dixon's appointment as the new men's volleyball head coach at NAIT brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the program.
Prospective student-athletes are encouraged to follow the NAIT Ooks men's volleyball team on social media to stay updated on all the action. For more information about the team or to contact Coach Phil Dixon, please email him at pdixon@nait.ca.
Let's come together and support the Ooks men's volleyball team as they embark on this exciting new chapter.
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