1 May 2024
What's happening at the new Beach Volleyball Development Centres this 2024 summer...
Here is what will be happening over the next few months at some of the venues, which are spread across the country.
You can find out more about how to contact each venue by clicking here.
YELLOWAVE
Opportunities to get involved
Yellowave offers beach volleyball for kids ages five years upwards. After-school clubs run in term time for Kids (5-7), Juniors (8-11) and the Senior Squad (12+).
The venue’s Academy is invitational and available for players 10+ who stand out in terms of both playing ability and attitude.
Yellowave also offers holiday sessions for anyone wanting to have some one-off fun on the sand, or simply give beach volleyball a try to see if they like it, Kids parties and taster sessions are also offered.
What to expect
Yellowave offers an intro pack with sets up expectations for what the player can expect.
The venue provides consistent weekly coaches alongside occasional guest coaches who challenge the players with different coaching styles.
All players are encouraged to sign up to the team kit to provide a sense of community and regular feedback is given to individuals after sessions.
Academy players have the opportunity to train twice a week and have additional tournaments and guidance to support their development, as well as access to filming their play.
Yellowave also provides every state school in Brighton and Hove 10 hours free use of its courts outside the peak summer months.
Key dates and activities
- April / May – Secondary School Taster Sessions – intro to beach volleyball.
- 7th and 9th May – Brighton and Hove Secondary School Tournaments.
- 10th May – Volleyball England’s Beach Peformance Director, Kirk Pitman, visiting Yellowave Senior and Academy Squads.
- 31st May – Senior squad and academy in-house tournament.
- 20th – 21st July – UK Junior Championships - Sandbanks
- 2nd August – Academy in house tournament.
- 9th August – Academy in house tournament.
- 23rd August – Senior squad and academy in house tournament.
- Throughout half term and summer holidays – Kids Beach Volleyball Holiday sessions.
SKYBALL
Opportunities to get involved
Regular beach volleyball training in Bridlington will be available to top set athletes while awaiting for courts to be built at The Farnley Academy.
A full-time beach volleyball programme will target all levels of play, once Farnley Beach is ready for use.
The programme will be run by full-time and part-time staff.
What to expect
The venue will stage a number of Beach volleyball sessions, as well as strength and conditioning sessions and nutrional workshops.
Sport psychology and mental wellbeing support will be provided through cooperation with Leeds Trinity University.
It is also hoped that Skyball will secure a partnership with one of the Leeds Universities around physio and recovery provision.
Key dates and activities
- TBC - BVDC Scrimmage - Gorse vs Staffs.
- 8th June – Junior Brid Beach 4-a-side and 2-a-side Junior tournaments.
- 24th to 28th June – the opportunity to support and spectate at the NEVZA Youth Beach Championships 2024. Skyball will be looking to bring along students to watch an international event hosted in the region.
- 8th July - Gorse Beach Volleyball Championships.
- 13th to 14th July – BVDC players to take part in Inter-regionals tournament.
- 20th – 21st July – UK Junior Championships - Sandbanks.
RICHMOND
Opportunities to get involved
Richmond Volleyball offers opportunities for young players from five to 18, beginners to advanced, to take part in weekly training sessions, with 28 junior training sessions per week in total.
While the main season runs between April and September, Junior training sessions are offered throughout the year to those that want to continue playing beach volleyball over the winter and autumn.
What to expect
Richmond runs training sessions, Junior matchplay sessions, tournaments and holiday camps throughout the spring and summer.
The winter beach training sessions have offered new players on the indoors waiting list an entry to the club and to get introduced to the sport.
BVDC funding support from Volleyball England has enabled the expansion of the age range down to five-year-olds.
Free taster sessions and training sessions are offered twice a week to children from the local community between the ages of five and 10.
Key dates and activities
- Two UKBT Junior Grand Prix tournaments for the age groups U15 and U19, boys and girls.
- Older and advanced juniors are also encouraged to take part in 1 to 3 star UKBT events the club will host over the summer.
- Younger Juniors can gain competitive match experience in our weekly matchplay sessions.
- 20th – 21st July – UK Junior Championships - Sandbanks.
NEWCASTLE STAFFS
Opportunities to get involved
Newcastle Staffs Volleyball runs a comprehensive volleyball programme for boys and girls aged seven upwards.
More than 130 young people training at least once per week (beach and indoor) and this summer groups will be on the sand five days a week.
Anyone wanting to join should contact via chat on Facebook or Instagram, or email chair@nsvc.co.uk
What to expect
All age groups have specified training sessions taking place for members on the beach courts from late April, with all members accessing a core offer of one Beach session per week.
Girls and Boys in the U13/14, U15/16 and U17/18 age groups will also have a further session as part of the Beach Volleyball Development Centre, led by Head Coaches Michael Lee and Seb Bukowski.
Players showing the most potential will have access to a third session, training with the adults.
Staffs is also hosting a two-day training camp for BVDC players in May, led by Volleyball England Beach coach Pete Makowski.
Key dates and activities
- June/July - Home and away BVDC fixtures with Skyball BVDC.
- 20th – 21st July – UK Junior Championships - Sandbanks
- Other BVDC related events to be confirmed in due course.
DEEP DISH
Opportunities to get involved
A Junior club runs from 5.30pm to 7pm, Monday to Thursday.
In addition, social sessions welcome all Juniors, while half-term development camps are also offered.
What to expect
One session will run for U9 to U12 each week, with this age group filtering into half term fun camps and vice versa.
There will be some in-house competitions for that age group on the venue’s mini courts and local schools will also be invited to participate.
The U16 cohort will have the opportunity to train twice a week and filter into the adult club for additional training.
The younger ones in this age group will be entered into competitions via the UKBT, while more developed players will be encouraged to play Senior UKBT events.
In a similar model to the indoor Junior Grand Prix Series, younger players will be guided and mobilised for Junior UKBT competitions.
More experienced players will be given guidance on targeting the right events for their level.
Key dates and activities
- 13th May - Deep DIsh Junior UKBT.
- 2nd June - Richmond Junior UKBT.
- 20th – 21st July – UK Junior Championships - Sandbanks.
- Various dates - Senior UKBT events.
FIREBALL (KIDBROOKE)
Opportunities to get involved
The venue is running performance training sessions on Wednesday and Thursday nights, which are only available to players who book for blocks of six weeks, and will be run by head coaches Elsa and Gerda.
The sessions are run according to a periodised plan with the focus on long-term skill development, as part of a vision to create national-level senior talent.
Fee open play sessions are offered every Friday night thanks to the support of Charlton Athletic Football Club.
All sessions must be booked via the club Spond, which can be joined by clicking here.
What to expect
Sessions are open to players who want to commit to improving and developing and share the club’s values.
Details of upcoming sessions are regularly posted across social media accounts and the aim will be to meet with each player individually to set goals and provide guidance for the season.
Fireball is also investing in its coaches and has created a clear development plan for all players.
Key dates and activities
- 27th April - UKBT event, accessible via Spond and the club's website.
- 20th – 21st July – UK Junior Championships - Sandbanks
- TBC – Club competition days and competition days with other BVDCs.
