Orest Ndabaneze is an Academy Trainer with Foothills, working primarily within our boys’ Academy and APDL programs to help young attackers play with confidence, creativity, and purpose. On the training ground, he’s known for high-tempo, detail-driven sessions that challenge players technically while always keeping the game fun and expressive.
A Calgary-raised forward, Orest enjoyed a standout university career with the Mount Royal Cougars, where he became one of the program’s most decorated student-athletes and a constant attacking threat in Canada West play. He graduated from MRU with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. He was honoured as the 2021 Centennial Gold Medal Recipient for the Faculty of Arts, recognizing both academic excellence and leadership on campus. Orest has since completed an MBA and brings that business and leadership training into his work with players and staff.
Beyond the pitch, Orest is widely respected as a community builder and advocate. At MRU he helped lead anti-racism and BIPOC support initiatives and was a visible voice in conversations about equity, diversity, and inclusion on campus. With the growth mindset he learned from his undergraduate degree, Orest uses that perspective to shape his coaching philosophy at Foothills: creating a high-standard, welcoming environment where young players are pushed to grow as footballers and as people, and where every training session is a step toward both their on-field goals and their future beyond the game.