Our Coaches
The People Behind Every Session
Our coaching staff combines professional and competitive playing careers in Europe with European coaching education and years of work with young players in Canada. Every coach has completed the coach education, Safe Sport, and youth coaching requirements that apply to soccer in Alberta.
Denys Vakar
UEFA B Licensed Coach | UEFA B Qualification Recognized by Canada Soccer
Candidate for Master of Sport (Football) — Ukraine
Denys Vakar is the Founder and Head Coach of Soccer Academy Calgary UA, a former professional footballer and a Candidate for Master of Sport in Football in Ukraine.
He brings more than a decade of professional playing experience in Ukraine and more than 11 years of experience working with young players. He holds a UEFA B Licence, with his UEFA coaching qualification officially recognized by Canada Soccer.
His professional playing background and European coaching education form the foundation of his approach to player development, with a strong emphasis on technical quality, game intelligence, discipline, decision-making and individual player growth.
Professional Playing Career
Before becoming a coach, Denys built an extensive playing career in Ukrainian football, competing across the Ukrainian Premier League, First League and Second League. His professional and competitive playing career included:
- MFC Mykolaiv — Mykolaiv
- FC Viktor — Zaporizhzhia
- FC Kryvbas — Kryvyi Rih
- FC Spartak — Sumy
- FC Portovyk — Illichivsk (now Chornomorsk)
- FC Torpedo — Zaporizhzhia
- FC Stal — Dniprodzerzhynsk (now Kamianske)
- FC Palmira — Odesa
- FC Ivan — Odesa
- PFC Oleksandriya — Oleksandriya
UEFA Regions’ Cup 2006/07
An important part of Denys’s playing career was representing Ukraine with FC Ivan Odesa in the 2006/07 UEFA Regions’ Cup. FC Ivan won its UEFA qualifying group in Odesa, finishing undefeated against representatives of Belgium, Slovenia and Liechtenstein, and advanced to the UEFA Regions’ Cup final tournament in Bulgaria in 2007.
This international experience became another important part of Denys’s football background and his understanding of competitive European football.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Denys continued in football as a coach, working in player development and youth football. His coaching career includes:
- Specialized Children and Youth Sports School of Olympic Reserve (SDYUSHOR) — Mykolaiv
- FC VAST — Coach
- Soccer Academy Calgary UA — Founder & Head Coach
Coaching Qualifications & Sporting Background
- UEFA B Licence
- UEFA B Qualification — Recognized by Canada Soccer
- Candidate for Master of Sport (Football) — Ukraine
Coaching Philosophy & Player Development
Denys combines professional playing experience with European coaching methodology and an individual approach to player development. His coaching focuses on technical quality, game intelligence, discipline, confidence, decision-making and helping players understand the game rather than simply follow instructions.
He believes that player development is not only about teaching football technique. It is also about developing football intelligence, character, responsibility, confidence and the ability to make independent decisions on the field.
Denys is committed to continuous professional development and to creating a positive, demanding and supportive training environment where young players can develop their skills, confidence, character and understanding of football.
Andrii Parkhomenko, UEFA Pro Licence
Andrii provides strategic guidance and professional support in coaching methodology, player development, tactical education, and the long-term growth of the academy.
A holder of the UEFA Pro Licence, he brings decades of experience as a professional player and coach, having competed at the highest professional levels in Ukraine and Moldova. He went on to serve as Head Coach of FC Dniester Ovidiopol, FC Real Pharma Odesa, and FC Balkany Zorya, and is today an Assistant Coach of FC Chornomorets Odesa, one of Ukraine’s most historic professional clubs.
He supports the academy’s coaching staff with modern European coaching methodology, tactical development and game models, technical player development, decision-making and football intelligence, training session planning, long-term player development pathways, and coach education and mentoring.
Sergiy Kuyanov, UEFA Pro Licence
Sergiy is a coach, technical director and coach educator whose career has run through professional football, coach education and performance analysis in Ukraine and Kazakhstan, at club and at federation level.
In Ukraine he was Head Coach of SC Olkom Melitopol and of SC Enerhiya Mykolaiv, both in the Second League, and later Sporting Director and Director of MFC Mykolaiv, combining football operations with sporting development and organisational leadership. In Kazakhstan he worked as Assistant Head Coach with FC Kazakhmys and led the performance analysis department at FC Okzhetpes — both clubs in the country’s top division during the relevant periods.
Away from the touchline he has spent much of his career teaching coaches: as a coach education instructor at the Football Federation of Ukraine Licensing Centre, as Technical Director of the Football Federation of Kazakhstan, and in a senior coach-development role with the Mykolaiv Regional Football Association, where he led the scientific and analytical work behind the UAF D and C qualifications.
At Soccer Academy Calgary UA he advises on technical methodology, coach development, the player-development structure, training principles and long-term sporting strategy.
Clubs
SC Olkom Melitopol · SC Enerhiya Mykolaiv · MFC Mykolaiv · FC Kazakhmys · FC Okzhetpes
Federations
Football Federation of Ukraine Licensing Centre · Football Federation of Kazakhstan · Mykolaiv Regional Football Association
Alex Pletnyov, P.Eng., PMP
Born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Alex grew up with the game and played at amateur level. After moving to Canada in 2003 he stayed in football for more than 12 years as both a player and a team manager, known for leadership, organisation, team culture, and tactical understanding.
A professional engineer by trade, he holds the Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) — experience that brings a structured, professional approach to the academy’s operations and long-term development.
Alex joined Soccer Academy Calgary UA as a volunteer in 2023 and was appointed Sporting Director in 2024, supporting the academy’s sporting vision, program development, player pathway, and organisational growth. He remains active in the local football community as player and manager of the Calgary UA O35 team.
Andrii Rybka
Born in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, Andrii started playing at seven with FC Kolos, a club within the FC Kryvbas development system, and represented several amateur teams before moving to Poland at twenty.
In Poland he played competitive amateur football and earned the first-choice goalkeeper spot at KS Blizne (Liga 5). He also began coaching there, working with young players across age groups and developing both outfield players and goalkeepers.
At Soccer Academy Calgary UA he is focused on creating a positive and professional learning environment for every player. He has completed the local coach education, Safe Sport, and youth coaching requirements applicable to soccer in Alberta, and continues to expand his knowledge through ongoing professional development.
Dmytro Kononchenko
Dmytro is a seasoned soccer coach with extensive international experience. Holding a UEFA B coaching licence, he has spent several years coaching in Europe and China, where he developed a deep understanding of high-level training methodologies and player development systems.
His playing career took him through the academies and clubs of Shakhtar Donetsk, Polissya Zhytomyr, Olimpik Donetsk, and Zirka Kropyvnytskyi. His time abroad has equipped him with a diverse coaching perspective, which he now brings to his work with small-group and partner training sessions in Calgary.
“Only practice can improve you as a player. You can win, you can lose, but you must always try to improve yourself.”
Playing career
Shakhtar Donetsk · Polissya Zhytomyr · Olimpik Donetsk · Zirka Kropyvnytskyi
Coaching
Zirka Kropyvnytskyi · Juventus International Academy (China) · 1UP Soccer Academy (Calgary)
Denys Anikieiev
Denys is a former professional football and futsal goalkeeper and a UEFA C Licensed Coach with more than 30 years in the game. His playing career took him through Metallurg Zaporizhzhia, Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk and several professional futsal clubs in Ukraine, and as a young goalkeeper he represented Ukraine at U14, U15 and U16 youth national team level.
He later specialized in goalkeeper development, working with young goalkeepers in Ukraine — among them players who went on to football environments such as Bayern Munich, Dynamo Kyiv, Shakhtar Donetsk and Espanyol.
Since moving to Canada he has spent several years coaching goalkeepers in Quebec, including work with Cosmos Granby Academy and the International Goalkeeper School with Rino Angelino.
At Soccer Academy Calgary UA he brings that professional playing experience and European goalkeeper methodology to the technical, tactical and mental development of our goalkeepers.
UEFA C Licence
Goalkeeper development · technical and tactical training · performance analysis
Bohdan Kohut
Born in Buchach, Ukraine, Bohdan began his football journey at the local Youth Sports School (DYUSSH Buchach) and played at amateur level in Ukraine before continuing with an amateur club in Poland. After moving to Canada he carried on playing competitive amateur football with Calgary UA.
As an Assistant Coach he supports young players in their technical, physical, and personal development, believing that discipline, confidence, responsibility, and respect are essential qualities for every young athlete on and off the field.
Bohdan is committed to continuous professional development, regularly taking online coaching courses, seminars, and development programs that pair modern European coaching methodology with North American youth development principles. He has completed the local coach education, Safe Sport, and youth coaching requirements applicable to soccer in Alberta.
Viacheslav Smohorzhevskyi
Born in Odesa, Ukraine, Viacheslav began in the youth academy of FC Chornomorets Odesa and at twelve continued his development at SKA Odesa, where he completed his youth football education before playing competitive amateur football. He is a two-time Ukrainian Armed Forces Youth Champion (U16 and U17).
After moving to Canada he turned to coaching. As an Assistant Coach he works alongside the academy’s staff, supporting player development and daily training sessions.
Viacheslav is committed to continuous learning through coaching education, online seminars, and professional development, and has completed the local coach education, Safe Sport, and youth coaching requirements applicable to soccer in Alberta.
Train With Our Coaches
Book a trial session and see the coaching environment for yourself, or get in touch and we will help you choose the right group for your child.