Yelena is very familiar with and not afraid of hard work nor long hours, with her inner drive that has allowed for success in coaching both at the professional and college levels (i.e. UCLA, USC, CSUDH, Stanford), as well as varsity high school and local club circuits in Southern California. Currently, she is coach at Main Beach Volleyball Club. Yelena has 5 years of competitive international experience, playing for Russian, Serbian, and Turkish Clubs, as well as playing in FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball) World Tournaments. She earned her Bachelor of Physical Education & Sports from the Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Culture & Sports in July 2008. There, she competed on the Azerbaijan Womens National Team as a Spiker for both indoor and sand volleyball, as well as being as the captain for the Junior National Volleyball Team. She was selected as a National Olympic Qualifier in 2003, led the Azerbaijan Womens National Team to 1st place in the Azerbaijan Sand Volleyball Championship in 2005, and again during the World Championship in 2008.    Recently, she assisted the Junior Olympics New Orleans Team in 2015 and helped coach teams to reach the CIF Championship (Division III), CIF State Final (Division II), and achieve 1st Place in the Del Rey League in 2016. Yelena is a member of the prestigious Gold Medal Squared organization for volleyball coaches, and is working on completion of her second Bachelor of Divinity at the Moscow Soul Academy. [](http://www.goslugs.com/sports/wvball/coaches/yelenaview=bio#)