The Game Plan - quarter one updates (from April to June 2024)

The latest achievements in relation to Volleyball England's strategic plan.

GET. KEEP. GROW   

Connected and stronger regions, counties, clubs and stakeholders.

  

Achievements:   

Supporting club networks through partnerships and resources  

• A new Safeguarding Adults Policy has been introduced.  

• Clubs have been given the opportunity to take their own club fees through VolleyZone. This is part of a new affiliation process that saw the highest number of affiliations received one month after launch (75 received, 57 approved).  

• Club development resources have been developed and launched (Safeguarding Children/Adults Policy Templates, Safeguarding Website Copy, Code of Conduct, Complaints and Disciplinary Policy and Procedures).  

 Ensuring the volleyball community feels valued and engaged  

• The Volleyball England Annual Awards 2024 were presented in April with 118 nominations, with shortlisted individuals and winners celebrated on social media and the website, as well as in person at Cup Finals Weekend.  
• A successful thank you campaign ran through Volunteer week which included club templates, directed thank you communication and a video case study. 
• The Volunteer Pin Badge Scheme has been launched.   

 

Coming up:   

Building and strengthening the relationship with Universities, Colleges and Regions  

• HEVO Conference to be held on 12th and 13th September.  

Supporting Regions and Counties to be more connected  

• Onboard at least one region and one county to use VolleyZone for their competitions and/or registrations for the new season.   

Develop and enhance Sitting Volleyball opportunities  

• Enhancing the Sitting Volleyball GP with amendments to the regulations, engaging new charities/ partner (three) opportunities to bring more teams and individuals into participating.  

  

VOLLEYBALL FOR LIFE (WORKFORCE)  

 Building a diverse, inclusive and engaged volleyball workforce.   

Achievements:  

Make educational opportunities accessible to continue to improve the number of confident and competent referees  

• The FIVB Empowerment Beach Seminar for beach officials led by Sandy Steel and Jeff Brehaut was held in Sandbanks, with seven participants.  
• The Referee Development Pathway Working Group has been appointed and has started to create the new pathway, informed by the referees' survey. 

 

 Pathway Management and Development  

• A Coach Award course (Cohort 4) was held in May at the NVC, with eight tutors instructing 14 learners (beach) and 21 learners (indoor).  

• Seven learners who already have the Volleyball England Coach Award joined the Coach Award course to enhance their beach volleyball knowledge.  

• A pre-season briefing for Beach Referees and players took place in April and May.  

  Make educational opportunities accessible to continue to improve the number of confident and competent coaches   

• Five new Coaching Tutors have been recruited and have started their training –  Amanda Haggerty (South/London); Iwona Grabon (East/East Midlands); Jitka Lopez (Yorkshire/North East); Ryan Murphy (East/London/South); Stephen McKeown (Yorkshire/North West).  

  

Coming up:  

Make educational opportunities accessible to continue to improve the number of confident and competent coaches  

• Practical element of the Coach Award (Sitting) is being staged at the NVC in September.  

Make educational opportunities accessible to continue to improve the number of confident and competent referees  

• The Find a Fixture webpage for referees is to be launched.  
• Her Call Ambassadors are set to be confirmed.  

  

VOLLEYBALL FOR LIFE (TALENT)  

 Building a diverse, inclusive and engaged volleyball workforce and strong talent pathway. 

 Achievements:  

Develop a robust Beach Volleyball Pathway to create athletes with podium potential.  

• A total of 32 beach athletes have been given the opportunity to take part in international competition via the NEVZA Beach event, where the England teams won both U18 golds and both U20 silvers.  

• Monthly national Beach selection and preparation camps for the summer's key events have been staged.  

• England teams have competed at the U18, U20, and U22 Euro Beach Championships, with the U18s performing notably well.   

  Implement the New Talent Plan with its focus on the key areas of coach development, athlete support, and improved competition profile  

• Perfbook has been procured as the organisation’s new athlete management system.  

 

Coming up:  

Implement the New Talent Plan with its focus on the key areas of coach development, athlete support, and improved competition profile  

• UK Volleyball Coaching Symposium to be staged from 14th to 15th September.  

• Expected roll-out of new Sports and Exercise Medicine (SEM) guidance and governance.  

• Perfbook training for all Pathway athletes and coaches.  

 Develop a robust Indoor Volleyball Pathway to create athletes with podium potential

• Senior Men to compete in the Nordic Cup in Denmark from 8th to 10th August. 

    

AN ACE SERVICE   

 High quality domestic and international events.

Achievements:  

Maximise the impact of the talent strategy by hosting targeted international events  

• The NEVZA Youth Beach Tournament for U18 and U20 teams was hosted by VE in Bridlington during June, to provide the high-quality competition for young players on the talent pathway and saw all 115 matches live streamed. 
• Supporting the BVF’s delivery of The ParaVolley Golden EuroLeague for women, which was staged in Nottingham and saw the best club sides in Europe compete across three days.  

Deliver the domestic major events focusing on player and spectator experience  

• Cup Finals Weekend 2024 was held at the NVC in mid-April with enhanced live coverage featuring a two-camera set-up, new graphics and commentary across all 11 matches.  
• The Super League Final 4 was staged at the end of April and saw a peak viewership of more than 500 viewers for the Men’s Cup Final, attracting more than 15,700 streams in all.  
• The NVL Play-offs were staged at the Ashcombe Volleyball Centre in Dorking at the end of April, with London Lionhearts and London Giants securing Super League spots for the 2024-25 season.  
• The Inter-Regional Championships were staged at the NVC at the end of May, attracting more than two million video views across Volleyball England’s social media channels.  

  Raise standards in the National Volleyball League  

• 10 new NVL teams confirmed for 2024-25 season following a thorough selection process that was defined by an NVL advisory group.  

• 2024-25 season rules and regulations published in support of year one of the five-year vision.  

  

Coming Up:  

Raise standards in the National Volleyball League  

• National Cup and Shield draw to be live streamed for the first time.  

Professionalise the Super League  

• Super League Live concept to be launched.  

 

A RESPECTED AND VALUED NGB   

 Achievements:  

• The 2024 AGM was held in June with four new Board members and three delivery leads in Competition, Clubs and Networks and Coaching.    
• The 2024 Player Survey had a record response rate with more than 1,000 players from all levels and all disciplines providing insight to help improve the game.   
• Progress to improve Volleyball England’s governance has continued with Sport England confirming full compliance with the Code for Sports Governance. 
• Volleyball England has been confirmed as the only sport within the Sporting Equals Race Index that received the highest rating for race diversity with officials.   

Coming Up: 

• The Volleyball England Hub team will be working with Duncan and Toplis to complete the annual auditing of the company accounts.  
  
• The annual renewal of insurance with Howdens is to be completed.