University of Californi (Santa Cruz)
NCAA DIII • CAC
Date: June 25, 2026
Would Recommend
Tags
The previous review about Yelena is spot on. Even after two years, it seems like she's still up to the same old tricks for the new club team she started in San Jose (ND Elite). The original reviewer is spot on describing everything Yelena is and does: "… very dishonest and manipulative ... has her favorites and ... dishonest with her players. She does whatever she wants no matter your skill set ... She is very unfair and exclusionary. She says one thing in a meeting then announces something else ... she'll recruit from either walk-in or from a club team she knows ... Treat players like they don't exist, right after she tells them that they will be playing. She is very unfair and I think a little racially bias ... She plays mind games and is a liar … she is a terrible, dishonest person, and a horrible coach. Please be careful in accepting a recruiting position ... It is not going to be like what she says. Other coaches at the school are known to be fantastic ... She doesn't get to know her players … She creates a terrible culture and does not seem to really care about the girls. She's definitely unfair and biased. She will be very vague when you ask her questions and then pretend that the conversation never happened." Yup, pretty much everything I have experienced with her. At least Yelena is consistent. I'll give her that. I don't even know why she is called "coach" when she doesn't want to coach. She just wants players to come in with set skills and she will be completely hands-off. For players who can use a little coaching to get to their full potential, she pretty much just ignores them and acts like they're not worth her time and shouldn't play on a competitive team. She created two teams for her new club - One with the players that she wants and thinks are good, and the other team is everyone else who is willing to pay to be on a club team. She moved one girl from the 2's team to the 1's team just because that girl is tall and wanted to be with her friends, but yet treats other girls who are more skilled but a little shorter like they are nothing. She seems greedy when it comes to creating her team. Let's be real: It really is just her TEAM not teamS because she doesn't care about the 2's.