3 Touch Volleyball Magazine July 2014 by Volleyball England

July 2014 www.volleyballengland.org

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EN F VOLLEYBALL O E IN Z A G A M E OFFICIAL

CEV BEACH CONTINENTAL CUP ENGLAND’S MEN THROUGH TO ROUND THREE

INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION PROPOSAL VOTE AT OUR AGM ON 26 JULY

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www.volleyballengland.org July 2014 www.volleyballengland.org

MAGAZINE OF

VOLLEYBALL ENGLA

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THE OFFICIAL

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CEV BEACH CONTINENTAL CUP

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ENGLAND’S MEN THROUGH TO ROUND THREE

INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION PROPOSAL VOTE AT OUR AGM ON 26 JULY

4 WELCOME

CEV Beach Continental Cup, Bournemouth (photograph courtesy: Steve Smith) Bimonthly - Volume 11 - No 7 ISSN 1479-0785 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.

Editorial Board: Lisa Wainwright - Chief Executive Gerard Van Zwieten - Membership & Marketing Manager Mark Pritchard - Marketing and Media Officer Kirsty Meynell - Writer Chris Gregory - Writer Tim Griffiths - Writer Subscriptions/Merchandise: £3 per issue, £15 annually Volleyball England: 01509 227 722 © Volleyball England 2014 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 whilst 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 message from Chief Executive Lisa Wainwright

5 VOLLEY NEWS

News and views from the world of volleyball

8 VOLLEYBALL RELATIONSHIP MANAGERS’ UPDATES

VRM’s discuss their challenges and successes

13 NATIONAL CUP AND SHIELD FINALS

Match reports from an exciting weekend of volleyball

14 GO SPIKE BIG WEEKEND

Volleyball took centre stage over the May Bank Holiday weekend

16 MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNICATIONS

Published July 2014 by

Newark Street, Accrington, Lancs BB5 0BP Email: info@mercer-print.co.uk Designed by Ste Bowden

s t n e t n co

All you need to know about our Individual Registration Proposal and its benefits for members

23 GRAND PRIX AND SUPER 8 FINALS

All the thrills from these great finals, point by point!

26 SPORTBEAT FESTIVAL

Where music and sport came together for a fun weekend at Gloucester’s sports park

28 BEACH VOLLEYBALL CEV CONTINENTAL CUP

Spectacular beach tournaments in Bournemouth featuring talented European teams

31 PROFILES OF NEW TEAM MEMBERS

A chance to meet new members of our team

www.volleyballengland.org

e m o c Wel

Lisa Wainwright Chief Executive

CEO News What a few months it’s been! As ever you will read in 3 Touch all the news of the last few months, and again it has been very busy. Not only have we seen the conclusion to the indoor season with the Cup Finals (congratulations to all teams), we’ve started the new Volleyball England Beach Tour with National Partner Itsu and have more recently hosted the CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup with LeAF Academy, Bournemouth. An excellent weekend with particular thanks to all the volunteers who gave their time to support this new event, allocated to England at late notice following the drawing of lots! The one thing we did know early on, however, is that we’re brilliant at delivering events and the team worked well to ensure we did England proud in this first round of the qualification towards Rio 2016. More on club volleyball now, we’ve recently attended all the Regional AGMs and some local leagues to hear your views and provide information on the proposals for individual registration. We’ve worked hard following the Volleyball Voice and also from our recent member survey feedback to develop a number of new member benefits. We hope you like them and indeed use them...maybe not the personal accident one, mind!

Wayne Coyle Wayne Coyle Steps Down as President The Board of Volleyball England would like to thank Wayne for his contribution over the last few months, particularly in driving more synergy within the sport at a leadership level. We wish him and his family well for the future and look forward to seeing him back in volleyball soon!

AGM

This year’s AGM will be held on Saturday 26 July at 12.30 pm at our Head Office location:

SportPark 3 Oakwood Drive Loughborough Leics LE11 3QF

It is an important few months ahead for volleyball. We believe this is the only way to complete the next step of change required for us to grow and we hope you support the proposal at the AGM. Alongside the above, we have elections for a variety of roles on the Board. If you are interested, please do apply. The relevant information can be found on our website. One key role to be elected is our new President, following the resignation of Wayne Coyle due to personal and work commitments. Enjoy the Beach Volleyball over the summer and I look forward to seeing you at the AGM here at SportPark, Volleyball England’s Head Office. If you can’t attend, do please send in your proxy vote. Note from The Editor: Due to the huge number of activities this season within all regions, some of the planned events mentioned in our reports may have, in fact, already happened!

VOL EN LEYB ANN G ALL UAL LA REP N OR D T 20 13 –

Please note that the AGM will be live streamed, with cameras registering both the audience and members of the Board.

www.volleyballengland.org

Volleyball Crosses Cultures in West London

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Hundreds of children had their first real taste of volleyball through a migrant community engagement programme - EuroVolley. The events at St Benedict School and Tadeusz Kosciuszko School, Ealing were part of 12 activities targeting the Polish, French and Italian communities across England. The activity was run by Volleyball England and CBL Polonia London, with activities led by Team GB London 2012 Olympian, Rachel Laybourne, as well as CBL Polonia’s athlete, Alex Minchin. A week-long of activity at St.Benedict’s school saw students excited and enthused from being coached by such experienced athletes, with many of the students having never played volleyball before. “We are now looking forward to developing in partnership with Volleyball England to increase participation of the sport and a permanent performance pathway for our players,

some of whom were identified through this great initiative” said Director of Sport at St Benedict’s, Nikki Woodroffe. On Saturday the activities’ focus turned to the largest Polish school outside of Poland – Tadeusz Kosciuszko School, Ealing. Students met and spent time with members of CBL Polonia’s squad, who discussed the upcoming World Championships, the club’s growing partnership with PGE Skra Betchatów and learned about CBL Polonia as a club. The young players also had the opportunity to compare themselves to the athletes by measuring the speed of the

spike. Before leaving at the end of the day, the students with the fastest serves were announced and rewarded with prizes. “The week was a true success and proved to us that junior development in volleyball is in huge demand. We identified a number of potential young stars and are working on a plan that can offer them this development. It would be great for us to create a West London stronghold for junior development in England.” Commented Bartek Luszcz, CBL Polonia London Vice President.

NE London College Volleyball Tournament

Leyton Sixth Form College 2 April 2014

Leyton Sixth Form College welcomed teams from across North East London for what we hope will be the start of some exciting college volleyball developments within the region. Ten teams from 7 different colleges competed in the recreational tournament

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

which proved to be an excellent afternoon of sport, played in terrific spirit. Some very impressive volleyball was on show from all teams and credit must go to all players and coaches for their attitude and commitment throughout.

Final Positions Barnet & Southgate 1 6th Haringey 1 7th Leyton Sixth Form 1 8th Woodhouse 9th Conel 10th

Barnet & Southgate 2 Leyton Sixth Form 2 Haringey 2 Sir George Monoux Newham FE

A busy afternoon saw 20 games take place in the pool stages and a further 6 in the play-off round. The tournament winners were Barnet & Southgate 1. If you are interested in establishing a volleyball league for the next academic year, please contact Naomi Bartlett at the email address below. Naomi Bartlett, College Sport Maker naomi.bartlett@leyton.ac.uk 0208 928 9008 Jim Howell, Volleyball Coordinator jim.howell@leyton.ac.uk 0208 928 9202

www.volleyballengland.org

WE DID IT!!

GREAT NORTH SWIM 14 JUNE 2014

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It’s not every day you get coaching tips from one of the most influential coaches of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Team GB’s Audrey Cooper...or find yourself in the same wave as double Olympic gold medallist, Becky Adlington! Only a few months ago, news broke that I was doing the Great North Swim to raise money for the Volleyball England Foundation, and as a personal challenge to prove that my epilepsy will not hold me back from anything! Receiving these coaching tips and support from everybody at work only strengthened my will to finish the swim and meet these targets.

Without the help of Amy Dennis, our Young People Manager, my partner John, along with everyone in Head Office’s messages and tweets of support, I could never have made it. I had been training at Bosworth water for weeks, and come the day of the swim, I knew that all of the pain, tears and wetsuit struggles would all boil down to me persevering through the one mile swim at Lake Windermere. “It’s only me stopping me!” This was my mantra, along with the voice of Audrey Cooper and her coaching tips which I followed to a tee! As the swim started, the water was calm, but about a quarter of the way through things turned choppy, especially 500m from the finish when the second wave of swimmers flew past as I was completing my first lap. It was like being lapped by Lewis Hamilton!

Saturday 14 June couldn’t have come soon enough. The training had been hard, and throughout the build-up and on the day, I was absolutely petrified, having always had a fear of open water. Despite that, on a wet and miserable weekend, I finally did it!

My partner John was always 2m ahead of me. I would never have been able to finish without his support, alongside all of the fantastic volunteers. John spoke to every single one of them on our way past. Some had been out in the water since 7.00 am

ENGLISH REFEREEE RECEIVES

INTERNATIONAL STATUS

During the recent World Paravolley Championships in Poland, English Referee, Peter Parsons, was upgraded to full international referee status. Peter passed his Grade 4 Indoor Course in 2003 and started refereeing in the Berkshire League and qualified as a Sitting Volleyball referee for Volleyball England in 2009. In 2011, Peter passed his Sitting International Candidate Course in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Sitting Championship in Morocco this year, between Egypt and Morocco. Off the court, it’s receiving my upgrade to international status.” He adds “My most memorable match so far was the group match between Morocco and Algeria in this year’s African Championships, a match with a lot of spectacular play and so many momentum swings that you just never knew where it would go next.”

When asked about his volleyball career highlight so far, he stated “On the court it has to be being nominated as 1st referee for the Gold Medal match in the African Men’s

And so, what is Peter most looking forward to now he has his new international referee status? “Refereeing internationally has introduced me to many new friends I

and were there until the very last swimmer had passed the finish post. Their amazing commitment and support helped me no end and definitely contributed to the wonderful atmosphere. As the finish line got closer, fatigue and emotions kicked in. With about 100m to go I could hear Audrey’s voice in my head telling me not to stop, but I knew the only person standing in my way was myself. I was determined to finish. Eventually, I crossed the finish line. The feeling was unbelievable and I immediately burst into tears of pride (and a little pain!). Not only had I set myself and completed a huge personal challenge, but I have so far managed to raise nearly £700 for a fantastic cause. My fundraising page is still open www.justgiving.com/Lisa-Denham/ and any further contributions would be greatly appreciated. I have already signed up for next year’s swim, and would advise anybody else to do the same. All the hard work and emotions were worth it 100% as it really was one of the most fantastic experiences of my life.

would not otherwise have met and has taken me to places I would not otherwise have visited. What I am most looking forward to is hopefully more of the same!” We would like to congratulate Peter on his appointment and wish him every success in his future of international officiating.

Earlier in his referee career, Peter received his first international candidate badge and shirt at the 2011 Referee Conference from world famous football referee Howard Webb

www.volleyballengland.org

WORLD PARAVOLLEY SITTING VOLLEYBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS The Great Britain Women’s Sitting Volleyball squad travelled to Elblag, Poland in order to take on the world’s best Sitting Volleyball Teams at the World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball World Championship between 15 and 21 June 2014. The GB team were drawn in Pool A along with USA, Poland, Russia, Finland and Slovenia. The first half of the week was tough for the GB team losing against Paralympic Silver medallists, USA, Slovenia and reigning European Champions, Russia. Although GB lost the 3 matches 3-0, it did provide the opportunity for the team to gel and the opening match against the USA saw an international debut for Danielle HampsonCarroll.

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with a second 3-1 victory against hosts, Poland. The whole team performed well with notable performances coming from Vicky Widdup, Amy Brierly and Helen Sole.

For the Great Britain team, they will now begin looking ahead to the 2015 European Championships and the 2016 Intercontinental Cup where they hope to qualify for Rio 2016.

The World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball Women’s World Champions 2014 were China, who beat the USA 3-2 in a thrilling final despite the USA having a match point in the 5th set. The Men’s champions were Bosnia and Herzegovina who beat Brazil 3-1 in the final. The Brazilians caused an upset by beating Iran in the semi-final and look to be progressing very well ahead of their home Paralympic Games in 2016.

On Day 4, GB came up against Finland in a match which they needed to win in order to stand a chance of reaching the top 8 of the competition. Although GB started well with captain, Martine Wright, serving 2 aces and giving the team an early lead, Finland came out as eventual victors 3-0 leaving the GB team with a final group game before playing off for 9th-12th places. In their final group game, the GB team faced Poland who were also without a win in the competition. The hosts started well and went 1-0 up. At 24-22 in the second, Poland thought they had won the set with a big block but the referee called the Polish blocker for lifting off the floor and from there GB came flying back. They took the set 2624 and then looked comfortable, forcing the final sets to 14 and 15 points respectively, to take the match 3-1. Clinical play from GB including some strong serving from Jodi Hill and Martine Wright as well as impressive setting choices from Vicky Widdup. The 9th-12th playoff semi-final saw GB take on Japan. This was a game GB were keen to win in order to finish inside the top 10 and demonstrate progress against a side they had lost to twice at London 2012. Unfortunately, despite some strong play from GB and more positive set scores than in previous encounters, Japan came out as eventual winners 3-0 leaving the team to again face Poland for 11th place. GB finished the Championships on form

Photos: Jay Keeping, jaykeepingphotography.com Ian Legrand, Head Coach, commented afterwards:

“We would have expected better results but overall we learned a huge amount. We have tested ourselves against the best sides in the world and set ourselves a benchmark moving forward. Beating Poland in front of a home crowd was certainly a highlight for us and we will look to build on these results as we work towards the European Championships next year and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.” 7

www.volleyballengland.org

EAST LONDON and ESSEX

Manager UPDATE

E RN OU YB LA EL CH RA

Relationship

Summer is in full swing in the south as numerous grass and beach courts have been popping up here, there and everywhere! On 8 June 2014, The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park played host to the Queen’s Baton relay and the launch of Active People, Active Park. The event, which included a sitting volleyball court, a grass volleyball court and the very popular speed cage, was the biggest mass participation event the Queen Elizabeth

Olympic Park has seen to date and over 400 people took part in some form of volleyball. Since then “Come and Try” grass volleyball sessions have been running on The South Park Lawn. The aim of the project is to offer volleyball to local residents of all ages and abilities so they can get active right on their

doorstep. More volleyball will be offered throughout the summer period so please keep monitoring the Go Spike website for updates at: www.gospike.net The local calendar has also been jampacked with successful competitions and events. The month of May saw The Volleyball England Inter-Regional Championships and the first ever Super 8s All-Star Game, which was run by SideOut and Your Student Body Ltd. Both were held at the very impressive University of East London’s SportsDock facility. June has seen the All Nations Volleyball Tournament celebrating its tenth anniversary and hosting more teams than ever. Congratulations go to Gary Beckford for this fantastic achievement and JUVO cannot go unmissed as this historic tournament attracted over 100 junior volleyball teams to the Brentwood Centre in Essex. July and August have plenty in store so keep checking the Volleyball England website to ensure you don’t miss out.

r.laybourne@volleyballengland.org

www.volleyballengland.org

KE RR

greater manchester

ST EV E

Relationship

Manager UPDATE

Time flies when you’re having fun, and that’s exactly what’s happening across Greater Manchester. Twelve new sessions have been invested in, with over 330 new people accessing the sport on a weekly basis! So here’s a quick round-up of the Investment Zone in year 1:

Two new Lets Play Volleyball Clubs at Waterhead Academy and Crompton House began in January and March with over 68 young people playing weekly. Lois Best at Oldham Volleyball Club has been the driving force behind the development of these sessions. In addition, Oldham 6th Form College and Mahdlo Youth Zone are also delivering programmes linked to the club. There is certainly a real buzz around Oldham, with plans developing to increase activity in 2014-2015. In addition, Tameside VC benefited from external funding from GreaterSport to launch a second session for juniors.

the HEVO’s are running weekly sessions that have attracted over 140 new people into the sport! Go Spike has huge potential and the 3 sessions that we have helped grow this year are now flying. Altrincham have benefited from coach development to keep them functioning as a group. Trafford Leisure Coach Sammy Toner is leading the way and has built up a session with 18 people regularly attending. Moss Side Go Spikers continues to grow with 18 regulars and more waiting to play. Pete Koss of Moss Side Volleyball has been an inspirational leader in the managing of these sessions. The Moss Siders have shown an interest in formalising their club and are actively taking part in festivals and events. Perhaps the most noteworthy of all our Go Spike sessions is the development and creation of a new club in Blackley. Blackley

Students in and around Manchester seem to be having the most fun. We have successfully funded 3 new sessions in colleges and the HEVO programme is now in full flow. Colleges have actively engaged 56 new players in their recreational session, and

Here’s a look at the Investment Zone in numbers:

Volleyball Club has joined the volleyball family with a bang! Over 30 people regularly attend their Sunday sessions, with a wide range of age and ability. Finally, Greater Manchester Volleyball Association piloted a hugely successful U14 Grand Prix for girls. Coordinated by Megan Dwyer of Salford and Richard Jump of Tameside, 15 teams competed all year to make it to the Grand Prix Finals. Congratulations to the Tameside A winners of the trophy and Wigan Seahawks as winners of the shield. A fantastic junior competition that will grow in the next few years with the emerging LPV clubs around Manchester. I generally feel that I could write all day about the success and planned activity in Greater Manchester, but instead I’ll leave you with a picture and a snap shot of the year 1 in numbers.

s.kerr@volleyballengland.org

Greater Manchester Investment Zone

3 335

GMVA club

4 3 3

LPV clubs

higher education sessions

new players

sitting volleyball sessions

3 Go Spike sessions 8 15 15 15 £37,192 external funding £8,000 Months

further education sessions

academy officials

level 1 coaches

Grand Prix teams

Volleyball England funding

If you would like to get involved and work with Steve to develop sessions anywhere across Greater Manchester, please contact him on the email address above.

www.volleyballengland.org

NORTH EAST antha M SA jamieson

Relationship

Manager UPDATE

North East Volleyball has been a hive of activity in recent weeks with some significant developments across a variety of areas. Congratulations to Young Volleyball Leaders at Gateshead College who successfully delivered a volleyball tournament for over 60 students as part of their Event Management studies. The tournament took place throughout the day with teams adding to a cumulative points scoring system adapted to allow players of all levels of experience to take part and contribute to the overall scores. Learning Facilitator at Gateshead College, Level 2 Coach and volleyball player, Eve Porter, presented the students with their Volleyball England Young Leadership Awards following the event (see picture).

Find your nearest session by entering your postcode into the search box. Special thanks to our Go Spike supporters:

• Gateshead Borough Council and Eve

Porter of Sunderland City Predators VC

Morgan

• • • •

Smile Through Sport and Rachel Miller

Please contact the hub club for more information on these sessions. The Satellite club programme allows clubs to extend their activities to new venues in order to increase the exposure of volleyball and to help recruit more adults and young people to the hub club. For more information on the satellite club programme please visit:

Teesside University and Pip Bell Hartlepool VC and Graeme Waller Middlesbrough Council Active Parks and James Gater of Middlesbrough and Acklam VC of Haughton VC

• Marske VC and Amanda Mclean • Everyone Active Saltburn and Catherine

• Hartlepool VC at English Martyrs School • Haughton VC at Carmel College • Marden VC at John Spence Community

• Teesside Shopping Park and Jonny Willis

Go Spike has been high on the agenda, with 9 Go Spike Big Weekend events across the region. Many of these were used to assess interest in weekly sessions with partners and local authorities. Information on the planned weekly sessions will be available on the Go Spike website: www.gospike.net.

Acklam Grange School

• Gibside National Trust and Samantha

Sitting Volleyball has seen a spike in interest following some initial research into potential opportunities. With thanks to Tyne and Wear Sport County Sports Partnership (CSP) we were able to facilitate a number of funded places on a Sitting Volleyball Awareness course in May. Huge thanks to the Percy Hedley Foundation who hosted the course at their fantastic purpose-built Sports Academy free of charge. Percy Hedley Sports Academy will also become the home for the North East’s first Sitting Volleyball Club and will look to enter some of next season’s Grand Prix Sitting Volleyball events.

• Middlesbrough and Acklam VC at

Mackenzie

The North East ‘Let’s Play Volleyball’ (satellite) club developments have rapidly gone from planning stages to fruition thanks to some fantastic partnership work between a range of secondary schools, volleyball clubs and Tees Valley Sport and Tyne & Wear Sport CSP’s.

There are now 4 active satellite clubs across the investment zone with plans for a further 4 clubs to start in September. These new volleyball activities incorporate offers for sitting volleyball, talent development and beginner sessions for adults and young people.

High School

www.sportengland.org/our-work/ children-and-young-people/satelliteclubs/ The NE1 ‘Quayside Seaside’ is now installed on the Newcastle Quayside and once again incorporates a beach volleyball court for general recreation (located at Wesley Square, NE1 3RN). Go Spike open volleyball sessions commence at the Quayside Seaside on Monday 16 June, from 6 pm -8 pm, and will take place every Monday for 10 weeks. Come along and join in if you’re in the area! Huge thanks to NE1 Business Improvement District for allocating agreed use of the facility for volleyball and Volleyball England activities. Thank you to Middlesbrough College and Northumbria University for hosting the UKCC Level 1 and Grade 4 Referee Courses in May, we now look forward to a further UKCC Level 1 and UKCC Level 2 which will take place at Sunderland University in June, July and August. For more information and to book your place on a course please visit the Volleyball England website: www.volleyballengland.org/courses.

s.jamieson@volleyballenglend.org

www.volleyballengland.org

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Black Country and StaffS

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Relationship

Manager UPDATE

Further Education in The Black Country Further Education College Volleyball has sprung into life in the Black Country within the last couple of months. Previously very little activity took place, now 6 out of the 7 colleges are playing on a weekly basis. After consultation with each institution there was a clear gap in the volleyball market for students. Despite the British Colleges Sport Knock-out Competition there was no other offer to access the competition. This resulted in the colleges dedicating no time to establishing weekly sessions, as they saw no end goal. Activator Courses were therefore delivered to the 7 colleges. The courses provided knowledge of setting up a club, coaching, refereeing and organising tournaments, thus building a free student workforce. Support was then provided to 5 of the colleges lacking equipment with the installation of wall-net sliders, enabling 4v4 volleyball to be played. This led to forming a series of Go Spike festivals for the colleges, focussing on participation by players of mixed gender and ability.

The outcome of the intervention is: •

66 students from the Black Country gaining Activator Qualifications (Young Leaders and Super Mini Volley Awards)

•

5 new weekly sessions created in the targeted colleges

•

8 colleges entered teams into a pilot festival which was organised and run by the host college activators

•

6 further festivals scheduled for the 2014/15 academic year

James Cox, College Sport Maker at Birmingham Met College, commented on the impact of this work stating “Having the opportunity for our students to lead sessions following the Activator Course has provided a feel-good factor in volleyball and in turn the interest throughout the college has increased. In addition to this, the introduction of festivals have provided our students the incentive to get involved with other newcomers to the sport on a wider basis in a more competitive environment.”

r.payne@volleyballengland.org

www.volleyballengland.org

DORSET AND HANTS

Manager UPDATE

davis IE PH SO

Relationship

The last 5 months have been extremely busy in Hampshire and Dorset. With 8 projects now up and running and a further 6 Satellite Clubs in the pipeline, these are exciting times “Down South”! The biggest successes have come within the Further Education sector, with both Itchen Sixth Form College and Portsmouth College running lunchtime sessions for their students on a weekly basis. This work has seen 36 students attend and participate in regular volleyball sessions. Due to this success, Totton College, Eastleigh College, Barton Peverill College and others want to join in the fun and offer weekly volleyball to their students. In addition to this, many of the

colleges are also working with local clubs to offer an evening Satellite Club session which will be open to their students and other young people in the community. This will support the transition of these students from college sessions into local clubs. My current priorities are to finalise details of all my Satellite Clubs which are due to start in September, support the recruitment of Higher Education Volleyball Officers at Universities, undertake a workforce audit

and plan the delivery of my courses in the Investment Zone. I’d be extremely grateful to hear from anyone who wants to get involved in my work in the region. To find out what is happening in Dorset and Hampshire, follow us on twitter @ VballDorset or @VballHants or like us on Facebook at Volleyball – Hampshire or Volleyball – Dorset.

s.davis@volleyballengland.org

www.volleyballengland.org

NATIONAL CUP & SHIELD FINALS 29-30 March 2014

DAY 1

DAY 2

U18 Grand Prix Final Saturday at the Cup Finals began with the U18 Grand Prix Finals between Wessex LeAF and Nottingham Rockets. Wessex took a 2 set lead but in the third set Rockets led from the start until the score reached 19-all. Wessex then took the lead again and went on to face 4 match points saved by Rockets, to make the third set final score 29-27. Wessex LeAF: 3 – Nottingham Rockets: 0 25-17, 25-18, 29-27

Girls’ U16 Final The Girls’ U16 Final saw Graveney and Malory Eagles take on Tameside. What a match to start off Day 2 - a 5 set thriller, which was eventually the only match to go to 5 over the whole weekend. Both teams came out fighting, the first set going Graveney’s way 25-21. Whatever was said in the team talk between sets must have been inspirational because Tameside came out and powered ahead, claiming the set 25-14. The team from the North West kept the momentum in the third set, winning it 25-17. This is when things got close, the fourth set stayed tight with the London girls pushing ahead towards the end of the fourth, taking the set 25-22 and forcing the game to a deciding set. The fifth set was “edge of your seat” stuff, teams matching each other point for point right up to 13-all when Graveney and Malory pushed a bit harder and got those all important final points. A thriller of a match! Graveney and Malory Eagles: 3 – Tameside: 2 25-21, 14-25, 17-25, 25-22, 15-13

Men’s Shield Final Three close sets saw Northumbria/Middlesbrough win this match 3-0 but the score line probably didn’t do Hordean’s effort justice as each set they got a little bit closer and led the third set until 14-all, the final score ending up 25-13. Northumbria/Middlesborough: 3 – Horndean: 0 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 MVP - Andrew Sinclair Women’s Shield Final This match took place between Loughborough Students and Plymouth Marjon. A strong-looking Loughborough started the set very well and although losing some ground in the latter part of the set took it 25-19. Plymouth didn’t take this lying down and fought for every point in the second set, eventually winning 28-26. The third and fourth sets were also close but Loughborough remained in control and won the match 3-1. Loughborough Students: 3 - Plymouth Marjon: 1 25-19, 26-28, 25-20, 25-19 MVP - Julia Thompson Women’s Cup Final The final involved Team Northumbria and Swiss Cottage. Team Northumbria stormed ahead in this match, sporting no less than 3 GB players including Libero, Maria Bertelli, and Captain, Lynne Beattie. They went on to win the match 3-0. Team Northumbria: 3 - Swiss Cottage: 0 25-14, 25-7, 25-11 MVP – Whitney Phillips Men’s Cup Final The final was played between Team Northumbria and Wessex. This was always going to be a big game, filled with emotion and the overwhelming desire to triumph over the other team. Northumbria came out strong and took the first set. This followed the unusual move to punish both teams with a yellow card for time delaying. Wessex started the second set with renewed vigour and shot ahead, maintaining the pressure and taking the second set with relative ease. Set 3, and Northumbria must have had a good team talk as they came out with the same kind of passion they had shown in the first set, taking the set at the identical score as the first set. It was a similar story in set 4. Both teams stayed close and kept the pressure on each other but in the end it was Team Northumbria who held their nerve and finished the game in the fourth set, winning 25-19. Team Northumbria: 3 – Wessex: 1 25-18, 16-25, 25-18, 25-19

Boys’ U16 Final The Boys’ U16 Final featured Wessex LeAF Academy against Ernest Bevin College. Wessex started strong but didn’t have it all their own way in the first set. It finally resulted in a win for them at 25-20. The second set was a different matter. They took control of the game and raced ahead with a 25-8 score line to make it 2-0. In the third set the Bevin boys picked up the pace again but the strong Wessex side had the upper hand and finished the match 3-0, taking the third set 25-17. Wessex LeAF Academy: 3 - Ernest Bevin College: 0 25-20, 25-8, 25-17 U18 Women’s Final This final saw Tameside against Boswells Blaze and had all of the hallmarks of the first match, with both teams hungry for the title. Tameside made a strong start and took the first set 25-16. In the second set Boswell turned things upside down with a thrilling response to losing the first by winning 25-17. At 1 set each, Tameside came off the bench in the third with renewed energy, winning the set by the largest margin of the weekend 25-4. With all to play for in the fourth set both teams stepped up the pace. It proved a very close set with each team matching the other point for point but despite some impressive play from Boswells trying to push for a fifth set, Richard Jump’s side pushed hard to get the final 2 points and take the set 25-23, and the match 3-1. Tameside: 3 - Boswells Blaze: 1 25-16, 17-25, 25-4, 25-23 U18 Men’s Final This time Boswells Blaze Men’s Team took on Nottingham Rockets. The eventual 3-0 score line may, on paper, seem a little unfair to The Rockets. Both teams played out of their skins to make this a thrilling final match for the weekend. All the sets were very close but Boswells just had the edge. The first set finished 25-21. The second and third sets got even closer, with Boswells taking both 25-23. Rockets were unlucky not to grab a set win but Boswells just had that something to keep them ahead. Boswells Blaze: 3 - Nottingham Rockets: 0 25-21, 25-23, 25-23

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DID YOU TRY YOUR

Pancakes and Chicken Wings this Big Weekend? The late May Bank Holiday Weekend may now be a distant memory but volleyball took centre stage. From Saturday 24 – Monday 26 May the Go Spike Big Weekend offered the opportunity for everyone to give volleyball a go. Clubs and facilities in England opened their doors to their local community offering “Come and Try” sessions, volleyball coached sessions and tournament volleyball for free. The weather may have been a little damp at times but this didn’t stop our Event Organisers from either re-scheduling their event for another day of the weekend or from finding an alternative venue. Over 45 events took place across England with people trying their hand at either beach, indoor, grass or sitting volleyball.

Unusual Places and Highlights Not all Big Weekend events took place in a sports hall, however. The Summer Social Leeds, is a festival of Rugby 7’s, netball, lacrosse, volleyball and music! A Big Weekend Come and Try event took place at the Summer Social alongside their volleyball tournament, offering the other sports’ players a great opportunity to give volleyball a go. Two National Trust properties ran a Big Weekend Event, Osterley Park in Isleworth saw over 120 individuals give volleyball a try, while Gibside in Gateshead saw over 60 individuals take part. On Sunday 25 May, Nottingham Volleyball headed to Wollaton Park where over 110 people attended their Big Weekend Come and Try event. The Speed Cage made a trip to Barn Elms Beach Courts where PAWS the Active Wandsworth Mascot tested his spiking powers on the Speed Cage as well as giving beach volleyball a go. The week before the Big Weekend Spogo, the biggest directory of sports and fitness in the country, also visited the beach courts at Barn Elms to complete a feature on the Big Weekend events. Spogo had a great time in the sand leaving them itching to try more beach volleyball.

Smile Through Sport ran their first sitting volleyball taster as part of the launch of their new Multi Sports Club based at The Tyneside Badminton Centre, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Participants are welcome to drop in any time between 3.00 pm and 5.00 pm every Sunday. The Go Spike Big Weekend first took place in May 2013 and is encouraging the nation to give volleyball a go, to discover new skills or to get back into volleyball if you experienced volleyball at school. As we know volleyball is an incredibly fun, social sport and as many of the Big Weekend events are linked to clubs it provides the perfect opportunity for the Big Weekend attendees to continue playing volleyball for years to come.

www.volleyballengland.org If you missed the Go Spike Big Weekend, regular Go Spike sessions are held across England at local clubs and facilities all days of the week. Detail of sessions can be found at the Go Spike website: www.gospike.net We have joined forces with Latitude Festival and have been added to the list of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities. Two Come and Try courts will be open to all festival-goers offering the opportunity for all to have a go at both standing and sitting volleyball for the duration of the festival. For more information, with details of how to purchase tickets for this festival, please go to: www.gospike.net

Additionally, if your club wishes to establish a Go Spike Open Session offering all recreational

players aged 16+ the opportunity to give volleyball a go, please contact Sam Harding, s.harding@volleyballengland.org or 01509 227742 or contact your local Volleyball England Relationship Manager: Rachel Laybourne, East London & Essex: r.laybourne@volleyballengland.org Rob Payne, Black Country & Staffordshire r.payne@volleyballengland.org Samantha Jamieson, Teesside & Tyne & Wear s.jamieson@volleyballengland.org Sophie Davis, Dorset & Hampshire s.davis@volleyballengland.org Steve Kerr, Greater Manchester s.kerr@volleyballengland.org

www.volleyballengland.org

Membership and Communications

Individual Registration Proposal Introduction At the 2014 Volleyball England AGM, an amendment to the Articles of Association will be tabled to allow for a fee based individual registration of volleyball participants. In real terms, this will apply to club members who play in local or regional leagues only. The specific wording of the amendment to the Articles of Association is included on the Agenda for the AGM. The purpose of this article is to detail the proposal and the processes of individual registration. Rationale & Benefits for Volleyball in England Volleyball England wishes to move to an Individual Registration Programme for all regional and local league (non-NVL) volleyball players for the following reasons:

To gain real, meaningful information about our player base – Volleyball England does not currently have full and clear data on its players outside of the National Volleyball League (NVL), such as the total number of players, age profiles, gender balance, ethnicity make-up etc. This makes it difficult to not only understand the needs of players and key areas of development, but also to offer an attractive benefits package, specific to the needs of players. Individual registration will enhance the strategy of putting volleyballers at the heart of Volleyball England activities.

To improve and increase two-way communication between Volleyball England and our players via more targeted, specific and meaningful contact. At the moment, the current structure does not allow us to have this direct contact.

To make the organisation more commercially appealing and viable, particularly to sponsors, commercial partners and new revenue generating opportunities.

To be able to partner with other sports bodies (who currently have mandatory registration systems) to develop new services that require a “critical mass” of players and income to implement.

To open up new grant funding outside the core Sport England awards, such as Department of Education, Department of Health and other agencies responsible for diversity, inclusion and social/community development. These funding streams would require definitive data on project outcomes, data that’s difficult to obtain without individual registration.

To increase revenue controlled by volleyball itself to reinvest back into the development of our sport and to help achieve the 2024 targets identified by the volleyball community.

Overall Strategy & Process We’ve listened to feedback from the volleyball community via many sources, and believe the individual registration proposal is straightforward, simple to understand and implement and relatively inexpensive. The registration process would only apply to all active regional and local league players of affiliated clubs, as this is the most significant group of the volleyball family for which we have very little information. There will be no change in the process or cost of affiliation for clubs themselves, accredited coaches and referees and NVL and Volleyball England Beach Tour players, other than regular inflation adjustment.

Individual Registration Annual Fee Adult

U-18

£10

£5

Affiliated Club Players Definition - Affiliated Club Players Players in regional, county and local leagues who are members of affiliated clubs, and who play in a formal, structured league on a weekly or fortnightly basis. NB Fees are not applicable to players in full-time education or in school, FE & HE teams and U16 players.

www.volleyballengland.org Payment Again, to make the process as easy as possible, we will have three flexible payment options for the club secretary to complete the registration of their players: • • •

Club Online Payment (credit or debit card) Club Cheque Payment Individual Payment – The club secretary indicates that all uploaded players will be responsible to complete their own payment. Players will be emailed by Volleyball England to remind them to pay their £10

NB Volleyball England understands that in the short-term, collection of registration fees may take time for both clubs and players. Therefore, all Individual Registration payments will have a delayed deadline of 31 December 2014. Incentive and Benefit for Club Secretaries We will reward the most organised secretaries for the extra work that is required. Volleyball England will waive the club affiliation fee of £89.50 for the first club secretary who submits all of their local and regional player details and has paid 100% of the appropriate registration fees. The second club secretary to do this will receive a £50 voucher to spend at Kitlocker, whilst the third club secretary will receive a pair of personally designed Dirty Dog Sunglasses! Volleyball England would reserve the right to check the club registrations against local and regional league affiliations/ registrations to verify the accuracy of player numbers.

New Club Incentive Scheme 20% of the net Affiliated Club Player’s registration fees (less fulfilment costs) will go into a central fund to which all affiliated clubs will be able to apply. This fund is not, however, open to clubs with only NVL teams. Grants could be used for items such as junior development, facilities and equipment upgrades and recruitment programmes. This will be new revenue generated by volleyball, managed by volleyball and redistributed to volleyball with no outside third-party controls or restrictions. Specific details of the programme will be confirmed shortly. Process The process for club secretaries will be straightforward. Player data will be submitted via the Volleyball England website, or through an Excel/CSV file sent to the Volleyball England office. The club then decides how payment for the registrations is to be sent to Volleyball England (see Payment section below). The only player information we require will be their Name, Address, Date of Birth, Gender & Email. For players under 18, we only need their Name, Date of Birth and Gender. A parent’s email address can be added as an option.

www.volleyballengland.org

PROPOSED MEMBER BENEFITS Volleyball England has produced what we believe to be the best National Governing Body Member Benefit Package. Those playing in local leagues will have access to a wide range of benefits, including Physio Treatment, Personal Accident Cover (for broken teeth and bones) and significant discounts from sports clothing and equipment suppliers. For those who are coaching, refereeing, or playing in the Volleyball England Beach Tour and/or National Volleyball League, we have added significant extra benefits compared with the previous package!

Proposed Member Benefits Public Liability Insurance (£5m) *Personal Accident Insurance (up to £2,000 cover for dental & cover for broken bones) Medical Screening 108 (Mole screenings to all VE participants - reduced price of £80, 16% saving Reduced cost of mammograms to just £100, a saving of 50%) Volleyball England Head Office Staff Support for Registration & Membership Services & Benefits Volleyball England Head Office Staff Support for Funding Submissions – applicable via club affiliation Volleyball England Head Office Staff Support for Development Projects – applicable via club affiliation Volleyball England Staff Support for Free DBS Checks (If required and applicable) and member welfare guidance Club Incentive Scheme (excludes clubs with only NVL teams) – applicable via club affiliation eNews – Standard Volleyball England wide News eNews – Specialist News targeted to participants’ areas of interest 3 Touch Subscription (electronic version only) *Hotel Offers & Discounts (International Hotel Group) Exclusive Holiday Inn Express Discount at Kettering - preferential rate of £48 per night Enterprise – 10% off Car hire. Free pick up from home PhysioWorld Physiotherapy Discount – 50% discount on initial assessment, 10% discount on subsequent consultations & 15% for online store *5% off Home Gym Equipment Volleyball England Merchandise Discount General Volleyball Merchandise Discount 10% off Go Spike Products itsu Discount – 15% discount for online store Kitlocker Discount 5% 30% off Dirty Dog Sunglasses Sportset 5% Discount on Mikasa balls, free delivery and free key ring with first order Entry to exclusive pre-sale for tickets to all events under VE control Volleyball England Merchandise Special Offers

www.volleyballengland.org Go Spike

Recreational (Local League or County)

NVL/VEBT

Coach/Referee

Y Y

Frequently Asked Questions Schools and Juniors If we make schools pay, we will lose them. All players under 18 who are in education or school, FE & HE teams do not have to pay the registration fee. It is acknowledged that the process and cost for schools to affiliate with Volleyball England needs to be reviewed. This is a medium term project that the Schools & Youth Commission is undertaking. Why should juniors from a school 16-18 be free and those from 16-18 at a club pay £5? As above, all players under 18 who are in education or school, FE & HE teams do not have to pay the registration fee. So only under 18’s not in education would need to pay the £5 fee.

Our club has only social members that play local games. Local league teams benefit from central insurance schemes (can lead to reductions in venue hire fees), free Disclosure & Barring Service checks and funding support. The new benefits package will provide far greater real value than the cost of the fee. Your club will also become eligible for the Club Incentive Scheme. If you only play socially or aren’t a paid up member of an affiliated club, registration is not mandatory.

Clubs Who will administer the mandatory registration? Volleyball England will be ultimately responsible for the management and administration of the process. Clubs will be asked to upload or send in player details in an Excel/CSV file once, then confirm how payment for the registrations is to be sent to Volleyball England.

Clubs will lose income if it is compulsory. To ensure your club remains sustainable, any registration fee should come from the players, so it should not affect club income. In fact your club might increase income by benefitting from the Club Incentive Scheme.

Volleyball England needs a place where people can purchase kit, knee pads and equipment such as player tape etc. Volleyball England has secured a 5% discount with Kitlocker for all volleyball kit. We have also secured a deal with PhysioWorld to provide 15% off their on-line shop for tape, joint braces, etc.

An extra charge on top of BUCS is not a good idea . There will be no registration fee for college and university players. We will still have those clubs affiliated in the normal way and register their players using the new process, but there will be no registration fee per player.

What do we get in return for a fee? Players of your club will have new and extended benefits and annually we will survey what club players want to see added. Please refer to the extensive list of benefits we have negotiated. There will also be a protected fund, called the Club Incentive Scheme, through which affiliated clubs will be able to apply for development grants.

This would cost London players £10,000. It would cost £10 per individual player whether being in London or anywhere else. The new tangible benefits being offered to all registered players could see a typical player recoup the £10 fee many times over from savings on physiotherapy, volleyball kit or even personal accident insurance on broken bones and teeth. The benefits package will be the best in class for any small-mid sized sport in England.

Local leagues are already collecting money and if Volleyball England is trying to levy a national fee there will be less affiliated clubs. Local League affiliation and national individual registration are separate issues. The local league decides its own fee structure. This is independent from the process that Volleyball England is proposing. There will be a significant range of new benefits for both players and clubs, including the Club Incentive Scheme for development grants, which should encourage clubs to stay affiliated. Financial Projections: How is the money prioritised and who decides how it is spent? Based on feedback from the Regions on current player numbers, total income is projected at £69,000 for the first year. Cost deductions like essential system upgrades and the Club Incentive Scheme will come out of this income. The decisions on the use of these funds will be made through the normal governance structures and processes in consultation with the wider volleyball community.

NVL, coaches & referees are paying the same but getting more benefits. Why are we not charging them more? These groups are already paying higher fees and they usually have higher cost in travel, courses, and other additional personal costs, so increasing their fees isn’t being considered at present.

Commitments on Clubs: By the AGM most clubs will have had their membership fees agreed for the year. Volleyball England understands that in the short-term, collection of registration fees may take time for both clubs and players. Therefore, all payments will have a delayed deadline of 31 December 2014. Clarify there will be no change for competition entry. How much of fee will go to VE’s cost to implement? There would be no change to competition entry processes or fees. We have budgeted £8000 for fulfilment services and one-off systems upgrades. Do NVL players need to pay extra to play in regional leagues or for two different clubs? No, you are covered for regional leagues if you already pay NVL registration.

www.volleyballengland.org Is there a cut-off date for clubs to apply for the Club Incentive Scheme? The Club Incentive Scheme is envisioned to be a flexible central fund for clubs to apply to for grants that could cover a multitude of uses. As the scheme is controlled by Volleyball England and not by an external partner, we will make sure the scheme will cover a wide range of the needs that clubs have indicated. We will publish the scheme terms and conditions shortly. All members should have a vote when we are doing this. Currently clubs are the affiliated members of Volleyball England and you have a vote through your club. Subsequently your club can vote in our yearly AGM and represent you as a member. Individual registration of players and voting rights are separate issues. My club is growing rapidly, I am representing 2000 members and we have seen nothing from Volleyball England. This is exactly what we want to avoid in the future, that clubs or associations are left without our support. Due to the fact that we have little to no information about our players, we cannot communicate with them and players cannot easily communicate with us. When clubs are growing rapidly, we want to share their success with the rest of the volleyball community, so everyone can learn from them.

Member Benefits We should offer a menu if people want 3Touch Magazine and Insurance etc. If we offer a menu it will be very difficult to estimate who wants what on that menu, it will be very variable month by month and increase our cost for publications, and premium for insurance. None of the major national sports bodies (who have big membership teams and budgets) offer benefit option menus as they are too expensive and time consuming to operate and manage. Does my membership include discount for Sports Coach UK Workshops and coaching books? We have tried to negotiate a discount with Sports Coach UK, but their policy is not to offer discounts. However, part of the Club Incentive Scheme could be used to fund courses, workshops and coaching books as part of professional development.

Other Comments Have a voluntary membership. Our current system is voluntary and costs nothing to non-NVL players, it even entitles them to a benefits package that already matches most other NGB packages. However, due to its voluntary nature only 51% of clubs submit 6 or more names to us. Therefore, we will never develop a database with enough information to interest third parties or potential sponsors. We will also never know who plays volleyball on a regular basis and the risk is that a lot of people don’t sign up. This way we will never be able to reach all people interested in volleyball. Basketball moved to individual - seems healthy at youth level but only 67 adult teams in London. Many NGB’s that have moved to individual registration have been able to attract more participants, England Netball is a prime example. The issue mentioned about basketball is not related to an individual registration system, rather it is related to NGB and club recruitment programmes and stopping player drop-out. The longer we wait with implementing individual registration, more NGB’s will surpass us and the less opportunities we will find in future to attract potential sponsors or great benefit deals. Will the data be secure? Won’t you just sell it? Our existing database provider is a leading supplier to the sports industry and meets all governmental and industry standards for data security and backup. We are legally bound to adhere to all aspects of the Data Protection Act 1998. It is our intention to mirror the best practice in the industry in terms of the type and frequency of contact and we will ensure all contact by sponsors and partners is via Volleyball England, as per each individual’s data protection responses and never directly. Data will not be shared with third parties without prior agreement.

PhysioWorld: What is the distance from where I live? They are a national company with 170 clinics all over the country. www.physioworld.net/art/physio-locations,11.html

www.volleyballengland.org

Individual Registration Benefits Package Survey Summary The survey was launched on Monday 12 May 2014 and ran for a period of 7 days. The data was distributed to 12,000+ e-mail addresses. Participating Respondents: 1,252 As in any survey there is a drop-off towards the end of the questions. The drop-off rate for all the data questions was 296 respondents, leaving an overall success rate of 956 respondents. The general conclusion, taking the short time frame into account, showed not only a real involvement from our respondents/ members but also made it clear that the subject was definitely one where people wanted to give us their opinion. The Data: The questions were answered by: Players 83.99% 1,034 Players Coaches 31.55% 392 Coaches Officials 19.53% 235 Officials Volunteers 26.32% 319 Volunteers Key indicators show that the respondents are not aware, or only partly aware, of our current membership offers. Nearly 78% answered “not aware” or “partly aware”. Regarding the benefits list, respondents placed Public Liability 37%, Support for Club

Development 34% and Personal Accident Insurance 29% as their top 3 answers in the “very important” column. Presenting the respondents with the question of what they would like to see when Volleyball England increases the benefits, the top 3 list was in favour of Personal Accident Insurance 40%, Physiotherapy 32% and Gym Membership Discount 31%.

Conclusions: Although most of the respondents are not aware of our current benefits, they judge the new benefits with an average amount of £20-30 as the most popular answer.

Question 7, where we asked for views on benefits not listed, has given us a good insight into what members want in future, with nearly 163 replies.

From a communication point of view it is clear that people want to see “fast and quick” communication methods via their laptop, tablet and mobile phone. Yes they would still like to see 3Touch as a magazine and e-news updates, but a cautious conclusion can be that email, Facebook and website are the clear winners for informing members swiftly on the more “actual daily” news items. It also follows the national trend that in social media Facebook is the more viewed social platform versus Twitter, due to the limited number of words allowed on the latter.

Questions 9 and 10 on value for money were answered by respondents with 47% “average value” and 29% “good value” on existing benefits and on new benefits with £10-20 (25%), £20-30 (30%), and £30-40 (21%). A considerable amount of respondents would still like to see the continuation of our 3Touch Magazine (18%), just slightly less than e-news communication (19%). Clearly respondents are relying on the modern platforms and faster ways of having their communications delivered: Email (93%), Facebook 43%, Website 41%.

Overall among the respondents there is no great argument against having to pay for a member benefit package.

A 20% choice for an electronic app shows that this needs further research as to which application would fit best. Considering the facts and the fast communications that members desire, we need to keep this in mind for future app development.

Number of Benefits Available

NGB MEMBERSHIP COMPARISONS

Women’s Super 8s Final (1st Leg)

U18 Women’s Grand Prix Final The inaugural Women’s U18 National Grand Prix Final saw two of the top junior teams in England, Tameside and Wessex LeAF, go head to head in what was to be an epic encounter. It was Wessex who were quickest out of the blocks, storming to an 8-3 lead at the first technical time out. This run continued as some nervous errors from Tameside allowed Wessex to stretch out to a 10 point lead at 16-6. With the deficit too large and increasing pressure from the Wessex hitters, there was no way back for Tameside as they lost the first set 25-14. Wessex continued their strong form into the second set, but a more relaxed Tameside made sure they were right in it at 8-7. With great attacking play from Wessex and supreme defence from Tameside, the lead was going back and forth, but it was Wessex who had a slight advantage at 16-13 and managed to extend their lead to 21-16 with a great serve from Captain, Beth Gunter. There was no coming back for Tameside and Wessex moved to a 2-0 lead winning the set 25-19. Wessex started the third well and looked to be heading to a 3-0 victory, but Tameside’s resilience shone through. A huge run of 9 straight serves from Molly Van Essen gave Tameside the boost they needed as they had a commanding 14-8 lead. Now under pressure, errors from Wessex helped Tameside win the set 25-17 to take the match to a fourth set. And they maintained their momentum into the fourth, getting yet another run of serves but this time on Molly’s sister, Sarah Van Essen’s serve. A run of 7 straight serves gave them the lead at 11-7, and they continued to a 10 point advantage to lead at 20-10. At 25-16, it went into a decider.

Next saw the first leg of the Women’s Super 8s Final between Team Northumbria and Polonia IMKA London. With Northumbria unbeaten this season they were arguably favourites on paper, especially given their recruitment of big names in their line up including London 2012 players Maria Bertelli, Lynne Beattie and Elizabeth Reid. However Polonia started in impressive form, and a hit from Lazard (playing her second match of the day) gave them an 8-7 lead at the first technical time out. Some great serving by Lazard, hitting by Healy and some errors from Northumbria helped extend their lead to 13-9. At 19-12, Polonia had opened up a 7 point lead, but Northumbria were not down and out yet. Fighting all the way, they reeled off 5 straight points to come right back in it at 23-21, and then saved 3 set points to level the set at 24-24. A huge hit from Phillips saved yet another set point, and an ace gave them a set point of their own. Unable to convert their first set point, it took big hits from Beattie and then Reid to give Northumbria the first set at 28-26, an enormous comeback in a set that looked to belong to Polonia. Both teams had a positive start to the second set, and it was level pegging to 11-11. However an ace by Beattie, supreme defence by Bertelli and a big hit from Ropiak helped Northumbria gain a 4 point lead at 16-12. And they carried this momentum through to take the second set 25-17 and lead 2 sets to 0. Polonia seemed determined to take inspiration from this morning’s 5 setter and started strongly in the third set. With just 1 point separating the teams at the first technical time out, it was still all to play for. Once again though it was Team Northumbria who drove forward, stretching to a 16-11 lead. Some fantastic rallies had the crowd engaged, but a serve into the net by Polonia and a great hit by Shipley brought up match point. Converting on their first time of asking, Northumbria took the set 25-16 to take the first leg of the final 3-0. All the pressure will be on Polonia on Day 2 to take Northumbria to a golden set. However Northumbria will surely have other ideas as they will look to close out the match 2-0.

Tameside made the first blow, but a big hit from Lazard brought Wessex back level. With the scores all square at 5-5, Wessex began to pull away with a run of 3 straight points. And they never looked back as a hit by Lazard gave Wessex the final set 15-10, and the match 3-2. Very nearly a fairytale comeback for Tameside, but a valiant effort from both teams and a great start to a weekend of exciting competition. Congratulations to MVP: Amelia Stamp (Wessex LeAF)

www.volleyballengland.org

Men’s Super 8s Final (1st Leg)

Sitting Grand Prix Final

Team Northumbria men, like their female counterparts, were unbeaten this season making them clear favourites coming into the final match of the day. However with Sheffield coming into form at the right time, this Men’s Super 8s Final promised to be a great match-up. The match started as predicted, with Northumbria taking an early 8-5 lead, but Sheffield were hot on their heels, levelling at 8-8 and matching them point for point. A huge serve from Dami Bakare helped to earn Sheffield a 20-18 lead, but Northumbria stayed within touching distance in what proved to be an epic first set. After 4 set points, it was Team Northumbria who edged out on top, taking the first set 28-26.

The Sitting Grand Prix Final opened up proceedings on Sunday, getting the day underway with what turned out to be a thrilling match from start to finish, as the match swung back and forth in favour of East London Lynx and Battleback. There was nothing to choose between the teams at the start of the match, as Lynx led 8-7 at the first time out. Quick reactions and clever play at the net saw Lynx pull away to 22-14. Battleback slowly began to reel in the lead, drawing level at 24-24, an achievement in itself. A lift followed by a spike landing just long handed Lynx the first set. However Battleback were full of confidence after pulling back a lead which initially seemed an impossible task.

In a reversal of the first set, it was Sheffield who had found the 8-5 lead at the start of the second, a lead which they managed to extend at the second technical time out to 6 points. Some superb play by Sheffield, in particular the hitters, helped them take the set 25-18 and level the match. Into the third with everything level and there was nothing to choose between the 2 teams. Sheffield were narrowly ahead 8-7 but with big hitting from Miller and Bakare combined with some brilliant play from Jenkins and Chaney, Sheffield stretched their lead to 17-13. Northumbria showed why they’re unbeaten this season however as they fought back to level the match 17-17. Going point for point, a wild serve by Sheffield at 23-23 gave Team Northumbria the only opportunity they needed to take the set 25-23 and lead the match 2-1. The fourth set began as the third had ended, with the 2 teams going point for point. A huge serve from Dami Bakare edged Sheffield ahead to 13-11. Keeping their noses in front from here, Sheffield took the set 25-19 and the match to a decider. It was Miller this time who managed to put a great run of serves together for Sheffield, helping them get to an early 4-1 lead. With the score at 8-4 at the change of ends, a big upset was on the cards. Staring down the barrel of defeat at 9-6, Northumbria fought back and drew level at 12-12. A serve in the net and a great block from Sheffield brought up match point, which they converted on the first time of asking. So it’s Sheffield who put an end to Team Northumbria’s supreme winning streak, as they lead 1-0. Can Team Northumbria force a golden set next day? We can’t wait to find out!

Lynx carried their winning momentum from the first set into the second, once again leading at the time out 8-5. While Lynx doubled their score to reach 16, Battleback could only add an extra 3 as they trailed 16-8 at the second time out. Unfortunately a second comeback wasn’t to be, as Lynx continued through the motions to wrap up a comfortable second set, 25-14. Battleback had a mammoth task on their hands to overturn a 2-0 deficit against the reigning champions. They started the third set well, leading for the first time at the technical time out. The set was noticeably cagier than the first two, with neither team wanting to give away an advantage. Battleback edged ahead at 19-17 and then 21-19. Lynx drew level at 23-23, winning the next point to bring up a match and Championship point. Battleback held their nerve, using all the experience amongst their team, managing to turn things around and send the match into a fourth set, 26-24. After the disappointment of missing out on their match point in the previous set, Lynx were out of the blocks quickly, storming to a 5-1 lead. Battleback slowly got back into the game, finally pulling level at 12-12. The initiative was wrestled between the teams. A big serve from Walker opened up a narrow 3 point lead for Battleback at 22-19, before they found themselves with the opportunity to take the match into a fifth. They took it at the first time of asking, winning the fourth set 25-20. The fifth set went point for point, with Battleback taking a narrow 2 point lead into the change of ends. They managed to build on this, increasing it to 12-8. A further 2 points brought up match point which they took at the first time of asking. An incredible come-back to cap a fantastic season for the Battleback team, truly living up to their team name!

Women’s Super 8s Final (2nd Leg)

Men’s Super 8s Final (2nd Leg)

Team Nothumbria Women were full of confidence after yesterday’s 3-0 win, leaving Polonia with it all to do. Unlike the first leg, Northumbria started the match quicker as they opened a 3 point lead at the first technical time out. Polonia were just about managing to stay in touch through some solid hitting from Lazard. However one of the stars from last year’s final, Whitney Phillips, was also starting to up her game, finding the gaps on court to take Northumbria into a 5 point lead at 17-12. Some more high quality attack wrapped up the first set 25-15.

Sheffield Hallam got Leg 2 of the Men’s Super 8s Final underway. It was clear from the off that the match was going to follow a similar pattern to the first leg, with neither team giving away any cheap points. It couldn’t have been any closer at the first technical time out, with Northumbria leading 8-7. Some clever hitting by Dalrymple was catching the Northumbria setters short after they were standing deep to receive a succession of huge hits from Bakare. Sheffield succeeded in turning things around by the second time out, leading 16-12. They continued to build their lead, securing their first set point at 24-18. A serve out from Northumbria handed Sheffield the first set, leaving Northumbria a mountain to climb.

The second set followed suit, with Northumbria moving swiftly into an 8-4 lead. The Polonia hitters couldn’t find a way to hit the floor, as Northumbria capitalised, surging through to 12-5. Polonia continued to work, scrapping for everything they could and saw some reward as they closed the gap to 6 points at 21-15. It wasn’t enough though, as Northumbria secured the second set 25-18. Polonia came out all guns blazing in the third set, knowing nothing but a win would do. They managed to get themselves into the lead at 5-3 however Northumbria once again found their way back to the top, leading 8-6 at the first time out. It was all square at 12-12 as Polonia did everything they could to put pressure on the opposition. Unfortunately for them, it didn’t have the desired effect, as big blocks from Phillips and Johnson took Northumbria into an 18-14 lead. From there, it looked as though it would be plain sailing. However Polonia rallied and levelled the scores at 19-19. A big swing from Phillips then set off a run of 5 serves as Northumbria retained their title and continued their impressive unbeaten run, stretching back over 3 years. Congratulations to MVP: Whitney Phillips (Team Northumbria)

As expected, set 2 was neck and neck at the beginning, with Northumbria once again finding themselves 8-7 up at the first time out. Sheffield managed to regain the initiative shortly afterwards. Bakare was now into his stride, often seeming to find the gaps with ease, partly down to some great setting from Jenkins. At 19-14 up, the set looked to be Sheffield’s. A few runs from Northumbria brought them back to within 3 points but a long serve from Berndt gave Sheffield a 4 point cushion. Joel Miller was also getting involved with the massive hitting, launching a huge cross court into the advertising boards to bring up set point. Northumbria managed to grab a couple of points back but were unable to stand firm any longer, losing the second set. Northumbria started the third set well, with some accurate setting and hitting once again taking them to a first time out lead. Sheffield came back, as per usual. However on this occasion Northumbria managed to stick with them, matching point for point all the way through to 20-20. Peter Bakare, not to be outdone, showed his prowess as a hitter, levelling the scores at 23-23. Pelletier then came up with the block of the day, single-handedly creating a wall in front of Dami Bakare’s spike, giving Northumbria their first set point of the day. Bakare didn’t miss second time round, or third, as Sheffield got their first match point. It was all they needed as they closed out the set and match 26-24. Congratulations to MVP: Alex Jenkins (Sheffield Hallam)

Photos: Chris Midgley, photomidgley.zenfolio.com

www.volleyballengland.org

SPORTBEAT FESTIVAL Where Music and Sport Come Together The county town of Gloucester has a good pedigree as far as volleyball is concerned. It may be more famous for rugby but for many years the city has played host to one of the most successful volleyball tournaments in the country. In their heyday, the City of Gloucester Volleyball Tournaments had well over 100 teams competing from all over the country. It was with this mind that former GB beach player, Jodi Gooding, decided to put on a festival combining music and sport. This followed a family tradition as his parents had run the original festival. Jodi’s friend, former Gloucester rugby player Jack Adams, was also involved and helped him to organise the Sportbeat 2014 Festival. Jodi explained: “Strange really, because growing up I was never a big fan of music, I was just sport mad but my parents loved music and so I suppose that’s where it comes from.” reflects Jodi “I was born and raised in Gloucester and so it seemed like a good idea to give something back to the place.” Jodi’s wife, former GB Women’s beach player Denise Johns, and a volunteer army helped to stage this full scale sport and

music event, which had proved such a great success the previous year. So the target this year was to build on that success. “Putting on a festival of this size is a massive task and we started planning for this year almost as soon as we had cleared the site last year. The music side takes up a lot of time both in the planning stages and at the event itself.” “We have a very good relationship with the local council.” explained Jodi “Everybody just mucks in and helps”. There are many tasks that are easy to take for granted when you go to a festival, food, bars, toilets, power, parking, transportation and accommodation are just a few. All of this needs to be laid on for the weekend and that’s before you have a single team entered or a band booked. Jodi’s parents Liz and Keith are still heavily involved with the event and do their best to make sure that the volleyball runs without a hitch. The location is ideal. The Oxstalls Sports Park is just a couple of miles from the M5 and is where the old tournament was held in its later years. The facilities are great with plenty of room for parking and camping. Also it’s just a stone’s throw from the centre of the historic city.

So, the weekend arrives. Everything is ready, then in typical British summer style, the heavens open and it looks like it’s set in for the day. No matter how much planning goes into an event like this, the weather is the one factor that you can’t control. For once, the Met Office seems to be right and after about an hour, blue skies appear and the heat from the sun is intense and so the vibe around the site builds. With hats and sun block applied, play begins. People are on the stage and everyone is ready for a fun-packed weekend. One thing that is very apparent after being there for a short while is how remarkably friendly the people are. From the moment you arrive there is a welcoming feeling about the festival and it’s very familyfriendly, with lots of kids and plenty to keep them happy. Alongside volleyball are Rugby 7’s and netball games taking place and also unusual activities such as Zorb football, Laser Tag and Last Man Standing, where a revolving beam spins gradually faster and you either jump or get knocked off the “bouncy mattress type thing”. The real bonus to a packed weekend of sport is the music with this year’s bands including the likes of Razorlight, The Hoosiers, Soul to Soul and a host of others across two stages. The whole package of music and sport works really well and the best plan of action would be to get your team booked in now for next year’s event. You’ll be glad you did. Sportbeat Volleyball Facts • 32 Teams took part in the tournament • Peterborough Harriers won the Men’s and Ladies Divisions • Um Bongo won the Mixed Division 1

Photos: Mark Pritchard

from both players, with Lazard showing her prowess at the net while Grimson was chasing down anything and everything. However the Slovakians took the tie into a Golden match as they closed out the set 21-12. The Golden match can be played between any of the 4 players within a team. As expected, both of the number 1 pairs took to the court. Dampney/Leaf never really looked in trouble, winning in straight sets 21-19, 21-12 and sending England Women into the first place play-off.

Round 1 Bournemouth On 21 June at the LeAF Academy in Bournemouth, the Irish team made their international debut by taking to the court against a strong-looking team from Sweden. The Swedish first pair have finished as high as 9 on the International Tour, so it was going to be a tall order for the Irish. However, they couldn’t have asked for more favourable conditions. The sun was out and there was barely any wind, making it ideal for beach volleyball. The Swedish pairing of Grawender/ Lundqvist started quickly, giving the Irish no time to settle any pre-match nerves. Allen/ Dignam were chasing every ball but weren’t able to match the Swedes, especially at the net where the height difference was telling. In the end it was a routine win, as the Swedes ran out victors 21-5, 21-4. The Irish first pair of Gormally/Counihan found it even harder against Nilsson/Yoken. Struggling to get any sort of foothold in the game, they went down 21-3, 21-0. Next on court was England, with London 2012 Beach Volleyball Olympian Zara Dampney paired with fellow London 2012 Olympian Savanah Leaf who was making her international debut on the beach after representing Britain as part of the indoor volleyball team in London. The first set was very much a case of finding their rhythm, having never been on an international court together. The Slovakian pairing of Krskova/ Herelova started well and they were always ahead, winning the set 21-17. The second set was much of the same until the latter stages, where Dampney/Leaf clawed back to level the match at 20-20, having saved 2 match points already. After saving a further 2 match points, England mustered up a set point which they took at the first time of asking. They had the crowd behind them and carried their momentum through to the third set. It could have gone either way as the Slovaks upped their game, but Dampney/Leaf came through in the end, sending the crowd into

raptures as they sealed a nail-biting third set 15-13. Grimson/Lazard followed, both also making their senior international debut. They hit the court running and more than matched the Slovakian number 1 pair as they opened a small lead at 14-12. A run of points from Turnerova/Tomaeková took them to the brink of the first set, which they narrowly won 22-20. The wind seemed to have gone out of Grimson/Lazard’s sails as they found themselves constantly chasing in the second set. There were a few flashes of brilliance

After a short break, the Swiss men made their way onto court, with Chevallier/Strasser taking on the Irish pair of McArdle/Ikpekha. The Swiss dominated from the start as the Irish, like their female counterparts, failed to make any inroads, losing 21-12, 21-12. The Irish first pair fared slightly better, with Church/Brennan making Kovatsch/Kissling work for their victory. After a relatively straight forward first set for the Swiss, the pair from Ireland found another gear and managed to stay in the game through to 14-all. A maiden set victory wasn’t to be though as the Swiss pushed on to win the set and the match 21-13, 21-17.

Gregory/Sheaf were next on for England, looking to give the men the advantage in the tie. They raced into a 5-0 lead and never looked back, winning the match comfortably 21-9, 21-6 against the relatively inexperienced Slovakian pair of Vasek/Lukac. Weaver/Smith were swiftly on afterwards and produced much of the same. Smith was using his superior height at the net as Ihnat/Meciar struggled to find any answers to his blocking. It was a routine victory in the end, in a match that only lasted 26 minutes with a final score of 21-11, 21-10.

Dampney/Leaf played off against Grawender/Lundqvist in a match that had the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout. The first 2 sets were shared, with the English pulling back a small deficit in the second after the Swedes looked to have the match already won. The momentum stayed with the home nation in the third, with every point vigorously cheered by the crowd. Both teams had match points and both teams let them go begging. Sweden finally managed to make one count, sealing a place in Round 3 as pool winners.

On the second day of the tournament, England women were first up again, this time with the unenviable task of facing top seeds Sweden. Grimson/Lazard faced Sweden’s

Over on court 2, Ireland once again found it tough as they lost 2-0 against a Slovakian side who were determined to earn another shot at England in the second/third place

first pair of Grawender/Lundqvist in game 1. Sweden made a rapid start, opening up a 5 point lead at the first change of ends. The rest of the set continued to go to form, as the Swedes dominated the front court, winning the set 21-10. England fared better in the second set taking the lead at 7-6, but the experienced pair from Sweden raised their level to see out the set 21-16. Dampney and Leaf took to the court knowing that nothing but a win would do. They duly obliged with a narrow 22-20, 21-18 victory in 38 minutes, sending the tie into a Golden match play-off.

play-off. Despite the heavy defeats, Ireland’s Roisin Allen was still in good spirits: “It’s been a brilliant experience for all of us. It’s our first international tournament and we’ve loved having the opportunity to play against players of this standard.” England’s men followed the women on court 1. They were up against a Switzerland outfit that all play regularly on the World Tour. Weaver/Smith went down fighting against Chevallier/Strausser 21-13, 21-15. Sheaf/Gregory were once again up to the

task though, beating Kovatsch/Kissling 2119, 21-17 to send the tie into a third rubber. In the decider, Sheaf/Gregory recorded one of their best wins in any competition, beating Chevallier/Strausser in straight sets 21-19, 24-22 to send the England men through to Round 3. Sebastien Chevallier was complimentary about Sheaf/Gregory’s performance: “They played amazingly, really put pressure on us the whole game and earned their victory. The competition was a really nice event, the weather was perfect and the hotel was amazing.” Running alongside England’s victory was the third/fourth place play-off match on court 2. Ireland were yet to win a set but finally had

something to cheer about as Church/Brennan won the opening match 20-22, 21-18, 15-9. McArdle/Ikpekha were unable to make it two wins in a row, forcing Church/Brennan and Ihnat/Meciar to a play-off in a Golden match. It was a closely fought affair, which resulted in the Irish claiming their maiden international victory. The second/third place play-off was a repeat of the previous day’s second match, Ireland against Switzerland. The result was also the same, with the Swiss winning both games in straight sets, joining England in Round 3.

The final game of the day was England Women’s second/third place play-off against Slovakia. After the opening 2 matches were split, all that was left was a repeat of the Golden match from the day before. The English pair of Dampney/Leaf had already played an extra match which may have been telling in the final result. The Slovakians avenged their previous defeat, winning in straight sets 21-13, 21-17 and booking their place in Round 3. For England, it was a painful defeat. One more point in the Golden match against Sweden would have put them top of the group and straight into Round 3 but instead they found themselves going through to Round 2 in third place. Jess Grimson was positive despite the narrow loss. “It was a great experience to play in front of our home crowd. Hopefully this will help our development and we look forward to representing England again in the near future.”

Volleyball England would like to thank all the volunteers, officials and all the staff involved at LeAF Academy for their efforts in organising and running the event.

Photos: Steve Smith, sandsphotos.co.uk

PROFILES OF NEW

TEAM MEMBERS Membership and Funding Officer

Ian Poynton If you would like any help or advice to complete a funding application then please contact me. I recently worked for Snowsport England as a Development Officer for the East and London South East and was also the Head of Communications and Events. Hi, my name is Ian Poynton and I have worked for several sporting organisations, over the last decade, including the Youth Sport Trust and most notably, Sport England. I was a Grants Officer for Sport England, assessing a number of applications for Small Grants and Inspired Facilities and gaining considerable experience in this field.

My goal at Volleyball England is to serve you, the Volleyball England family, by providing the optimum support that you deserve from your National Governing Body. I aim to offer attractive and useful membership benefits, to improve communication between us and also to help you with dedicated funding support so that you can sustain and grow your clubs for this great sport.

A bit about me: Well I’m 32 and 6ft 6ins tall... I used to be a goalkeeper, but got tired of people putting the ball in the corner where I couldn’t get it! So I decided to turn the tables and became a basketball player. I used to play for the Leicester Riders Cadets, Mansfield Express, Birmingham University, Leicester Riders and now represent the Nottingham Hoods National League Team in Division 3. I also enjoy a number of other sports, including Beach Volleyball, tennis, snowboarding and going to the gym. I’m interested in travelling and cooking and hope one day to successfully play the guitar!

TON T O C T R A W E T S

Having spent the majority of my career within logistics and commercial motors, organising and supporting young apprentices, I feel Volleyball England now

Talent Administrator

gives me a great opportunity to utilise my skills in a sector for which I hold a genuine passion.

sport and hope the practice will at least ensure I’m competitive during the next round of head office games!

An eager sports enthusiast, I have a keen interest in a variety of sports including football and distance running, although the latter seems to have taken priority over recent years.

I enjoy travel and always try my best to ensure any breaks away from work coincide with an opportunity to enjoy sport as a spectator, even rearranging my wedding date in 2012 to allow for a trip to the London Olympics!

I always take an active role in both the participation and organisation of the events or teams I am involved with and look forward to continuing this within the volleyball community. I have already committed to attending my local volleyball club at the Hermitage Leisure Centre for an introduction to the

Immersing myself in the sport will be integral to my personal development at Volleyball England. I am relishing the chance to become part of the Technical and Talent Team and contribute to our high performance vision.

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