Derek started his coaching journey at Next Generation Volleyball Club in 2013. He then went on to join Michigan Elite in 2015 where he stayed for ten years. While at Michigan Elite he coached 14 & 15 National Select Teams, 15-National, 14-Elite East, 13-Elite East, 16-Mizuno (Asst. Coach), 12-Elite and the last few years,14-National. In 2023 his 14-National team took home gold in 14-Open at MJVBA States. In 2024 his team took home gold in 14 Club Red at Presidents Day in Detroit and in 2025 they finished 2nd in 14-Open at Steel City Freeze in Pittsburgh, PA.
Outside of club, Derek was at Mercy High School for 6 years, starting in 2014, as the JV coach and winning the Catholic League 3 times. In 2020, he accepted his first varsity position at Livonia Stevenson. That season which the varsity team made it to the district finals for the first time in four year. That season, for the first time in program history, they had a student-athlete that made All State Honorable Mention. In 2022, Derek joined the program at Marian as the JV head coach and during that season, won the catholic league. In 2023, Derek accepted the varsity position at Birmingham Seaholm High School. During his first season, the freshman team finished third in the OAA Red.

Derek's coaching philosophy is provide all athletes with a fair opportunity to learn, grow, and mature as a player through hard work and discipline. He strives to help athletes be the best version of themselves both on/off the court. “You have to have the heart both physically and mentally to really want it.“