Men's Basketball

Coaching Profiles

Darren Semeniuk, Head Coach

Darren Semeniuk began his career a decade ago coaching AAA high school basketball in Edmonton. He moved to Kelowna in 2001 to coach high school basketball at OKM, KSS, and Mount Boucherie, winning several tournaments and zone championships.

Semeniuk's love of the game began as a player. He was the starting point guard at the University of Alberta and Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton. His impressive playing career included many nominations and awards, including Canada West Conference All-star, MVP, and Athlete of the Year when he played for the University of Alberta.

Semeniuk led the UBC Okanagan Lakers to back to back second place finishes at the BCCAA Provincial Championships and a seventh and eighth place finish at the CCAA National Championships in the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons.

In 2008/09 Semeniuk won the BCCAA Provincial Championship that sent the UBC Okanagan Heat to the CCAA National Championship for a third straight year.

In six years manning the helm for the Heat Darren has led his team to a provincial medal four times compiling a league record of 63 wins and 38 losses.

Kelly Broderick, Assistant Coach

E-mail: kbroderi@sd23.bc.ca

Kelly is in his first year as an assistant for coach Semeniuk, he is also the AAA boy's basketball coach at Mount Boucherie Secondary.

With over 20 years of coaching experience at all levels, (12 in the U.S.), Kelly was extremely excited to get the call from Coach Semeniuk to be a part of inaugural season at the C.I.S. level.

While completing his Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology with a major in Pedagogy, Kelly was able to coach under Hall of Fame coach Denny Humphrey (Eastern Washington) and Dr.Jerry Krause, Director of Basketball operations (Gonzaga).

Kelly spent 2 years in the field of sport psychology doing a scientific study that encompassed the effects of visualization and imagery in high school and college athletes.

Throughout his work in America, he always held a personal goal of returning to his home town of Westbank to share his passion for the game of basketball with local kids.

He is the current Head Basketball Coach and former Athletic Director at Mount Boucherie Secondary School, where over the past five years he has helped to establish a strong basketball tradition in West Kelowna. His teams have been twice ranked in the top 5 in the Province, and once in the top 20, and have won a Valley Championship.

Kelly brings a great understanding of the game and prides himself in evaluation and preparation, using film break-down to help all players to become successful in their growth and development.

When away from the game he enjoys everything the Okanagan Valley has to offer, including camping, fishing, quading and boating.

Matt Heyworth, Assistant Coach

E-mail: heyworthm@shaw.ca

Matt Started coaching high school basketball in Alberta at Bellerose Composite High and Paul Kane High School in St. Albert.

He coached boy’s basketball there for nine years before moving to Kelowna. In Kelowna Matt started coaching high school girl’s basketball and has been coaching girl’s basketball in the Okanagan for the past four years. In that time he has been coaching the Mount Boucherie Secondary AAA girls team, at the Okanagan Regional Training Center, U15 Okanagan Regional Team and was the assistant for the U15 BC Provincial Team the past 2 years winning two bronze medals at the National Championships.

Matt is NCCP level 2 certified and currently working on getting full Level 3 NCCP certification.

This is Matt’s first year with the Heat and he has said the he is “excited to be working with coach Semeniuk as the Heat make the transition to the CIS.”

Adrian Neale, Assistant Coach

Adrian is in his fourth year of assisting coach Semeniuk.

Dino Gini, Player Development and
Recruitment Coach

Dino Gini, Player Development and Recruitment Coach

E-mail: dgini@realtyexec-kelowna.com

Dino Gini’s role with the program will be to expand the Heat into various aspects of the community basketball scene. Gini will also be involved in the expansion of the fledgling Jr. Heat Basketball Program.
Gini will coach an under 17 Jr. Heat team made up of valley players that will train in the summer and travel to various club tournaments across the Pacific Northwest.

Gini’s time and commitment to helping build the local programs and players in the Interior, will make him a key recruiter for the program. Gini will develop players locally that will have the skills and ability to play at the university level. He will also have an opportunity to identify and scout players from other regions when he travels with the Heat club teams.

Gini brings with him a wealth of experience in the local basketball scene and has played a big role in the development of young basketball players in the community. His work as head coach of the Immaculata senior girls’ team created a dynasty in high school basketball for the Mustangs. He is now continuing that success with the senior boys program at Immaculata. He has worked with Basketball B.C. in regional and summer games programs for the past 14 years and has been the head coach of the Basketball B.C. Regional Training Centre. Gini continues to be involved with Kelowna Minor Basketball and their Steve Nash leagues, legends leagues and rep leagues.

With more than 24 years of coaching and working with kids, Gini will bring his passion for the sport to the UBC Okanagan men’s program. Gini played University ball at Mount Royal in Calgary and at the University of Brandon. He is a level three NCCP certified coach.

Taylen Busch, Strength and Conditioning Coach

Taylen is a former player with the Heat, having laced up for coach Semeniuk for three seasons out of G.P. Vanier Secondary. Taylen is in his fourth year at UBC Okanagan and will complete his degree in Human Kinetics in the Spring of 2012.

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Last reviewed 2/8/2012 11:15:12 AM