Our Coaches

At YFC Elite, we believe strong programs start with strong leaders. For the 2025-2026 season, we’re excited to introduce the talented lineup of coaches we’ve invited to guide our teams. Each brings experience, passion, and a commitment to developing players both on and off the court.

 U18 Boys - Team "KRL"

Marcelaus Kavanaugh

I’m Coach Kavanaugh. I grew up in the Fredericton area and fell in love with basketball early on, starting my very first program back in Grade 3. I’ve been passionate about the game ever since!

I graduated from Central New Brunswick Academy in 2016 and began my coaching journey with YFC Elite in 2024. It’s been an incredible experience so far, and I’m excited for the opportunity to continue working with athletes who are ready to put in the effort.

I believe that true grit and dedication will always outwork pure skill. I’m looking for players who bring the same energy to practice night as they do to game night!

U18 Boys Team "KRL"

Laura Ramsay

Returning to coach is Laura Ramsay. Last year, Laura was the head coach of the YFC U16 Competitive Boys team who brought home the provincial banner. Laura was a multi-sport athlete and played basketball at the varsity level throughout middle and high school. She completed her high school years at Upper Miramichi Regional High School as the Captain and MVP of both the basketball and volleyball teams, and was named Athlete of the Year by also competing in softball and badminton.

Laura returned to the bench as head coach of the High School Varsity Girls teams at Upper Miramichi Regional High School and Central New Brunswick Academy, a role she held for six years. During this time, she developed and implemented a K–5 mini basketball program to introduce young students to the fundamentals of the sport. In addition to her high school coaching, she also led the NMBA U10 Boys Competitive team in 2019 and YFC U16 Boys Competitive team in 2024-2025.

After completing her Master of Nursing – Nurse Practitioner degree at UNB in 2019, she has continued to give back to the community both professionally and as a dedicated youth coach. She not only teaches her athletes about the game, but also emphasizes the importance of teamwork, community involvement, and the value of giving back through volunteering. Laura will be coaching along side, Coach Marcealus and Coach Rikki, both of whom she coached during their early years in basketball.

U18 Boys Team "KRL"

Rikki Lyons

Hey, I’m coach Rikki! Growing up I fell in love with the game as a small child watching my older siblings play and eventually got to start my career at the age of 9. Starting out in a YMCA program which was structured very much like what YFC does today! Over the years I participated in many clubs, camps, all over the city as well as representing my high school. I am still active in the basketball community as a player, participating in women’s BNB provincials every year and co-ed tournaments. My coaching journey began when I assisted Coach Laura in the mini ball program she started (where we first coached, Coach Kavanaugh) when I was in grade 9. The year I graduated when I went back to my high school as an assistant coach with my former team. Where I coached Varsity Girls for 2 years as assistant then made the switch to varsity boys as head coach where i stayed for 9+ years. I currently work as a massage therapist in the city and work part time with a senior men’s hockey team as their trainer. The love for sports runs deep. I can’t wait for another year of building young athletes, helping them tap into their skillset and really dial in, on and off the court!

 U18 Boys - Team "COR"

Mike Carter

Mike Carter has spent most of his life in and around sports—if it involved a ball, a whistle, or a scoreboard, chances are he’s been part of it.
Over the past 20 years, he’s coached just about everything you can imagine, from teams that were championship contenders to teams that considered “everyone showed up on time” a pretty solid victory. For the last 6+ years, Mike has poured his energy specifically into basketball, a sport that quickly went from being an interest to becoming a full-blown passion (some say obsession—Mike says they’re just jealous of his clipboard collection).


His coaching philosophy is simple but powerful: create a positive, competitive, and supportive environment where every player feels valued and pushed to grow. Mike is dedicated to helping athletes build not only their skills but also the confidence to use them—whether that’s hitting the open shot, making the extra pass, or surviving one of his legendary conditioning drills with a smile.


Above all, Mike believes that a great basketball team is built on trust, effort, and the right balance of fun and focus. He’s here to help every player become the best version of themselves, on and off the court.

U18 Boys Team "COR"

Michael On

Coach Michael On Michael On serves as an Assistant Coach in his first season on the basketball coaching staff, bringing a unique performance background grounded in sport science, physiology, and mindfulness-based coaching. Although new to coaching basketball, he grew up playing recreational basketball and now applies his multidisciplinary coaching expertise to support athlete development, mindset, and performance habits on the court.

With a Master’s degree in Kinesiology (Sport Sciences) and over 15 years of coaching experience across multisport and youth performance pathways, Coach Mike currently leads high-performance programming as Head Coach of Triathlon New Brunswick. His coaching philosophy emphasizes confidence through competence, communication, and choice, helping athletes build both physical skill and personal resilience. In the basketball environment, Mike focuses on movement efficiency, recovery strategies, load management, and mental skills.

He incorporates mindfulness practices and goal-setting frameworks to help young athletes improve focus, manage pressure, and take ownership of their development. He also supports athletes in understanding what it means to be a student-athlete, balancing school responsibilities, healthy habits, and athletic growth. Mike’s goal is to contribute to a positive team culture and help athletes grow not only in basketball performance, but also as confident, goal-directed young people prepared for long-term success both on and off the court.

U18 Boys Team "COR"

Roman Karmadanov

Roman Karmadanov is a former professional basketball player with over eight years of experience competing at a high level, including playing in Russia’s Second Division. After his playing career, Roman transitioned into coaching and has accumulated nearly ten years of coaching experience.

 

He spent six of those years in China, where he coached a high school team in Shanghai. Under his leadership, the team finished second in their division among private schools in the city. Roman has also worked as a video scout for a professional women’s basketball team in Kazakhstan, contributing to the team’s success as they secured second place in the Kazakhstan Women’s First Division Championship.

 

For the past year and a half, Roman has been living and working in Canada. He has volunteered and assisted with the UNB Men’s Basketball Team, worked with BNB camps, and volunteered with Fusion. He is currently the head coach of the basketball program at the YMCA of Fredericton, as well as a fitness, strength, and conditioning trainer at the YMCA.

“The key is not the will to win… everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.”

Bobby Knight