March 2016 www.volleyballengland.org
ZAM NA BIA & MIBI A TRIP D BALL ENGLAN Y E L L O V F O E MAGAZIN THE OFFICIAL
NEVZA Year Three Report and Photos from NEVZA U17 Championships
FOLLOW OUR TALENT SQUADS IN EUROPE CEV U19 and U20
And the Winner Is ….. Get ready for the Annual Awards
1
www.volleyballengland.org
s t n e t n co
March 2016 www.volleyballengland.org
NA MIBI A TRIP
THE OFFICIAL
MAGA
YBALL ENGLAND ZINE OF VOLLE
NEVZA Year Three Report and Photos from NEVZA U17 Championships
FOLLOW OUR TALENT SQUADS IN EUROPE CEV U19 and U20
And the Winner Is …..
Get ready for the Annual Awards
1
3
Welcome message from Volleyball England President, Geoff Allen and meet the new Honorary Vice Presidents
Cover photo: Ed van Wingerden in action at Nevza Photo: Mark Pritchard
5 If you would like your news or views printed in 3Touch Volleyball, get in touch with the editor at: Volleyball England SportPark, Loughborough University, No. 3 Oakwood Drive, Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 3QF E-mail: info@volleyballengland.org Tel: 01509 227 722 Fax: 01509 227 733 English Volleyball Association Ltd. is registered in England number 2023635. Published March 2016 by
Newark Street, Accrington, Lancs BB5 0BP Email: info@mercer-print.co.uk
Editorial Board: Lisa Wainwright - Chief Executive Ruth Norfolk - Communications & Marketing Manager Mark Pritchard - Marketing and Media Officer Volleyball England: 01509 227 722 © Volleyball England 2016 For all queries regarding subscriptions, non-receipt and address changes, email Volleyball England at info@ volleyballengland.org or write to Volleyball England at the address shown above. Please include your affiliation number in all correspondence. Although this is an official publication of Volleyball England, the views expressed in this magazine may not be those of the Association. Products appearing in 3Touch Volleyball magazine are not necessarily endorsed by Volleyball England. All contributions welcomed. These should be emailed to the editor at info@volleyballengland.org, where possible, or sent to Volleyball England for the attention of the editor, 3Touch Volleyball magazine. All photographs should be captioned to identify their contents and the photographer noted to acknowledge the source. Volleyball England Equality Statement: Volleyball England supports the principle of equal opportunities for all participants, members, representatives and employees while working for, or on behalf of the EVA. It opposes all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination on the grounds of age, colour, race, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, marital status, sexuality, HIV status, or unrelated criminal convictions, or disability.
WELCOME
VOLLEY NEWS News and views from the world of volleyball
12 AFRICAN VOLLEYBALL Visits to Zambia and Namibia to develop the African game
14 NEVZA Reports and pictures from the Under 17 Championships
17 THE GO SPIKE BIG WEEKEND PREVIEW Get ready for our Go Spike Big Weekend Events
18 TALENT SQUADS IN EUROPE Results and pictures from first round in CEV games
22 EAT WELL, PLAY WELL Sorting your diet after the festive season
24 ANNUAL AWARDS PREVIEW Get your nominations in for this year’s awards
26 PAJULAHTI GAMES GB Women compete in Finland
Volleyball England is committed to customer service and its continued improvement. We have produced a Customer Charter, which puts the importance of customer service levels at the forefront of the way volunteers and staff carry out their duties. You can download the charter here http://bit.ly/209FxrE
www.volleyballengland.org
2
e m o c Wel
Geoff Allen President
PRESIDENT’S UPDATE Welcome to 3Touch.
Welcome to the first 3Touch of 2016. I hope it’s a good year for you. One of the key questions we constantly consider is: How can we grow volleyball in England? That’s adult, junior, indoor, beach and sitting players; coaches; referees; administrators; volunteers and supporters. Although volleyball is a major sport in many countries, putting it into the top three participant sports worldwide, the traditional sports still dominate in England. A meeting will take place soon where we will debate this particular subject. If you have thoughts and ideas on this, please email me on: geoff.allen@volleyballengland.org. As you will read below and overleaf, we have created a voluntary group which we hope to formalise at the AGM, where we have named five of our most distinguished former Directors as Honorary Vice-Presidents. As well as honouring their many years’ service to volleyball, we will call upon their experience and expertise to advise us as needed. I am extremely happy that Freda Bussey MBE, Wayne Coyle, Ken Edwards, Ron Richards and Brian Stalker have accepted our invitations and we look forward to receiving their thoughts and advice in future. I recently spent an excellent weekend at the England Cadets training camp. It’s most gratifying to see new young talent emerging from within our sport and to observe the dedication and knowledge of
the coaches, staff and volunteers. Also, it was good to see the pilot talent identification testing (TID) being carried out by Gary Hutt and his VolleyScience team. The TID project is part of a significant Sport England grant which Audrey Cooper and Adi Fawcett were successful in obtaining. The other two parts of the grant will be used to improve the knowledge of our national coaches and enable England to field men’s and women’s indoor teams for the first time for a number of years. Talking of Audrey Cooper, I am sad to report that she has left Volleyball England for a new role with UK Sport. One of Audrey’s last acts as our Technical and Talent Director was to propose to the Board, which was endorsed, that the England senior teams be reactivated for the first time since 2007. Consequently, England men, under coach Simon Loftus, will be competing in the European Championship qualifiers in early summer and England women, under coach Dave Goodchild, will be entering competitions later in the year. Audrey is fortunately staying involved with volleyball, as a member of our Performance Commission and via her involvement with Team Northumbria. The Volleyball England Foundation needs some new trustees. Are you interested? It aims to give financial support to help develop, educate and promote the health of financially limited individuals and groups through volleyball. Please contact the Head Office if you would like to be involved. Further details can be found on page 21. Finally, I wish you good luck for the second half of the indoor season, whether your team is fighting for trophies or against relegation! Geoff Allen
HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTS Freda Bussey MBE Freda has had a long and successful career in volleyball, as a player, a coach and as an organiser. Between 1972 and 1981 she earned 94 international caps playing for England. During this time, in 1976, she founded Ashcombe Volleyball Club and as secretary and coach entered National League. She also started the Ashcombe Volleyball Tournament. From 1983 to the present day, Freda has been a Volleyball England staff coach tutor and since 1976 has coached more than 60 players through from a beginner level to international standard. In 2000, along with The Ashcombe School, Freda was successful in winning a £1m grant from Sport England to build the Ashcombe Volleyball Centre. This was followed in 2011 with a further successful bid for beach volleyball courts on Worthing sea front. Freda has accomplished many outstanding achievements during her career in the sport including: 1985 - 2010: Chair of National Squads
Commission, Chair of Coaching Commission and Chair Performance Commission. 2005 – present: Chair South East Volleyball Association. 2008 – present: Treasurer Sussex Volleyball Association. 2012: Athletes Service Manager London Olympic Games Beach Volleyball. 2013 - present: Secretary Surrey Volleyball Association. In 2013 she was awarded a well-deserved MBE for her services to Volleyball. Wayne Coyle Wayne has more than 35 years’ involvement in volleyball as an administrator, event organiser, performance manager, coach, player and club member. Wayne is a former President of Volleyball England and former Board member with responsibilities for International Events and Competitions, and also as Interim Playing Director. He was a Board Member of the British Volleyball Federation and as Performance
Director he established the Great Britain programmes for Indoor, Beach and Sitting in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He established the full-time programmes for the GB Men’s and Women’s teams in Sheffield and placed the GB Men’s team in Holland in preparation for games. Wayne also established the Sport Sheffield Volleyball programme. He was a founding member of the Sheffield and Hillsborough Volleyball Club taking the Men’s and Women’s teams from the Regional League to NVL Division One (S8 equivalent at the time). Wayne has a wealth of event management experience in delivering volleyball events including: - London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games - Event Director to European League and European Championships - Event Director to World Championship Qualifiers - Assistant Director of Sport (Volleyball) to the 1991 World Student Games - Involved in various capacities in more than 250 International Games.
3
www.volleyballengland.org Brian Stalker I began playing volleyball at a taster session run by West Cumbria’s Volleyball League for British Steel’s Sports and Social Organisation following the Munich Olympics in 1972. Shortly afterwards, I helped form the British Steel Volleyball Club, which grew over time to field two senior men’s teams in the NVL, an NVL women’s team and took junior girls teams to tournaments around UK, reaching the heady heights of Men’s NVL Division 2. Unfortunately the promotion to Division 2 coincided with the national steel strike and several key players were unable to afford to travel to away matches and they were relegated back to Division 3 North the following season. During the period from 1972 to 1980 I began to take a keen interest in club, local, regional and national administration, eventually becoming Cumbria Region’s representative to the National Executive Committee in 1980. Also early in my volleyball career I became a qualified volleyball referee and this took up an ever increasing portion of my volleyball time, culminating in qualifying as an International Volleyball Referee at an FIVB course in Hong Kong in 1986. I was one of the few referees to become a “dual” by qualifying as a Beach Volleyball International Referee at a course in Marbella, Spain in 1991 that was intended to develop referees for the first participation of beach volleyball in the Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA in 1996. After I retired as an International Volleyball and Beach Volleyball Referee I accepted a position with CEV as both a Volleyball Champions League Supervisor and Beach Volleyball Technical Delegate. In 2009 I was invited by Bob Clarke, appointed volleyball supreme by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, to help him create and recruit teams of key administrators and managers to deliver the volleyball and beach volleyball competitons at London 2012. I also agreed to develop and direct a training programme for National Technical Officials (NTOs), also for both competitions. In 2010 I accepted an invite from Bob to become the Services Manager for the Beach Volleyball Competition on held at Horse Guards Parade. During my time involved in Volleyball England’s national administration I fulfilled several roles and along with Ron Richards, who was then Vice Chairman of Volleyball England, created, developed
4
and instituted the present Board system. Eventually I took on the Technical Director’s position and then progressed to be Vice President where I took on the added responsibility as Chair of the Staffing Committee. I had to relinquish my position as a Director of Volleyball England in 2014, but not before being appointed as President of Volleyball England for my final six months in office - the ultimate accolade for any NGB voluntary officer. Ron Richards I started my involvement in volleyball aged 15 with Townhill Tigers in Swansea. A few friends and I responded to a youth club newsletter advert a real chance event! As a teacher, I often told young people to make the most of opportunities that come along as you never know how they will influence your life - that invitation to play volleyball was to have a huge impact on my life. I was taught by a group of exiled Latvians, Lithuanians and Poles. We never used the dig pass - we volleyed everything. At Exeter University, I became a qualified coach and referee. We won the UAU Championships and were promoted to the top national league division. In 1970 I became the Secretary of the South West Amateur Volleyball Association - a post I still hold. I held positions with the English Volleyball Association over many years - including a long stint as Vice Chairman / Vice President supporting Dan Dingle, Rich Callicott and Andy Barstow as Chairman / President. I travelled to many Spring Cups and European Cup matches as “Head of Delegation” - with some special memories from these, including one snowy weekend in Leningrad with Hillingdon Ladies facing the USSR champions. In 1972 I started a teaching post at Whitefield Fishponds School in Bristol, setting up the Whitefield Volleyball Club (now part of City of Bristol) and the Whitefield Tournament (of which I am currently the Tournament Director). The 2016 tournament will be the 42nd and in its second year at a new venue, having lost the Bath venue where it had taken place from 1982 to 2014. The early years in Bristol were really exciting - particularly working with Ray Tingley who set up the Speedwell Club and Keith Nicholls who established the Bristol Polytechnic Club. Fellow players at Bristol Poly were Geoff Allen and Tom Ojasoo. In 1977 I moved to Priory School at
Weston Super Mare, establishing the Priory Club (and tournament) producing many junior teams that reached national last 8 competitions and regional finals. So my involvement in volleyball spans over 50 years. I feel strongly that players should contribute as coaches, referees and administrators and have always encouraged them to make these contributions. Ken Edwards I began playing at school around 1966. Soon after starting work in 1972 I attended the AGM of the English Volleyball Association and was soon recruited to be Competitions Secretary, a post I held for around a decade before becoming Vice Chairman for around eight years. On reaching age 40 in 1990 I stood down as I felt it time a younger person’s voice was heard. I have also served on the East Region Federation. I have been Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary of most of these also starting and editing newsletters and as a website manager. I retired from active involvement in administration several years ago. I have been involved in coaching, having founded a junior and senior club in my time as well as coaching both men’s and women’s national league teams, winning a women’s Kestours Cup (the equivalent of today’s Plate). For many years I coached at Chelmsford Partners (national league) and then at its successor the Chelmsford Club which I helped guide to Volley 1 accreditation. It remains my home club, playing in Essex competitions. I have been a referee for much of my career and at one time stood regularly in National League games and several national finals. Failing eyesight means I do so now only reluctantly at local matches. In more recent years although I still train and play weekly, I have become involved with sitting volleyball. In the years running up to the 2012 Paralympics I was Secretary of the BVF Sitting Volleyball Committee and also founded Essex Pirates as a local team still competing today in the Grand Prix series. I was also privileged to be able to arrange for the GB Olympic Women’s team to train in Chelmsford at no cost to them and I hold a long service award from Volleyball England. Although I have had exposure to the elite end of the sport, my real interest is in participation, seeing anyone who walks into a volleyball session as at least a potential supporter of the game.
s w e n y e l l o V
www.volleyballengland.org
CEV CONGRESS
In October Aleksandar Boricic was elected and sworn in as President of the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV), Europe’s governing body for volleyball. He will be leading the European volleyball family for the next four years, up until 2019. Born in 1948, he is a multiple winner of the Yugoslav national championship and national cup. A former national team player, he totalled 103 caps with the Yugoslav national team, winning a bronze medal at the 1975 European Championship.
appointed to the CEV Credentials Committee, one of only four people from the congress and the only female.
He also has a proven track record as President of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia, a position he has held since 2002.
Lisa presented a management seminar about the commercial growth of Volleyball England over the last ten years, which was very well received.
Mr Boricic is the ninth president of Europe’s governing body for volleyball since the CEV was established back in 1973.
In addition to Lisa’s appointment, Kevin Carpenter, British Volleyball Federation Director was appointed to the Mediation Chamber and Denise Austin was appointed to the CEV Beach Commission.
Volleyball England’s Chief Executive, Lisa Wainwright, was also
CEV President Aleksander Boricic with Lisa Wainwright Chief Executive
5
www.volleyballengland.org
s w e n y e l l o THE ROAD TO RIO V help out his local team when he came to the UK, he discovered he had a natural affinity for it and it became his primary role in the sport after he moved to the UK.
R E E F E “Refereeing is really exciting and there is much more to it than people sometimes realise,” he said. “It’s not only about your own knowledge of the technical aspects of the game but also about understanding the emotions of everyone else involved.
E
V OL
“Officiating the bronze medal match in London was an absolute career highlight. I got a fantastic response from the home crowd which gave me chills and I was really proud to be representing Great Britain.” Lisa Wainwright, Chief Executive for Volleyball England, said she was delighted to see that Glynn had once again been selected to referee on such a major international stage.
EY
L
Glynn, who refereed the women’s semi-final match and the men’s bronze medal match at the London 2012 Paralympics, was appointed by World ParaVolley to take part in his second Paralympics.
Having initially started out by playing volleyball, Glynn refereed his first international game in 2008 and has been one of the top referees for sitting volleyball in the UK since then. “I am delighted to have been selected to officiate at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games,” said Glynn. “It is a fantastic personal endorsement to be invited back a second time. As we are required to retire at age 55, this will be my last Paralympic Games.” Glynn began playing volleyball when he was 17 years old and represented St. Lucia before he moved to St. Kitts, when he became involved in coaching. After trying his hand at refereeing to
6
B ALL E
“It is always an honour to represent your country so to do it twice is really
Steve Evans, President of Referee Commission, added: “This is a great achievement. Having been selected for a second Paralympics, shows how respected and talented Glynn is - a true ambassador for the sport.”
ND
“Being a referee means you are at the centre of all matches and while it can be tough at times, it is really rewarding.
special,” said Lisa. “This is a fantastic achievement and we’re delighted that Glynn will once again be flying the flag for sitting volleyball in Rio.”
If you’ve been inspired by Glynn’s story and would like to learn more about becoming a referee, please check here http://www.volleyballengland.org/ getintovolleyball/refereeing
LA
R
One of the UK’s top volleyball referees, Glynn Archibald, has been selected to officiate at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
The Paralympics run from 7–18 September and Sitting Volleyball will be held at the Riocentro – Pavilion 6.
G N
www.volleyballengland.org
EAST LONDON AND ESSEX
MANAGER UPDATE
E RN OU YB LA EL CH RA
RELATIONSHIP
Now the festive activities have been and gone and the decorations are well and truly back in their boxes, it’s time to start looking forward to what’s in store for 2016. The Essex schools are involved in the local Sainsbury’s School Games competitions. Over the border in East London, The Balfour Beatty London Youth Games are heading back to the University of East London. The U16’s finals are being hosted on Friday 4 March, whereas the U18’s battle it out on Sunday 5 June. New schools which have engaged in the Satellite Club programmes are definitely ones to watch. Any keen and enthusiastic coaches who want to further their qualifications are encouraged to look out for local UKCC Level 1 and 2 Courses that are happening over the next few months. In addition to this any budding coaches who would like to embark on the Volleyball England Level 3 Course, which begins in April, should enquire to Fiona Sweetman (f.sweetman@ volleyballengland.org). London Sport and Active Essex both have coaching bursaries available so please don’t let the cost be a prohibitive factor when considering whether to apply.
is delivering bigger and better events for everyone. At present the following events will take place: • International Women’s Day – 8 March • Sport Relief Games – 20 March • 100 Days to Rio celebration – 27 April • Go Spike Big Weekend, Gold Games – 25 June • Beach Volleyball throughout all of Active August Watch this space to find further events as they are added http://queenelizabetholympicpark. co.uk/whats-on/events
and please get in touch with r.laybourne@volleyballengland.org if you would like to be involved with any of these events in a volunteering capacity.
Go Spike Come and Try recreational sessions will hopefully be popping up in London parks and green spaces over the summer months with the help of Our Parks, who were recently awarded the ‘Making It Easier Award’ at the London Sport Awards. Congratulations to the E20 Volleyball Team who contributed to their success. The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park continues to be a hive of volleyball activity and this year the aspiration
7
www.volleyballengland.org
M AR K
SI M M ON S
DORSET AND HANTS
RELATIONSHIP
MANAGER UPDATE
FE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT HAMPSHIRE
Symonds College, who ensured the event ran smoothly and without a glitch.
On 31 November 2015 Peter Symonds College in Winchester hosted and delivered a very successful Further Education recreational mixed volleyball tournament. Colleges from across Hampshire were invited and those which took part included Peter Symonds, Itchen, Brockenhurst, St Vincent, BCOT and Queen Mary.
The final saw Itchen take on Brockenhurst in what proved to be a closely contested match, with Itchen College prevailing as champions on the day.
One of the reasons why this recreational volleyball tournament was organised by the Dorset and Hants Investment Zone was due to the high volume of activity and demand from colleges in Hampshire. I hope to be able to organise more of these competitions in 2016 and am pleased to say that there is already some discussion regarding an outdoor volleyball tournament for this summer. The tournament on the day was coordinated and refereed by Peter Symonds Volleyball Team, all students at Peter
Team photo of Itchen College - Winners
8
Richard Osborne, Head Coach of Portsmouth Sitting Volleyball Club who delivered the festival on the day said: “It was fantastic to introduce Sitting Volleyball to such a large group and I was delighted to see every participant enjoying themselves. I was particularly grateful for the tremendous support of the Higher Sports leaders from the Colleges at Barton Peveril and Peter Symonds. Their enthusiasm and commitment was infectious and I look forward to working with them again in the future.”
The tournament was a great advertisement for college volleyball. It was played in great spirit and enjoyed by all. Tournament organiser Kitty Yarwood, College Sports Maker at Peter Symonds College said: “The recreational volleyball tournament was a great opportunity for players from a variety of Hampshire Colleges to get together and play competitively. It was fun and friendly. It would be great to make this an annual competition as I think the students really benefited from it.”
Sitting Volleyball event experience as they have plans to deliver some sessions within their own colleges this year.
SITTING VOLLEYBALL MAKING WAVES ON THE SOUTH COAST The Mountbatten Leisure Centre in Portsmouth hosted a Schools Sitting Volleyball Festival on 24 November 2015. The festival organised by Portsmouth Schools Sport Partnership and Portsmouth Sitting Volleyball Club attracted five schools from across Hampshire, including Special and SEND in mainstream. These schools included Mary Rose, Glenwood, Lakeside, Baycroft and Noadswood. The festival was supported by students from two Hampshire Colleges, Peter Symonds (Winchester) and Barton Peveril (Eastleigh), who were both in need of some
Participation and fun were very much the order of the day throughout the festival. However, activity stations were set up for each of the schools to visit, where points were accrued. The overall winner was Lakeside School. Madeleine Campbell, Hampshire Project Ability lead from the Mary Rose School, added: “What a brilliant event! We are always looking to offer new and varied opportunities to SEND pupils and the volleyball activities delivered were fun and inclusive. Lots of smiling faces and teamwork were evident and teachers expressed how relevant and fun the event was. A big thank you to Volleyball England and Portsmouth Sitting Volleyball Club.”
www.volleyballengland.org
NORTH EAST
Plans for 2016 North East volleyball is built on its foundation of strong clubs, fantastic volunteers and incredibly positive and proactive members. This foundation has seen tremendous development through 2015, which is set to continue throughout 2016. The already embedded local league and summer tournament calendar is firmly in place and will flow from one into another as we look forward to the first official Tynemouth Beach Volleyball Tournament specifically for juniors. Members of Marden Volleyball Club have offered their services to lead and deliver this event, propelled by the growth in junior volleyball in their own club and others across the region. We will once again see the famous ‘Quayside Seaside’ constructed in late May, ready for the Go Spike Big Weekend and which will be open throughout the summer on Newcastle’s quayside. Newly formed development groups in Darlington and Sunderland are gaining
Tyne and Wear will host the Association of Colleges (AoC) Championships in April this year and will see volleyball featured alongside an array of other sports as college students from around the country compete for the prestigious title of national champion. The North East will be represented by our official talent academy, Middlesbrough College, giving them their first ever opportunity to play in the national finals ‘at home’ in the North East. North East volleyball deliverers combined made their biggest Sportivate application to date, with potential for beach projects through the summer from Saltburn to Tynemouth and park and outdoor sessions across Darlington, Washington and Stockton. The outcome of these applications won’t be known until March but we are quietly confident of a positive result, given the good track record of our deliverers on last year’s projects. In May we will see North East junior squads compete in the Inter Regional Tournament for the first time in recent years.
traction now, with the Sunderland group overseeing the development of Washington Wolves and the Darlington group implementing a pilot central venue league for secondary school students in the town. Both of these initiatives are set to kick off in early 2016. This development group model is planned to be replicated in other areas of the North East. It will create an immediate local network of support for volleyball, bringing together the volleyball club, local authority sports representative and secondary school PE leads from the area to help firmly embed volleyball and sitting volleyball into the local authority areas and create a network for expansion.
The programme has been re-established thanks to the hard work of the NEVA committee and a successful Sport England Small Grants submission headed up by NEVA Performance Manager, Paul Welsh. Paul is leading on the delivery, along with a team of North East based coaches, to build new teams across all four age groups. This programme is not only giving our talented young players the opportunity to represent their home region but is also helping to extend the volleyball pathway here in the North East, enabling us to support our athletes from grassroots through to junior and senior academy status for the most
N SO IE M JA
MANAGER UPDATE
A TH AN M SA
RELATIONSHIP
talented and competitive young men and women. The National League season and knockout competitions will be drawing to a close during May and based on current results we expect to see some fantastic achievements across the board. New teams and newly promoted teams look to be well established in their current leagues and the potential of promotion is growing more and more likely for others. The dedication and support required to run a national league team is immense and we are currently very short of referees to officiate our home North East fixtures. If you have an interest in becoming a referee or in developing your current qualification please get in touch (details below). Further afield we have the excitement of the summer Olympics in Rio to come. In Middlesbrough there will be a huge outdoor screen in place where anyone can go along and watch the action live. We hope to have the opportunity to offer volleyball at the site and promote our clubs too. Although the news only came in late last year, it is great to be able to start the year with a celebration. Huge congratulations to David Goodchild named as lead coach for the senior England women’s team and Paul Welsh named as assistant coach for the junior England women’s team. We are incredibly proud of Dave and Paul, who work together at both the North East Junior and Senior Academy (Middlesbrough College and Team Northumbria), and will now fly the flag for the North East on the national and international stage. Our individual and collective contributions made 2015 a great year for North East Volleyball. Your support, influence and participation in North East volleyball is absolutely vital to sustaining all of the successes so far and creating new ones. If you would like to get involved or if you have an idea you would like to share, get in touch and let’s see if we can make it happen in 2016. You can make the difference! Samantha Jamieson – Volleyball Relationship Manager – 07850 314295
9
www.volleyballengland.org
KE RR
GREATER MANCHESTER
ST EV E
RELATIONSHIP
It’s hard to believe where the time has
MANAGER UPDATE
delivering a sitting volleyball programme
gone! Christmas feels like a million years
alongside the club. Club plans already
ago, and we are now at the beginning of our
include expansion, coaching courses and
fourth Whole Sports Plan year. In writing this
a link with a local high school to deliver a
article I thought I’d pick out my highlights for
satellite club. The development of Stockport
2015, and let you know what the 2016 plans
VC and similar new clubs is vitally important
look like, with Strategy 2024 in mind.
to volleyball, as we continue to grow and
I have the privilege of working with
expand our sport. I’m particularly looking
some amazing volunteers all across Greater
forward to supporting future success at
Manchester. I can’t thank you enough
Stockport VC.
for the time and effort you’ve collectively put into raising the profile of our sport, while increasing the opportunities to play volleyball. Since 2013, we have delivered 16 new satellite programmes, 14 Go Spike sessions, 16 college and university sessions and four sitting volleyball sessions per week. That’s incredible and something to be really proud of. Picking out just one highlight from 2015
Get in touch with Stockport Volleyball by
is tough, but my favourite has to be the
visiting their website and Facebook page.
launch of Stockport Volleyball Club. Adrian
http://www.stockportvolleyball.co.uk/
and the team have worked really hard
& https://www.facebook.com/pages/
getting together friends, family and the
Stockport-Volleyball-Club
providers and the National Trust parks around Manchester. The plan includes five
Many of our yearly plans are based on
new satellite clubs, six college programmes
Volleyball. In addition, the club has a great
expansion and growth and 2016 isn’t any
and 11 new Go Spike playing opportunities.
relationship with Seashell Trust and are
different. However thoughts will naturally
An exciting 2016 is already upon us and I
turn towards a new sports strategy and our
hope some of you who have read this will join
own Strategy 2024. With this in mind more
in with what’s in store.
local community to take part in Go Spike
time, effort and resource will be used to support clubs with succession planning, ensuring that our 50 sessions across Manchester are sustained. New plans include a vibrant summer of Go Spike activity, the return and expansion of the Manchester LPV festival and I’m pleased to announce that the North West region will have some representation at the Inter Regionals. While it’s a little early to clearly define where and when new activity will pop up, new relationships are being developed
10
with Street Games doorstep clubs, leisure
If you’re reading this article and would like to get involved, please contact me at s.kerr@ volleyballengland.org. For more information about Go Spike, and for all the session details across Greater Manchester, please go to www.gospike.net
www.volleyballengland.org
BLACK COUNTRY AND STAFFS
RELATIONSHIP
MANAGER UPDATE
Plans for 2016 As we move towards the final year of the current Whole Sport Plan cycle, 2016 will be an important year to ensure sustainability of existing volleyball opportunities, while continuing to grow the sport by working towards the objectives of Strategy 2024. Key areas of work for 2016 will include: • Continue to develop working relations with Active Parks in Birmingham to increase Go Spike volleyball opportunities in the city’s parks • Work with the leisure sector and third sector organisations to establish Go Spike recreational volleyball opportunities for future and existing customers • Support volleyball clubs as ‘hub clubs’ with the sustainability of existing satellite club sites, as well as ensuring any new sites are set up appropriately • Continue supporting the further and higher education sectors to maintain their volleyball provision
The aim of the evening was to identify the development needs of the WMVA Clubs and Grade 3 and 4 Referees, as well as share good practice, ideas, fears and the challenges ahead so that Volleyball England and the regional association can work together to grow and sustain volleyball activities within the region. Sixteen representatives from seven different clubs (Coventry RIGA, Telford, Stafford, Rugby Phoenix, Cleobury Mortimer, Hereford and Birmingham Mets) attended the two forums, with a speed dating icebreaker for starters, before the group split off into different rooms to get into the club and referee conversations respectively. With Volleyball Relationship Manager for the Black Country and Staffordshire, Liz Fletcher, the club representatives explored what positives there had been over the past 12 months at their clubs and what challenges they faced, while coming up with ideas and solutions to try and overcome them. At the same time the referee group, with support from Rose Sterling, WMVA Referee Co-ordinator, Rita Grimes, Grade
In addition to these key areas, the aim is to continue to support the work of the regional association in development and delivery of club volleyball within the West Midlands, as well as building and strengthening a sustainable pathway of volleyball opportunities on a more local level within the Investment Zone. This will be achieved by continuing to bring delivery partners together through sub-regional Investment Zone meetings. Positive Steps Forward for the West Midlands Clubs Monday 7 December saw the inaugural West Midlands Volleyball Association Club and Referee Forum take place at the Walsall Campus at the University of Wolverhampton.
LI ZF LE TC HE R
possible continued professional development opportunities would be helpful for them to progress. “Having Rita and Steve here to share their expertise and knowledge with these grassroots referees was great. We wanted to ensure we could support and show our appreciation to those who give up their time to officiate at our competitions,” said Rose Sterling, WMVA Referee Co-ordinator. Liz Fletcher, also commented: “I felt it important to have an opportunity to hear about the positive work of the clubs, as well as developing an understanding of the challenges faced, and try to find solutions.” Club representatives also found the forum beneficial, with Sian Williams from Stafford Volleyball club, adding: “As a new club, being able to talk with other more developed clubs about our current issues and gaining their insight will be a great tool that we can hopefully use again to further the success of our club. Also thank you for helping us all to form new relationships with our local clubs!”
1 Referee and Steve Evans, President of the Referee Commission, discussed their positive refereeing experiences and reservations. They also worked through game scenarios from an officiating point of view and identified which
The aim is to host similar events regularly so that we can put ideas into action to continue to support and develop volleyball within the region.
11
www.volleyballengland.org
Volleyball England kick-start the New Year with visits to Zambia and Namibia! Delegates from Volleyball England and The Wallace Group of Universities have just returned from a trip to Africa where they signed two partnership agreements. The first contract was signed in Zambia with the Zambian Volleyball Federation (ZAVA) and the second with the Namibian Volleyball Federation (NVF), both will be supported by UK Sport, FIVB, CEV and the African Volleyball Federation (CAVB). The agreements came about as part of UK Sport’s International Partnerships Programme. Last year’s trip to Namibia was the first step for Volleyball England and such was the success, UK Sport asked if it could be extended to Zambia, where the government has identified volleyball as a key pathway sport, particularly for young women. The first stop on the trip was the Southern Sun Hotel in Zambia where Lisa Wainwright, Chief Executive of Volleyball England met with the President of Zambian Volleyball Association to sign a partnership agreement.
Volleyball England has also committed to provide some expertise to both the Zambian and Namibian Federations by creating opportunities for staff and volunteers to work on an exchange programme. This innovative programme will see members of both the Zambian Volleyball Federation and the Namibian Volleyball Federation come over to England to meet their counterparts, visiting local programmes in investment zones, board members, the Volleyball England national office and the National Volleyball Centre in Kettering.
It will also see an expansion of the ground-breaking Higher “As part of these contracts, the organisations have agreed to support each other over the next few years.” she said. “This will Education Volleyball Officer (HEVO) programme to offer an include sharing technical advice on coaching and refereeing, international experience. HEVOs will be able to apply to the talent pathway programmes, community programmes, the new programme and support capacity building activities in the summer in Zambia and also Namibia, development of beach volleyball facilities where Volleyball England is already and leadership. Partnership projects like this are one year into a similar partnership. “The Zambian Volleyball Federation key to the success of the International After her visit to Zambia, Lisa is voluntary but has an extremely Partnerships Programme and are travelled to Namibia to look at how professional set-up. The team have all helping us to deliver our part of the the programme there has progressed played volleyball for their national side sporting legacy following London 2012. since she visited the country as part in the past and are passionate about the “We are delighted to be supported by of a UK Sport delegation twelve sport. UK Sport and The Wallace Group, to months ago. “They have a well organised strategic enable us to roll out this programme, She also signed a Memorandum plan but are struggling with the resources which is incredible to be part of. of Understanding with President Joel to deliver it.” “To see progress being made and the Matheus of the Namibian Volleyball One of the first pieces of work will potential future players picking up Federation to formalise their plans to be to build permanent beach courts at a volleyball for the first time is just grow volleyball there. the Olympic Youth Development Centre fantastic! Inspired by the London 2012 (OYDC) in Lusaka. Olympics and Paralympics, Volleyball Lisa Wainwright “ZAVA want to focus on beach England donated a Taraflex floor to volleyball as part of their pathway Namibia in 2015 as part of the lasting programme but at the moment they have legacy from the Games. This floor is the only one in Namibia and no beach courts available to them,” said Lisa. “So together is now installed at The Dome Sports Facility in Swakopmund, with the Wallace Group of Universities, we have arranged for which has transformed how top level volleyball is played. It’s a the potential construction of courts at the OYDC.” vast improvement on the cracked concrete floors and is saving The University of Bath, members of the Wallace Group, will lots of knees! be sending a team of civil engineers to Zambia to manage the This agreement will see both organisations support each project this summer. ZAVA will supply the sand, OYDC have other by sharing technical advice, talent ID and participation secured funding for the fencing and the civil engineers from the UK will manage the project alongside a team of Zambian ideas. The first major piece of work will be to use the Volleyball engineers who will then use this as a blueprint project to create England Go Spike programme and the ‘game in a bag’ model another four courts at the OYDC and then more out in the to develop and launch a new school’s programme in Namibia, with a target of 10,000 children being introduced to volleyball. regions. This will be rolled out alongside the African Dreams Programme The OYDC is expanding their accommodation blocks so which is supported by FIVB and CEV. players from all over the country can stay and play on site.
“
”
1212
www.volleyballengland.org Rob Payne, Young People Manager for Volleyball England was also on the trip and both he and Lisa were taken on a visit to Katatura, which illustrated what opportunities projects like this can provide to youngsters in Namibia. “Most Namibians have limited income, few possessions and a lack of food,” said Rob. “Introducing them to volleyball and using sport to support young Namibians’ lives is one of the key aspects of the programme.” Lisa added: “Joel and Gunter Rust, the general secretary, have a dynamic partnership and they are incredibly visionary. “They have established six regions and are successfully delivering the African Dreams project. The progress they have made is inspiring.”
13
A Z V E N P I H S N O I P M A H C U17
www.volleyballengland.org
2015
e pionships at th , m a h C 17 U A Z V ark NE nd hosted the Sweden, Denm yball la d g e c n E fa r, d a n e y la g e n iv E ccess from tional Volle a N e th t a For the third su ll Centre in Kettering. Teams t e e ay m yba d over a four-d n la e Ic d n National Volle a s d d, Faroe Islan Norway, Finlan ring. Centre in Kette DAY ONE
DAY TWO
Day One saw the England cadet girls in action against the 2014 runners-up, Sweden.
Both English teams were in action on the second day of the competition, hoping to make it out of the pool stage and into the quarter-finals.
After a strong start from both teams, the match levelled at one set all. Sweden took the initiative in set three and despite a flurry of late England points, they held on to take the set. A quick fire start from England in the fourth set saw them race to a 7-2 lead but a string of powerful, accurate serves from Sweden managed to undo the home side’s good work and they took the lead 8-7 at the first technical time out. The set remained close and neither team was able to string a good run of points together. Ultimately though it was Sweden who forced a few English errors to secure the set, 25-22 and the match 3-1 (25-14, 21-25, 25-21, 25-22). The 2013 girls champions Norway took on 2014 bronze medallists Denmark in the second match of the day. On paper it looked like it had the potential to go the distance but it was actually a clean sweep to the Danes 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 25-13). The Danish boys also had a straightforward win over Iceland (25-12, 2515, 25-20), with their biggest rivals Sweden cruising to a three-set win over the Faroe Islands (25-18, 25-21, 25-16).
14
GIRLS England battled to a tough first win of the competition, with a gripping five-set win over Denmark. England took the first set 25-21 but Denmark found a return to form taking the second set comfortably 25-16 to level the match. England fought back to retain the lead and won the third 25-19, but again faced a comeback from the Danes who won the fourth 25-18 to take the game to a fifth set. A noticeable increase in noise levels lifted the home side in the decider and they claimed the set 16-14, and ultimately the match 3-2 (25-21, 16-25, 25-19, 18-25, 16-14). England also faced Norway in their final pool game, knowing that they needed a win to secure their semi-final place. They took the first set comfortably 25-16 but a lapse in concentration in the second saw their lead slip away and they lost out 25-22. The third set was possibly England’s best set of the tournament as they blitzed their way to a 25-12 win. But the change of ends halted their momentum and Norway fought
Katy Murmanis
www.volleyballengland.org their way back into the game and stole the set in the dying minutes 26-24, taking the match to a fifth and deciding set. Despite playing their tenth set of the day, England’s energy levels never looked like wavering. A swift turnover of points gave them a five point cushion which was enough to see them home 3-2 (25-16, 22-25, 25-12, 24-26, 15-9). Sweden’s girls maintained their 100% win record, beating Norway in four sets (21-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-12), followed by a 3-0 (2523, 25-20, 25-20) win over Denmark to top Pool B. First up on Day Two in Pool B were Iceland girls who defied their lower ranking to pick up a thrilling five-set victory against last year’s winners Finland. After taking the first set 25-17, they narrowly missed out on the second 24-26 but got back into the match securing the third set 25-23. Finland found their spark in the fourth set, easing to a 25-16 win to set up a nerve shredding fifth set. Iceland looked to have it in the bag at 12-9 up but Finland clawed their way back to level the set 14-14. Determined not to let the match slip through their fingers, Iceland took the next two points and with it the match 3-2 (25-17, 24-26, 25-23, 16-25, 16-14). The Faroe Islands found it hard going in their first match of the day against a strong Iceland team and it was the latter who secured their place at the top of Pool A and their place in the semi-finals with a straight sets victory 3-0 (25-10, 25-16, 25-10). The last game of the day for the girls programme saw Finland face Faroe Islands. It was a convincing victory for the Finnish girls 3-0 (25-8, 25-10, 25-17), leaving Faroe Islands to face the prospect of a match against England the following day.
BOYS Defending champions Finland began their campaign with a match against Norway and put the marker down with a 25-7 first set win. Second and third set wins to 13 and 15 respectively showed they were going to take some beating. Denmark were similarly ruthless against the Faroe Islands, winning 3-0 (25-19, 25-12 and 25-18), with Sweden also making their bid for glory by beating Iceland in straight sets 3-0 (25-11, 25-12 and 25-14). England faced Norway in their first match of the competition, making a solid start by opening up a five point lead 11-6. Norway however were determined to make amends for their match against Sweden, and fought back to snatch the set 25-20. England levelled the match after a better second set 25-22 and looked likely to take the victory but a determined Norwegian side prevented them from getting the results they wanted and they converted the crucial points to win both sets 26-24, 26-24 and the match 3-1 (25-20, 22-25, 26-24, 26-24). England boys were back on court later for the final match of the day, facing top seeds Finland. Displaying the same form they demonstrated in their first match, Finland ran out in straight sets (25-19, 25-18, 25-17). Iceland vs Faroe Islands was a five-set match marathon with very little between either side. Faroe Islands opened up a 2-1 lead but it was Iceland who ultimately took the deciding set 15-10 to win 3-2 (25-21, 2025, 19-25, 25-17, 15-10). Denmark overcame Sweden to win the most exciting match of the day in another five-setter. Sweden looked to be heading towards a 3-0 victory, taking the first set 25-21 and the second 25-20. Denmark had
other ideas though and started to come out on top in the 50/50s, which tipped the set in their favour (25-22). By set four they had the momentum and wrapped it up relatively easily 25-16. Both teams came out fighting in the fifth, determined to claim the victory and top spot in their pool but it was Denmark who took the chances and they completed their comeback with a 15-12 win and a 3-2 victory (25-21, 25-20, 25-22, 25-16, 15-12).
DAY THREE GIRLS The first of the girls quarter finals saw England play Faroe Islands. After ten intense sets yesterday, the home team could be forgiven for taking a while to get into their stride. After losing the first set, normal service soon resumed as they ran out comfortable winners 3-1 (21-25, 25-12, 25-13, 25-17). This gave them a semi-final slot against Iceland, who had looked particularly strong throughout their matches the previous day. Unfortunately this was one bridge too far for the home team, who lost in straight sets 3-0 (25-12, 25-20, 25-18). Finland also saw off Sweden in straight sets 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-14) to set up the final with Iceland. BOYS England kicked off Day Three of the boys championships. After good performances the day before, the team hoped to upset the seeding by defeating Sweden to earn a place in the semi-finals. A strong start by England let Sweden know they meant business but Sweden edged ahead to take the first set 25-21. England led for most of set two but again failed to convert the last crucial chances of the set and they went 2-0 down. Unperturbed, England again took the upper hand for the first part of the third set but once again missed the opportunity to close it out and lost the set 26-24, and the match 3-0 (25-21, 26-24, 26-24). This put England into fifth-seventh place playoff, where they faced Faroe Islands. Despite finding themselves 2-0 down and struggling to get a foothold in either set, the team rallied in the third and they snuck the win 27-25 to stay in the match. It was the confidence boost they needed as they then took the fourth set 25-13 to tie the match before going onto win the fifth 15-7 and the match 3-2 (19-25, 23-25, 27-25, 25-13, 15-7).
Norways Jakob Thelle
Faroe Islands went on to defeat Norway in a closely fought four-set battle, 3-1 (25-27, 21-25, 25-19, 17-25).
15
www.volleyballengland.org 2-2 and take it into a fifth set. This was the confidence boost they needed and they comfortably took the final set 15-8, and the match 3-2 (25-16, 23-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-8). The bronze medal match was a straightforward affair as Sweden never really looked troubled by Norway, to win in straight sets 3-0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-19). The final saw top seeds Finland square up to Denmark. Finland lost their first set of the tournament as Denmark took it 25-21. Finland soon found their form and hit straight back in style, winning the second 25-11. Denmark managed to put a stop to the tide of Finland’s attacks, regained their composure and took their chances to take the third set and the lead.
Swedens Agnes Elm In the other quarter final, Norway came out on top with a 3-0 (25-20, 28-26, 25-12) victory over Iceland, booking their semi-final slot against Denmark. Top seeds Finland rarely looked troubled as they remained on course to defend their title easily, beating Sweden 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-17) to set up a grand final match against Denmark, who overcame Norway in straight sets 3-0 (25-12, 25-20, 25-11).
DAY FOUR GIRLS England girls faced Sweden as both teams looked to claim the bronze medal. Sweden started the quicker and seemed sharper in most areas on the court and their 2-0 lead looked like it was all but game over for the home side, however they started to make their plays count.
In the girls final it was Finland who took the glory against Iceland in a straight set victory. After losing to Iceland in the first match of the tournament, Finland weren’t taking any chances and commanded all three sets, winning 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-21) and deserving their 2015 NEZVA U17 Champions title. BOYS England boys needed a win to clinch fifth place overall and after seemingly cruising to a first set victory at 25-16, it looked like they might get their way. Iceland though turned the game around and they just won the next two sets 25-23, 25-23. They had chances to take the fourth as England struggled to find consistency but they did just enough to level the match
After a few sideouts, England gained some momentum towards the back end of the third set, and roared on by their friends and families, they took the match into a fourth. It was unbelievably tense throughout, no more so than the end of the set when England saved numerous match points. Their own set points came and went but they couldn’t quite convert them which allowed Sweden to win the set 30-28 and take the bronze medal 3-1 (25-19, 25-18, 18-25, 3028).
16
Austin Pearce, England
Finland’s team were determined to make amends in set four but they were unable to retain the run of form they had demonstrated earlier in the tournament. Denmark took full advantage and went wild as the final ball dropped in, handing them the title of 2015 NEVZA U17 Champions with a final score of 3-1 (25-21, 11-25, 25-19, 25-21). In 2016 the U17 competition will move to Denmark, with England hosting the U19 tournament.
A big thank you goes to everyone who has contributed over the last few years, from staff to volunteers, referees, officials, players and organisers.
www.volleyballengland.org
THE GO SPIKE BIG WEEKEND IS BACK SIGN UP TODAY It may be cold and feel very much like winter but the sunny months are just around the corner. There will be two Go Spike Big Weekends in 2016:
Big Weekend 1 –
Saturday 28, Sunday 29 and Monday 30 May 2016
Big Weekend 2 –
Saturday 27, Sunday 28 and Monday 29 August 2016 The Big Weekend is an excellent way to promote your club to help increase your members, supporters and or volunteers. It is also a great opportunity to raise awareness and encourage the local community to come and give volleyball a go! It couldn’t be easier to be part of 2016 Go Spike Big Weekends, sign up via the Go Spike website,
www.gospike.net
17
www.volleyballengland.org
N I S R O I N U J D N A L ENG D N U O R T S CEV FIR
England under 19 Women and under 20 Men’s teams were in international action as they competed in the first round of the CEV European Volleyball Championships. Twenty four of the country’s best young talent were selected and played their matches over the weekend of 7-10 January. The men’s team travelled to the Hala Widowiskowo Sportowa in Poland to face Kosovo and Belarus and the women’s team were in Georgia to compete against Belarus and Georgia at the New Volleyball Arena in Tbilisi, Georgia. Both teams needed to finish at the top of their respective groups to progress through to the second stages of the competition. First up on Friday 8 January were the women, who faced the host nation Georgia in front of a lively crowd. England took the initiative early in the first set. Thanks to some big hitting from Eva Borrowdale and Captain Anaya Evans, the team went into the first technical time out 8-6 up. The hosts responded with five unanswered points and found their rhythm to dominate the rest of the set. Their deep float serve caused problems in the English defence and Georgia took the first set 25-16. The second set followed a similar pattern to the first and the host’s strong service game was the key difference between the teams. They took the second set 25-13.
18
England continued to be aggressive in attack but were unable to consistently penetrate the strong Georgian defence. Powerful hitting through the middle from Georgia saw them seize control and secure the third set 25-10 – and with it a 3-0 victory. In Poland the men had their first match against Belarus, who sit one place higher in the CEV rankings. The first set started with both teams evenly matched, with England having the best of the early exchanges. But as the set wore on, Belarus began to take control, eventually winning it 25-19. Belarus came out strongly in the second set and England were unable to secure a foothold and they were easily beaten 25-8. The third set saw England come out fighting, determined to make amends for the second. However, powerful hitting and excellent serving by Belarus saw them take the set 25-15 – and the match 3-0. Head coach Darren Lewis said it had been a tough encounter with the well organised
Belarus defence. “Unfortunately we didn’t really show what we were capable of throughout the match,” he said. “So overall we’re disappointed with the performance. “Belarus played a really strong match and we found it difficult in reception. They had a very big and well organised block which we struggled to beat.” SECOND DAY The men made amends on the next day though, storming to a straight set victory over Kosovo. Determined to make good their mistakes against Belarus, England came out firing early in the first set. They quickly racked up the points and took an unassailable lead – and ultimately the set 25-14. The team from Kosovo rallied at the start of set two but they were no match for England who were looking strong in attack and comfortably won 25-13. Even a change in line-up for Kosovo couldn’t halt England’s charge for victory as they dominated the third set from the start and won the set 25-15 – and the overall match, 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-15). Coach Darren Lewis said he was delighted with the professional attitude of the team, who did all that was asked of them. “This performance was excellent and I’m really pleased with how the team conducted themselves,” he said. “Jack Williams made a fantastic debut at this level, with Ryan Poole putting in an MVP performance. “There is a bright future going forward as these are two of our youngest players.” The England under 19 Women faced
www.volleyballengland.org Belarus in their second match of the weekend and it was the opposition who started the brightest, with some strong blocking to lead 8-1 at the first technical time out. England, who were showing improvements in the serve receive and with some powerful hitting from Evans, continued to try to keep pace, going into the second technical time out trailing 8-16. A well-timed ace from Eva Borrowdale following a time out brought England back to within five points of their opponents at 14-19, but Belarus were able to see out the set, clinching it 25-15 with powerful hitting through four. In the second set England continued to recycle the ball well, showing improvements in their passing, and traded points in the early exchanges. Each point was fiercely fought but the blocking from Belarus continued to be profitable as they once again closed the set 15-25. After a marathon rally to open the third set, a line winner from Evans sealed the first point. This was quickly followed by a monster block from Borrowdale which gave England the initiative early on and they took a 5-3 lead. By the first technical time out, however, they trailed 7-8. Belarus extended their lead, courtesy of some powerful cross court hitting through four and they clinched the third set (12-25) and the match against a battling England side. The final score was 3 – 0 to Belarus (15-25, 15-25, 12-25).
“We were happy with our serving pressure and it’s good to see that we can compete at this level.” England Men’s Captain, Cameron Carrington, who played his final under 20 game said: “Today was bittersweet for me. I am so happy we came out fighting and took the victory, but it is my last match for the juniors and I will miss it greatly. “The last two years have been a wonderful experience. They have flown by and I am sure the rest of the squad who are finishing this time will agree it has been very worthwhile. “We have all learnt and grown and we’d like to wish good luck to the next junior team and hope they have every success.” Adi Fawcett, Talent Manager for Volleyball England, said the weekend had been a key learning opportunity and while the teams wouldn’t progress, the benchmark has been set for the season. “The athletes and coaches were really up for the challenge and this was demonstrated in the spirit they showed against some tough opposition. “While we didn’t get the results we wanted, there have been some real positives to take from the weekend which we will learn from and build on moving forward. “There are some incredibly talented athletes in our junior squads and together with the exceptional coaching staff who have come on board, it’s a genuinely exciting time for the future of our sport.”
Head coach Rachel Laybourne said the performance was really promising and the team showed fantastic spirit, battling back after the disappointment of the previous day’s performance against Georgia. “After a disappointing match against Georgia, we wanted the team to bounce back and give a stronger performance,” she said. “We had small process-focused goals going into the game and it was pleasing to see them react so positively, achieving all except one of our team goals.
Charlotte Breen and Katy Murmanis
19
L E T O NEW H HIP S R E N T PAR N O D N IN LO VOLLEYBALL ENGLAND HAS SIGNED A NEW COMMERCIAL PARTNER, GRANGE HOTELS, WHICH IS OFFERING VOLLEYBALL ENGLAND MEMBERS AND STAFF HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE, PREFERENTIAL RATES FOR STAYING IN THEIR HOTELS. As London’s leading independent hotel group, Grange Hotels provides an impressive range of four and five star accommodation, hospitality and events services across the heart of the capital. With a collection of 17 properties situated in prime central London locations such as the West End, Tower Bridge and Victoria, Grange Hotels manages to skilfully combine contemporary luxury with a wealth of history and local tradition. Rohan West, Participation Director at Volleyball England said the partnership will provide significant cost savings for the organisation as well as providing an added benefit to the volleyball community. “We are delighted to partner with Grange Hotels,” he said. “This agreement will provide an excellent discount to Volleyball England and the wider volleyball community when travelling to the capital. “The quality of the accommodation and event space is excellent and with our partner rate, the rooms are exceptional value. Like any well run
20
organisation, we are constantly looking for cost savings and efficiencies. Our relationship with Grange Hotels will provide high quality accommodation at rates significantly below the big brand three star hotel chains. “It’s great that our members will also be able to take advantage of these rates, as we well know visiting London can be expensive. Members can get these rates for business, pleasure or volleyball related visits to the capital.” Matthew Hawkins of Grange Hotels said: “We are pleased to introduce ourselves as Volleyball England’s new official London hotel partner. “We are offering members a host of benefits when they are visiting London, from year-round preferential accommodation rates to discounted meeting and events spaces.” Flexible meeting and events space together with extensive in-house business facilities make Grange Hotels an ideal choice for corporate travellers, with capacity for more than 6,000 guests in over 100 dedicated rooms and suites. Each five star hotel also boasts an inhouse Ajala spa and private Health & Fitness Club, featuring a swimming pool, sauna and steam room. Members can use the link found on the discount and offers page on your memeber profile to access the partnership rates.
www.volleyballengland.org
BRIGHTON & HOVE SCHOOLS CHOOSE VOLLEYBALL With the government making recent changes in the curriculum, sports like rounders can no longer be used to assess students in P.E. The government is requiring schools to focus on more traditional team sports, volleyball being one of the options. In February, Brighton & Hove Schools got together for an inset day and chose volleyball, alongside handball and netball to develop their understanding of the sports. They invited coaches from Yellowave Beach Sports Venue to deliver a session to their teaching staff. Director Katie Mintram, from Yellowave, who coached a session, said “It was a fantastic opportunity for us to get the PE staff of Brighton & Hove passionate and excited about delivering fun volleyball lessons. We concentrated on getting them playing small sided games focusing on passing and movement. We only had an hour and a half so it really was an intensive session with lots of teaching points, tools and drills to help them be successful at getting their classes excited about the sport. We’re hoping some of the students will now come down to Yellowave to join one of our kids’ or juniors’ clubs or courses.” Yellowave, which is open year round, offer all schools in Brighton & Hove free use of their six beach volleyball courts during the ‘off season’ between October and March. For more information or to book a court visit: www.yellowave.co.uk Tel: 01273 672222
FOUNDATION Innovative, creative, passionate about fundraising? We’d like you to bring those skills to the Volleyball England Foundation.
The Volleyball England Foundation is a very small charity which raises funds in order to support young players and clubs who may be facing financial difficulties. We are looking for trustees to come on board to help and advise us to shape the future strategy of the Foundation and to help us deliver our ambitions Our key values are to • • • • •
Provide equipment or fund improvements to grassroots facilities Promote community participation in volleyball Promote education and physical education for young people Provide financial assistance Help disabled people to participate in volleyball
If you would like to help shape the future strategy of the Foundation, then please get in touch with Lisa Wainwright l.wainwright@volleyballengland.org or call 01509 227722 for more information. Closing date 28 March 2016. If you wish to donate to the Volleyball England Foundation then please speak with Lisa or donate direct at foundation@volleyballengland.org
21
www.volleyballengland.org
NUTRITION GOODBYE TO MINCE PIES, PIGS IN BLANKETS AND CHAMPAGNE. THE FESTIVE SEASON IS OVER AND A NEW YEAR IS UPON US, SO IT’S TIME TO GET BACK ON TRACK AND BEGIN A ROUTINE WITH A HEALTHY EATING PLAN FOR THE COMING MONTHS. Ainhoa Prieto BSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics, MSc Sports Nutrition (Liverpool John Moores), RD Registered Dietitian Ainhoa is currently working as a Community Dietitian for the NHS at Leeds Community Healthcare. Born in Spain, Ainhoa has a wealth of sports nutrition experience including Liverpool Ladies FC, High Performance Centre at University of Birmingham and body composition assessments for young players from the FA. twitter: @AinhoaPrieto
Our physical performance can be determined by different factors, and nutrition is one of them. Proper nutrition is the best means of obtaining the necessary nutrients and providing energy for our training and competitions, improving recovery, promoting muscle growth and reducing the risk of illness by supporting our immune systems. All these factors together, if working properly, are essential for an enhanced physical performance. A good nutritional strategy therefore is an essential tool to improve your performance and obtain better results. So how do you know if we’re doing it right? Make a plan in advance and follow it, then there is no way of getting lost. Designing a meal plan (a different one for each week usually works well) will help you to stick to a healthy diet routine. It helps organise shopping lists, prevents you from buying those tempting chocolates on offer at the supermarket or wasting any unused food at the end of the week. The first thing to consider is our general or daily nutrition which is the key to ensuring consistency in everyday eating habits. This entails a varied and balanced diet, including foods from all food groups, being sensible with
22
portion sizes and, last but not least, having a diet which is enjoyable to eat. Forget all the myths about good and bad stuff and start enjoying your food!
the optimum times to get the most from them. Type, amount and consumption timing of nutrients are the chief elements to consider.
We also need to take into account that nutritional demands for athletes may be a little higher due to extra physical activity. In this case, you should make sure you get the right nutrients at
The three main nutrients in our foods are: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
They all provide energy but they have different functions in the body. Want an easy explanation? Here we go: Carbohydrates:
Are the main energy source for the body to perform any activity, so they need special consideration in sport. Food sources include: starchy foods, rice, pasta, cereals, vegetables and fruits. Best time to eat: before, during and after training sessions and competitions.
Proteins:
Are responsible for construction of body tissues (muscles, tendons, etc) necessary for recovery and muscle growth. Food sources include: meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, pulses, nuts. Best time to eat: before, and especially after, training and competitions.
Fats:
Provide energy storage and an energy source in enduration events. Food sources include: oils, oily fish, avocado, nuts. Best time to eat: out of training or competition times since they can impair digestion.
In conclusion, optimising what you eat and drink before, during and after training sessions will determine the quality of your training and the results. If you really want to get the most from your workout, be smart and make your diet do its job!
23
l a u n An S D R A g n W i A Even
www.volleyballengland.org
Our Annual Awards Evening is where the whole volleyball community comes together to celebrate what has been another fantastic year of volleyball.
And now we want to hear from YOU! Why not nominate outstanding members in your team or club so we can give them the recognition they deserve? Join us for the evening to show your support to your fellow club members, as the winners will be announced on the night. You will also receive a three-course meal and your chance to let loose on the dancefloor!
Stephanie (Hoi Ki) Fu Young Volunteer of the Year
YOU TEER NG VOLUN
’S CHILDREN
24
YEAR THE F O CH A CO
LONG
ARD AW E VIC SER
Steph devotes herself to volleyball, playing for two teams, officiating BUCS on Wednesdays and coaching Nottingham University Ladies 3rd team as well as leading the NTU Social sport programme for Volleyball.
Y OF THE EAR
OF OVERALL COACH
THE YEAR
2016
Nick has guided Tendring VC to being National Shield Winners, undefeated champions in NVL Division W2 South and was crucial in their promotion to NVL Division W1.
Wombourne VC - Club of the Year
Nick Davies Performace Development Coach of the Year
Expanded their club from three to five teams, recruited seven new Level 2 coaches and 16 new Grade 4 referees.
ION PARTICIPAT
TH OF H AC CO
Her effort and innovative thinking has increased participation within the university for hard to reach groups such as females and those with a disability.
E YEAR
Holly Mowbray HEVO of the Year
LONG SERVICE AWARD EAR THE Y F O E REFERE
TH OF L IA FIC F O YOUNG
E YEAR
s n o i t a n i Nomnow open! are
25
B G The GB Women’s Sitting Volleyball squad has recently returned from the Pajulahti Games in Finland, held from 22 to 24 January 2016.
26
g n i t t i S l l a b y Volle d Squa
i Games t h la ju a P in e t Women compe
It was the first outing for the current squad which included a mix of London 2012 Paralympians and International debutantes. Captained by Martine Wright, the team faced some of the top sides in Europe, including Russia and Ukraine who are medal contenders for this year’s Rio Paralympic Games.
There was no let-up for the team as GB had their toughest match still to go, top seeds Ukraine were their next opponents.
Martine said: “We got a lot from the tournament and it was a great learning experience for us.
In the third set, the team rallied and put on their best performance of the weekend to stay in touching distance. Linking well as a team, they took the score to a respectable 15 before losing the set 25-15.
“We had a very young team, which is quite inexperienced and still developing as a squad, with Kat Hawkins winning her first cap at the competition. “Playing the top teams in Europe really gave us a taste of what we need to achieve in the future and what we need to work on as we look towards Tokyo 2020.” In the first match of the tournament the women faced a formidable Russian side followed by the on-form home team Finland. The team started strongly against Russia, snatching the first two points of the game and they were just one point down at the first technical time out, 8-7. After a Russian time out halted the British momentum, the European silver medalists eventually took the set 25-13. The Russians then found their form and dominated the second and third sets, taking them both to 25-4.
Great Britain put up a good fight but they lost the first set 25-10. Martine Wright had a run of excellent serves in the second but they were overcome by a dominant Ukrainian side who took the set 25-11.
The final match of the weekend saw the British team take on The Netherlands on Sunday morning. After a tough draw the day before, the team hoped to round the weekend off with a good performance. The Netherlands took the initiative in the first set, 25-9 thanks to a strong service game. A fight back in the second saw the British six pull together to score 12 to the Netherlands’ 25. The Dutch team then rounded off the match with a dominant 25-6 final set score, taking the match 3-0. Richard Stacey-Chapman, Sitting Volleyball Development Manager for Volleyball England, said the tournament had been a good learning experience for the new squad. “It was a tough weekend for the team against some of the best sides in Europe – and the world.
In their second match of the day, the British team faced Finland, who were flying high from their recent sixth place at the European championships.
“The squad is relatively new so it was good to put down a benchmark for us to work towards. Some key lessons were learned which will stand us in good stead as we begin to turn our focus to Tokyo 2020.”
The team fought hard as a unit but couldn’t make it through the strong Finland defence and they went down 25-7 in the first set.
Martine added, “Overall on the technical side, the team has developed well and we have started to gel as a squad.
The Brits held Finland to 12-11 in the second set thanks to some exceptional serving from Sarah Partridge but the experienced opposition held their nerve to take the second set 25-15 and then the third 25-7.
“We’re looking forward to more tournaments ahead as we start our Tokyo journey.”
The second day offered no respite for the team as they faced Russia 2 and European Champions, Ukraine. The team rallied to play some of their best volleyball of the tournament against Russia 2. After Russia took an early lead at 5-0, the British team dug deep to stay within touching distance before a time out was called at 17-14. Ultimately though, the Russians took the set 25-17 after a nail-biting finish. GB worked hard in the third but the experienced Russians were just too strong and they won 25-9.
27
COVER THE COURT FASTER.
WAVE LigHTning Z Experience unrivalled fit and feel during play. The D-Flex Groove in the outsole makes it easy to shift weight to increase acceleration, agility and speed. mizuno.co.uk 28