Volleyball Ireland's School Competition programme has maintained a steady participation rate for the third successive year with 923 teams participating in the 2019/20 season.

Volleyball Development Officer and Schools Competition lead Conor Flood said, "Based on feedback from teachers we've revamped and re-structured the school competition structure with more fun events for younger players and phasing out of spikeball for 13year olds. We are transitioning more to a mini volleyball system at that age group which give players more relevant skills for enjoying life long participation in the sport."

Notes:

• For player development purposes we are phasing out Spikeball at 2nd year in Secondary School and transitioning to Mini Volleyball, hence a significant fluctuation in participation on those two programmes.
• At primary school level the Spikeball Competition has been replaced with 'The Spikeball Tour' which is an entry level fun based participation event, rather than a formal competition. This is particularly popular with new players, and better promotes the inclusive nature of Volleyball. 
• Furthermore, we have introduced a Mini Volleyball competition at primary level for more advanced players, hence the reduction in Spikeball Competition numbers and an increase in the fun tour and mini volleyball programmes.
• The Special Schools programme, introduced in 2018/19 has not yet been delivered this year. It is planned for after the Easter mid term break. Numbers are projections for this.
• The CEV Schools Project may yet see a further increase in numbers before the school year ends, dependant on the current Covid19 situation.
• In the Secondary School Competitions, some teams may be double counted as they enter both league and cup competitions.
  

Volleyball Ireland ran part one of Clubmark: Your Clubs Development Tool webinar last night. Joining in on the action were Ballymun Patriots, DVC, Munster Thunder, Kilkenny Spartans and Naas VC.

Naas VC are looking like the next club to achieve the accreditation. Karina Higgins Chairperson of the club has been working on the programme with a team of people over the season and shared some of her experience and tips with some of the other clubs who are starting their venture. Karina sensibly advised to get a team of people from the club involved and to delegate the workload. Norma, Club Development & Governance Coordinator, echoed Karina’s advice and said this isn’t a one-person job and that club members need to pull together to support their club in achieving the Clubmark award.

The webinar looked at Effective Management and we went through in depth each criteria and how clubs could complete each section. As well as it being a Clubmark webinar it also touched on the purpose of why clubs should have things like a Constitution, code of conduct etc… in place.

The Part 2 of the webinar will look at Safety in Sport and Quality Assurance and Development and takes place on 9th April @ 6pm. If your club would like information on the Clubamrk programme contact norma@volleyballireland.com  

27.03.2020

Volleyball Ireland Statement: Covid19 Update

Volleyball Ireland continues to follow the advice of the Government and Sport Ireland and has noted recent Government announcements that further measures are being introduced to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

With this in mind all Volleyball activity will remain suspended indefinitely. This includes the cancellation of the upcoming Student Sport Beach Volleyball Varsities event, scheduled for early April.
 
The Volleyball Ireland Competitions & Development Commission, recently held a consultation session with 17 member clubs to explore options to complete the 2019/20 National League Season. There are a number of factors that require consideration and an update will be provided to members in due course.

Volleyball Ireland would like to thank the clubs for their involvement and continued feedback.

Volleyball Ireland has a designated Coronavirus Information page with a range of HSE approved guidelines and resources for members, clubs and communities.  http://www.volleyballireland.com/coronavirus.html

​Ends.
 

Sport Ireland are currently undertaking a review of the Coaching Development Programme for Ireland to ensure that it remains relevant to the needs of coaches, instructors and leaders and the players, athletes and participants they engage with.  As part of the review, they have engaged Humphrey Murphy from Irish Leisure Consultants to set up and run a stakeholder consultation process.  They are now looking for your assistance in this process

Please follow the link below to provide your thoughts and opinions 

www.sportireland.ie/coaching/coaching-development-programme-for-ireland/cdpi-review-stakeholder-consultation

​The questionnaire will remain open until Tuesday 7th April

The HSE has published a list of translated resources in a range of languages. These could be particularly useful for non-Irish members of your clubs.

​https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/covid19-updates/partner-resources/covid-19-translated-resources/

To best help our members cope with the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak we are sharing some FAQs kindly provided by the HSE and Sport Ireland.

 
 What is happening?
The Government is announcing additional measures to protect citizens by delaying the spread of COVID-19.
The general public is asked to follow this advice and keep informed of this ongoing outbreak.
We are actively working to delay the spread of this virus, so that our health system will be able to respond effectively.

What is social distancing?
Social distancing aims, through a variety of means, to decrease or interrupt the spread of COVID-19. It does this by minimising contact between potentially infected individuals and healthy individuals.
Social distancing is keeping a 2m (6ft) space between you and other people. You should not shake hands or make close contact where possible.

What are these measures?
It is important to reduce the risk of further spread of the infection.
1) Self-isolate: People are now being asked to stay at home if they have ‘flu-like symptoms (e.g. fever, cough, etc) regardless of travel or contact history.
2) Social Interactions: Reduce interactions with people outside the workplace as much as possible.
 
All citizens are required to:
- avoid crowded places;
- increase interpersonal distance (ideally separation of at least 2 metres, not shaking hands, avoiding communal sleeping areas);
- when in crowded settings, people should practice personal protective measures as they usually do (e.g., frequent hand hygiene, avoid touching eyes/nose/mouth).

3) Vulnerable Groups
 Protective self-separation is recommended for a person who is at high-risk of severe illness from COVID-19, when the virus is circulating in their community.
These groups include:
- All people aged 75 years and over;
- People (adults and children) with long-term medical conditions including people with cardiac and respiratory conditions;
- People whose immune system is impaired due to disease or treatment including cancer patients;
- Patients with any condition that can compromise respiratory function;
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-stay settings (including disability, mental health and older persons services);
 
 
- All over 50-year olds within the specialist disability health services;
- All people in the specialist disability health services with an underlying health condition.
 
All day services and community day hospitals (including disability, mental health and older persons services) are asked to enhance their social distancing measures.

4) Mass Gatherings
 
There should be no mass gatherings:
- Involving more than 100 people if located indoors
- Involving more than 500 people if located outdoors
 
Museums, galleries and tourism sites will close.
Social distancing and good hygiene should be exercised in all instances.
Respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 spread quickly in crowded spaces. Mass gatherings can amplify the spread of this diseases.
Infections can also be transmitted travelling to and from an event, and in participants' home communities upon return. These recommendations are in line with those now taken by most other EU countries.
Examples of mass gatherings may include conferences, sporting events, religious events, national and international events.

5) Closure of Schools, Creches, Childcare Facilities and Higher Education Institutions
 
The following institutions will close to students;
- educational institutions including creches/ kindergartens, primary and secondary schools and
- higher educational institutions, including universities, research institutes etc.
 
What does delay mean?
We know that COVID19 (Coronavirus) is contagious and many people will catch it. Our delay strategy is planned to slow down the spread of the virus. This means that for example, if 1,000 people are going to catch the virus, the delay initiatives should result in 200 people per week catching the virus over five weeks, rather than 500 people per week catching the virus over 2 weeks. That way we will be able to reduce the burden on our GPs and hospitals.

Will delay measures eliminate COVID19 (Coronavirus)?
It is estimated that all these social distancing measures will significantly reduce the demand for hospital capacity during the peak of the epidemic. This may also reduce the total number of cases and deaths.
Experience from China indicates that the early decisive rapid coordinated and comprehensive implementation of social distancing measures are likely to be more effective min slowing the spread of the virus.

Are you banning flights?
WHO is not recommending that flights be banned at this point.
We are increasing HSE’s Environmental Health presence in the airports. Arrivals will be made aware of our public health advice, asking them to practice social distancing and self-isolation if necessary.

Do I shut down my business?
Employers/employees should prepare to work from home, where possible.
It is recommended that there be a reduction of workplace contacts where possible, implementation of remote working practices/teleconferencing where possible and not to travel for meetings. Work times and break times should be staggered where possible.
Employers will be asked to increase awareness about and communication to staff about COVID-19 and to introduce policies to reduce social contact, such as:
flexible hours;
staggering start times and break times;
teleworking arrangements;
using email and teleconferencing;
reduce face-to-face meetings and gatherings.
Droplets generated by coughs and sneezes are a major source of COVID-19 transmission. Social distancing in workplaces can decrease the risk of person-to-person transmission by reducing droplet transmission that occurs within 2 metres.
If an employee develops ‘flu-like symptoms they should immediately be separated from others, instructed on respiratory etiquette and sent home (not using public transport, if possible).
Advice from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation is available here.

Are visitors banned from hospitals, nursing homes and long stay settings from today?
Restricted visiting is operating in hospitals and nursing homes. Limited social contact within nursing homes, hospitals and long stay settings is required.
Restricted visiting will operate for all residential services (including disability, mental health and older persons services).

Can you describe the symptoms of COVID-19 that require people to stay at home?
The most common symptoms of the virus are:
 fever (high temperature)
 a cough - this can be any kind of cough, not just dry
 shortness of breath
 breathing difficulties
 
Should those with these symptoms contact their GP? Will those with these symptoms be tested for COVID-19?
If you are experiencing these symptoms and are concerned you have been in contact with a person infected with COVID-19, self-isolate and contact your GP by phone.
Your GP or public health doctor will assess you and decide if a test for COVID-19 is necessary.

Will the supply of food be affected?
Businesses are working to ensure that there will be no interruption to the supply chain.
Supermarkets and pharmacies are remaining open with good social distancing

How long will my school be closed?
Schools will be closed until the 29th March and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Can I take public transport as normal?
Yes, but try to travel off peak and practice social distancing. If you are experiencing symptoms, do not use public transport. Self isolate and call your GP.

Will you be stopping trains and buses?
No. Public transport will continue but the public is asked to follow guidelines on social distancing.

Should I wear a mask?
No. There is no evidence to show that masks protect healthy people from COVID-19. Masks are required for healthcare workers in clinical settings.

Should children keep away from grandparents even if neither of them are sick?
Social distancing should be practiced particularly with vulnerable groups.

Thursday March 12, 2020, 13:00
 
Volleyball Ireland Statement: Covid-19 (Coronavirus)
 
With the recent developments related to the outbreak of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus), all Volleyball activity under the auspices of Volleyball Ireland, including club matches, training and school competitions will be suspended indefinitely, with immediate effect.
 
Whilst this decision will undoubtedly be disappointing to many of our hardworking players, coaches, volunteers and officials, the health and safety of our members, and the wider public is our main concern at this time.
 
More information will be provided on the re-scheduling of matches and competitions in due course.
 
We will continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis.

We advise all members to follow HSE Guidance:  
https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus.html


Ends.

 The Squads for the Irish u20 & Snr Mens have been announced, ahead of the upcoming St. Patrick's Day Challenge. 

The u20s will kick off the action at 1030 at the Queen's University PE Centre, Belfast before the Senior team entertain their northern counterparts at 1230. These matches will run alongside the Girls u19 and Senior Women matches.


Head Coach Andrei Molnar is happy as the build up intensifies:



"I am keen to test our U20 and senior team in Belfast before Small Countries Championship in  Luxembourg even if we have a few important players missing, as Cathal Dwyer (U20) has club commitments in Narbonne and Eoghan Monahan (senior) which has a knee injury.

But the National Team has come a long way in the last two years, and nothing would have been possible without the help of my assistant coach Ionuţ Tărmure, or the Squads captains Aidan McDonnell (senior team) and Gareth Gilmartin (U20). And of course, the parents that are supporting us at every step, through finances, supervision and even cooking in our training camps.

Our main target from the start was to change how the game is perceived in Ireland, and I think this National Team senior and junior are making that happen. This was possible for the simple fact that these players are fully committed to the sport and to endure the necessary sacrifices that high-level volleyball demands.

Like always we are going to face the games with our philosophy “play the point, not the game”, and I am confident that our boys are going to make us proud and going to represent again Ireland with honour."

Andrei Molnar.


u20 & Snr Mens Squad V NIR, Sat 14th March

Aidan McDonnell (Snr Only)
Mateusz Checinski (Snr Only)
Cillian O'Riordain
Peter McGlynn
Ciagan Davoren
Cian Humphreys
Yasiru Kiriweldeniyage
Diarmuid Kelly
Gareth Gilmartin (captain)
Jacques Lusson
Kevin Onoro
Conor O'Neill
Colin Burke
Roman Uzun
Jesus Saya

Volleyball Ireland National Team Trials: Graves made captain.
UCD’s Alex Graves has been named captain of the Women’s Senior Team ahead of the upcoming St Patrick’s Day match against Northern Ireland. The powerful wing has been a top performer both for club and country in the last year, excelling in the Small Countries Championship before winning an All Star at last years Annual Dinner. Graves, has also performed well on the sand representing Ireland in the 2019 Continental Cup and Small Nations Championship in Scotland. The American born player, takes over the reigns from Galway’s Olivia Molloy, who has emigrated to Canada.
Commenting on the appointment, Graves said, “It’s a great honour to represent Ireland and to take a leadership role is particularly exciting. I’m humbled that Mark and the Coaching team have chosen me to captain the team, and I am so excited by all of the young talent coming into the Squad as well as a solid core of returning players. Looking forward to the match next weekend, and what the future holds for this Squad and volleyball in Ireland.”
Graves’ selection follows on from a successful trial day where 34 players from 10 clubs attended the recent event in Dublin. The day was split into two sessions with general skill assessments in the morning, followed by structured game play in the afternoon, where 18 of the 34 were retained for a closer look.
 
There was a youthful feel to the day, with the majority of players aged 21 or under, and many being graduates of the recent u17Womens’s Squad that competed in the Faroe Islands and Denmark. Commenting on the talent, Coach Mark Delahunty said, “We were really impressed with the quality, particularly the younger players that have shown real potential for the future. It’s a credit to the work being done by clubs, schools and Junior National Squad coaches that there are so many committed and talented players around. It was incredibly tough getting it down to 18 players for the initial squad, and then tougher still to select the final 12.”
 
The final 12 squad for the annual St Patrick’s Day match V Northern Ireland will be announced shortly.
 

Volleyball Ireland are delighted to announce that Alfredo Aloi of Net Force VC has been co-opted to the board of Volleyball Ireland.

Alfredo's volleyball journey started over 20 years ago in Italy where he held various roles, from player to referee, including a 6 year collaboration with the Sicilian Committee of the Italian Volleyball Federation. During this time Alfredo was in charge of supporting their equivalent of the Competitions Board and in the latter part he was part of their Disciplinary Committee.

Alfredo's direct experience with volleyball clubs, athletes and referees has nourished his passion for volleyball. He's currently actively involved in the development of volleyball in Cork, where he holds a management position with Net Force Volleyball Club Cork.

Alfredo's occupation outside of volleyball entails developing and motivating talents to achieve goals, with a specific focus on training and communication.

Alfredo, worked, lived and practised volleyball in 4 different countries: Italy, UK, Belgium and Ireland.
He enjoys good food and spending time visiting new places with his wife and two young kids.

As you all know, Covid-19 is on the Island of Ireland. While there is ongoing uncertainty about the virus in Ireland, it is important to familiarise yourselves with the facts and advice about the virus on The Health Protection Surveillance Centre’s website at www.hpsc.ie and also The Health Service Executive website www.hse.ie
 
Below are some helpful tips which we would like to remind everyone to familiarise themselves with:

• Regularly clean your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Dry your hands after washing as damp can help germs to breed, allowing them to spread more easily onto whatever you touch next.
• Avoid hugging or kissing people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue in the bin.
• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow.
• Volleyball Ireland recommends also that players and officials refrain from shaking hands before/after matches until further notice. Teams can clap each other off the court – similar to other sports.

 
We would like to again reassure all volleyball participants that we are continuing to monitor government and expert advice closely and will keep you updated as required.

 
Volleyball Ireland are delighted to announce that Fitz Scientific have become the first sponsor to support the u19 Girls National Volleyball Team, ahead of the Small Countries Association Championships this Spring. The Drogheda based company is one of the leading environmental monitoring and testing companies in Ireland. The Irish owned service business has grown rapidly through providing quality service, on time, at a value for money price.
 
Their range of specialist services include Air, Water & Soil testing, as well as food and hygiene monitoring. Their sponsorship as an Official Travel Supporter will help the squad of 14 players and coaches get to Luxembourg ahead of the first match on Thursday April 9th. Kate Fitzpatrick, Business Manager of FitzSci commented, “We are delighted to support the Irish u19 National Volleyball Team as they embark on their European adventure. We’ve been following the progress of the squad for a while now and we’ve been really impressed with the girls commitment, dedication and motivation to represent Ireland. Everyone at Fitz Scientific wishes them the very best of luck.”
 
The teams will entertain Luxembourg, Malta & San Marino at the impressive D’Coque arena in the principality.

General Manager of Volleyball Ireland Gary Stewart added, “The whole squad, coaching team and management are grateful for Fitz Scientific’s support, and we are delighted that an Irish based company that is growing rapidly can help a team that is doing similar. I’d also like to thank Lyz-Anne, the mother of players Edith and Rhona for her hard work in securing the deal.”
 
There are a range of partnership packages available for potential sponsors here. 

Competition Formats & Fixtures

• The JUNIOR MEN'S COMPETITION has 5 teams all teams are in one pool. The pool matches will consist of 2 x 13 min timed sets league positions are determined as per Competition Rules. Each team will play each other once to complete the pool stage.  The top 3 teams will progress to the semi-finals, with 4th & 5th place to play each other in a knock out match to complete the semi-final fixture. The knock-out match and the semi-finals will be a double, 2 timed set, in the event of a 2-2 draw, the points difference in that match will decide who progresses to the final. The pool stage will take place on Saturday and will conclude on Sunday. All pool matches consist of timed sets.

• The intermediate men’s competition has 7 teams including Ireland U20 Men’s, these teams will be split into two pools.  Each team will play each other once to complete their relevant pools. Ireland U20 Men’s results will not be counted and they will be eliminated from the competition on Saturday. For the remaining 6 teams, the top team from each will progress to the semi-finals with the 2nd place pool team playing the 3rd place pool team from the opposite pool to complete the semi-final fixture. The pool stage will take place on Saturday and will conclude on Sunday. All matches before the semi-finals stage consist of timed sets. 

 

• The junior women’s competition has 8 teams and the teams will be split into two pools.  Each team in the pool of 3 will play each other twice to complete their pool, the pool of 4 will play each other once to complete their pool. The top team from Pool A will receive will progress to the semi-finals with the 2nd place pool team playing the 3rd place pool team along with 1st place pool team playing the 4th place pool team from the opposite pool to complete the semi-final fixture. The pool stage will take place on Saturday and will conclude on Sunday. All matches before the semi-finals stage consist of timed sets. 

 

• The intermediate women’s competition has 7 teams including Ireland U19 Women’s, these teams will be split into two pools.  Each team will play each other once to complete their relevant pools. Ireland U19 Women’s results will not be counted and they will be eliminated from the competition on Saturday. For the remaining 6 teams, the top team from each will progress to the semi-finals with the 2nd place pool team playing the 3rd place pool team from the opposite pool to complete the semi-final fixture. The pool stage will take place on Saturday and will conclude on Sunday. All matches before the semi-finals stage consist of timed sets. 

 

• For the mixed recreational tournament, we have 24 teams taking part so we will operate 8 pools of 3 teams.  The top team in each pool advance to the quarter-finals whilst the bottom 2 teams play in the shield competition.  

The fixtures for the Championships are the below document which also contains more details on the format.  Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the fixtures ahead of the weekend.  Please forward to your coaches and team reps so that they can familiarise themselves with the fixtures.   
The hall is accessible 30 minutes before the start of the first match each day.

Time-keeping & officiating
A reminder that teams are expected to be there on time to participate in their first match, the sets are timed and will take place at the scheduled times.  Teams arriving late may be subject to penalty point deductions.  Teams may also be down to officiate a match before playing in their first fixture and must be on time to do so; failure to provide officials will result in penalty point deductions.  Designated team referees may also have to referee matches where your teams are not down as match officials, further details will be provided by the tournament desk.  A new requirement this year, your club nominated referees must bring their official Volleyball Ireland Referee top and wear this while officiating.

Pre-match registration at the Tournament Desk
A tournament desk (up on the balcony in Gormanston) will be in operation for the duration of the weekend.  The coach or team rep must register your team at the desk before your first match.  You will require your registration cards for the players, coaches and referees to do so.  In the absence of registration cards, players must bring valid photographic ID.  Please ensure that you have the registration cards/ID present on both days.  We will be running sample checks throughout the weekend.  Guidelines will be provided to your nominated referees (if you have nominated referees). 

Refreshments & First Aid
In Gormanston, hot food will be available to purchase in the shop on the 1st floor of the sports hall for the duration of the tournament.  There are also vending machines for tea/coffee, confectionery and beverages. 
We would advise teams to allow time to order your food as we predict the shop will be busy.
First aid will also be provided in both venues.
 
Schedule
Saturday 29th February – Gormanston College, Meath
Gormanston College location details
·       Championships (pool matches) – 09:30 to 13.30
·       Mixed Recreational Tournament– begins at 13:45 and the final is scheduled for 19:30.
Sunday 1st March – Gormanston College, Meath
Gormanston College location details
·       Championships (conclusion of pool matches) – 10:00 to 12:00.
·       Knock-out matches – begin at 12:00 and the final is scheduled for 15:00
Matches will be timed so there is no flexibility for late start times. We have tried to give travelling teams outside of Dublin and Kildare a later start time on Saturday.  Specific guidelines regarding formats, timing (matches will be timed), etc. are within the below document.
The hall is accessible 30 minutes before the start of the first match each day. 
Please note that teams must register at the tournament desk on Saturday before your first match so please allow sufficient time for this process to take place.   

Finals reminder
A reminder that the finals for all 4 Championships competitions: Intermediate Women, Intermediate Men, Junior Women, Junior Men – will take place on Sunday 1st March.
We are looking for any volunteers willing to help out at the tournament desk over the course of the weekend, even for a few hours.  So if you have any players (injured or otherwise), non-playing club members, friends or family members who would like to get involved at any stage over the weekend, please contact us.  Prior volleyball or tournament knowledge is not required! 
Please note that every effort has been made to make a rather complex system fair to everyone.  Our aim is to have a fun and competitive weekend for all players in all competitions and we have tried to address the comments at the Workshop with regard to sufficient playing time.  If there are any errors or omissions, please bring them to our attention and we will do our best to sort any issue out.
If you have any questions or queries during the weekend, please have your team rep come speak to the tournament desk.  Please bear in mind that the desk may be busy at times and we may not be able to answer your query straightaway.  Information regarding tiebreak formulas (if required) will be available at the tournament desk. 
Finally, on behalf of Volleyball Ireland & the Competitions Commission, I would like to wish all teams the best of luck for the weekend. 

he FIVB today announced the second edition of the Snow Volleyball World Tour, which features stops in Turkey and Argentina and will connect more people with the sport than ever before.

The World Tour will begin on March 12-15 at Kayseri-Erciyes Ski Center, one of Turkey’s biggest and most famous ski resorts. The FIVB has signed an agreement with the Turkish Volleyball Federation for Turkey to host the first event of the Word Tour for the next three years, allowing the federation to build a high-quality event that will become a staple of the snow volleyball calendar. Turkey has strong snow volleyball credentials having hosted CEV Snow Volleyball Tour events before and its women’s national team won silver at  the 2018 European Snow Volleyball Championships in Wagrain.
 
Snow volleyball athletes will be familiar with the region of Bariloche in Argentina, which hosted an event on the inaugural World Tour last year and will once again host an event this year on August 20-23. In 2019, Argentina participated in every event on the Snow Volleyball World Tour, with both the men’s and women’s teams successfully reaching the podium at some point during the season. The women's teams were consistently challenging for medals, finishing with one silver and three bronze, while the men's team triumphed in the final leg of the Tour, taking gold in front of their home fans in Bariloche. Their spectacular final against the USA was broadcasted on NBC and the Olympic Channel among others.

The FIVB is still considering a number of applicants to host legs on the Tour in 2020, and further announcements will be made in due course. In addition, all matches will be broadcast live on YouTube for snow volleyball fans around the world. Registration for all teams hoping to take part in the event in Turkey is open through the Volleyball Information system.

Following the announcement, FIVB President Dr Ary S. Graça Fᵒ said: “This is another huge step for the growth of snow volleyball. In every country that we have hosted events, athletes and fans have loved the skill, athleticism and atmosphere of snow volleyball.

“We are now taking the Tour to Turkey for the first time and returning to Argentina, and both countries provide us with a great opportunity to reach new fans. Our goal with snow volleyball was to create a volleyball discipline suitable for northern hemisphere countries to play, as well as a chance for traditionally summer-sport nations to take part in winter sport. Snow volleyball is a pathway for more people to enjoy sport globally, and this is a very exciting development for us.”


The FIVB launched the first-ever Snow Volleyball World Tour last year. Teams from all five Continental Confederations participated, showing the appetite from typically summer nations to engage in winter sport.

In recent years, working in collaboration with the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV), the FIVB staged a number of high-profile snow volleyball events, including Snow Volleyball Night in 2018. With the support of the Austrian Olympic Committee, Snow Volleyball Night was hosted outside Austria House during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games and attracted the attention of a number of high-profile IOC Members as well as the world’s media.

Just last month, the FIVB hosted Snow Volleyball Festival in the mountainous region of Villars-sur-Ollon in the Swiss Alps. The snow volleyball court was packed for the two-day event as young people and families from Switzerland and around the world experienced the new and exciting sport at the time of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games. A number of IOC Members and representatives from the Olympic Movement also tried out snow volleyball for the first time at the event.

The Irish Women's u19 National Team are organising a fundraising concert to support their 2020 Small Countries Association campaign. The 'east' branch of the fundraising team have used their contacts and networks to secure the services of the prestigious Garda Band and the highly decorated Kilcullen Gospel Choir.

Event details: 
Thursday March 19th, 8pm start
St Brigids Church, Kill, Co. Kildare
€10 per ticket
Tickets here.
​

Volleyball Ireland are hosting trials for the Senior Women's team on Sunday March 1st. The event is open to all interested players. 

The training session will be from 10-4pm in Blanchardstown and is open to all players that have an Irish passport or are expecting to get one in the next 12 months. We are conscious that this clashes with Day 2 of The Championships. As not to exclude any interested players from Division 1 teams, Head Coah Mark Delahunty will be present at the Championships on Sat Feb 29th to run the rule over any interested players that may be participating that weekend. 

Interested players can register here; https://forms.gle/cmJNcsXXCDR3DNhk6  before Mon Feb 24th.

Volleyball Ireland have announced details of an excellent range of sponsor opportunities that will support the Boys u20 and Girls u19 teams ahead of the upcoming SCA Championships this Spring. The event in Luxembourg is expected to cost each team in the region of €10,000.

The packages on offer provide an excellent return on investment, as well as strong brand exposure and genuine benefits for the partner.

For more information please contact Gary Stewart, gm@volleyballireland.com

​

Volleyball Ireland are delighted to introduce a new innovative event aimed at Club Junior Sections. The 'Fun Blitz Tour' kicks off in University of Limerick of March 22nd and will take in a range of venues in all corners of Ireland over the coming year.  The first 50 players registered will also receive a free ball.

Activities and matches will be organised for beginners at all ages from 8-16 years old.

Development Officer Conor Flood said, "the aim of the Fun Blitz Tour is to provide an introduction for beginners to play 'real volleyball matches' against opposition. It will act as a stepping stone to an expanded junior league structure in coming years."

The concept has been developed based on feedback from clubs that are operating junior sections. It is hoped the tour will keep young players interested and motivated to stay in volleyball, whilst creating the first step in the club player pathway. 

Volleyball Ireland General Manager, Gary Stewart added, "Helping clubs develop youth sections and create a player pathway is a key part of our strategic plan and this event will really support those clubs that have developed junior activities. We are seeing great work in clubs like Ballymun Patriots, Dalkey Devils, Net Force, Newbridge and Naas, as well as super activity over in Galway so we hope this innovative event will give players, coaches and clubs something to work towards." 

Volleyball Ireland will soon be announcing details of the new youth club starter pack programme which will reward clubs that are establishing youth sections with training equipment.

For more information contact Conor at cdo@volleyballireland.com

0The All Ireland Schools Final was another cracking day of Volleyball action as St Flannan's, Ennis, Drumbshanbo VS, Leitrim and Holy Family SS, Newbridge added another trophy to their 2019/20 collection, whilst Colaiste Mhuire, Ennis lost a thrilling 5-setter in the u18s Girls Finale.

u16 Girls All Ireland Final: Holy Family 2-0 Portadown College
The Newbridge clubs unrivalled unbeaten Secondary Schools record was extended as they brushed aside their Craigavon counterparts 25-16, 25-18. Despite a slow start the girls in red triumphed with some hard hitting at the net as Sophie Quinlivan-Nolan dominated the opening set. Libero Frances Petrofouva was assured as usual, but didn't need to back up her MVP performance from last week in Galway as Kate O'Connor and setter Tara Mae Nolan took control of the second.

All in all a professional performance from a team which must be eyeing up a shot at Senior Cup glory in 2021?

u16 Boys All Ireland Final: Drumshando VS 2-1 Campbell College
Tension was high in our first match that went the distance as the lads from Leitrim held on to win a thrilling and nervy Cadet final 25-20, 25-27, 25-22. Drumshanbo started brightly building a steady lead before the men in black nearly stole the show. In fact, if it wasn't for some acute serving from Danny McWeeney the title could have easily gone up the M1, with Luke Johnstone particularly good. However, Conor Flood and Radaslaw Oberwan kept nerves under control to see out the win in the decider.

u18s Girls All Ireland Final: Colaiste Mhuire 2-3 Dalraida College
Another 5-set final for the Ennis team, but unfortunately this one didn't quite go their way. They did however, fly into an 8-0 lead in the first before a spirited comeback from the Ballymoney side. After winning the first 25-13 the expectation was Colaiste would fly on, but a team littered with NI Internationals showed great spirit to wrestle the match back and claim the second and third sets 25-21, 25-20. 

Maria Jones was powerful on the wing and Edith Kearney and Una Ni Choileann were racking up points down the middle as Colaiste claimed the 4th 25-14. The decider swung back and forth and at 11-9 it looked like the title was going to Ennis. As mentioned earlier the fight on Ballymoney was evident and the height of Lauren Forcrave useful as her skills at the net meant Dalraida ran out winners 15-13.

The game lasted over 2 hours and is testament to the athleticism of all players that the standard was maintained throughout. It will be little consolation to the Clare team that they won 12 more points overall, but it shows the competitiveness of both teams.

Boys u18 All Ireland Final: St Flannans 3-0 Campbell College
There was some silverware heading West as Flannan's added another accolade to their impressive collection defending their trophy, despite being without their leader Cathal Dwyer who is continuing his work with Narbonne VC in France. Cian Humphreys and Cillian O'Riardain were unstoppable throughout the match, and assisted by accurate setting from Jesus Saya they were too hot to handle. It's clear they've been working hard in recent months both technically and physically. 

The Ennis team didnt quite have it their own way though, as Campbell College backed by a vociferous support fought back strongly and in fact there was only a 10 point gap across the three sets, as Flannan's top the prize 25-19, 25-23, 25-23.

For many of these players their focus now turns to representing Ireland in the Small Countries Association Championship in April. You can back Team Green through the teams crowdfunding page.... ​https://www.pledgesports.org/projects/team-green-supporting-irish-volleyball/

​Ireland to host International World Tour Beach Volleyball Tournament
 
The prestigious FIVB World Tour 1* event will be staged in Bettystown, County Meath over the weekend of July 17-19th. The successful bid comes on the back of the hosting of Pool C of the CEV Continental Cup at the same venue last June. The execution of that Olympic qualifying event means Ireland will make its World Tour hosting debut this year, joining the likes of Moscow, Cancun and Rome on the 2020 Tour programme.
 
The tournament will be Men’s only, featuring some of the best players in the World ahead of the Summer Olympics, it will also re-unite the top Irish pairing of Oisin McArdle and Alex Gibbons (pictured 1=OM, 2=AG) who are very much looking forward to the support of the Irish crowds, Gibbons said, “I’m delighted that Ireland will host the 1* event, it’s the best buzz to play in front of a home crowd I cant wait to get back on Irish Sand in July. I’ve been training hard in Australia over the winter with some top players and hopefully I can bring this form into the Irish Summer.”
 
The tournament will include a qualification section on Day 1 (Friday 17 July), before the main draw kicks off on the Saturday.
 
Volleyball Ireland president Grainne Culliton added, “These events are a key part of our strategy to raise the profile of the sport, and to inspire the next generation of players. Our volunteers really put on a great show at last years Olympic Qualifier and this success is down to them. We are grateful for the trust that the CEV and FIVB are putting in us, and we cant wait to go again. Events like this really show we are serious about developing the sport, and they allow us to build great relationships with our partners like Meath County Council and we are appreciative of their continued support.”
 
Volleyball Ireland will be working with Meath County Council to develop a range of development activities around the competition, including the launch of a new Social Volley programme for beginner players and a Beach Volleyball camp for juniors. Commenting on the news, Meath Cllr Sharon Tolan added, “I am delighted that Bettystown Beach will host its second International Beach Volleyball Tournament. Events like this really bring alive the area and we hope that all of our local residents, businesses and visitors can get involved in a wonderful weekend showing off a beautiful stretch of our coastline.”
 
Last years event drew excellent crowds to the 500seater pop up stadium and surrounding dunes, gaining widespread media interest both locally and nationally.
 
Relive the 2019 CEV Continental Cup... 

Volleyball Ireland's under 20 and under 19 Boys & Girls teams have partnered up with Irish crowdfunding site Pledgesports.org to help build support ahead of their Small Countries AssociationC Campaigns in Luxembourg this April.

There are a range of 'levels' where fans and supporters to make a contribution to the cause, in exchange for various rewards - including the soon-to-be-launched official support t-shirts.

You can donate to either team or to both on the following links:
Girls u19 >  https://www.pledgesports.org/projects/team-green-support-the-u19s-irish-girls-volleyball-team/
Boys u20 > https://www.pledgesports.org/projects/team-green-support-the-u20s-boys-irish-volleyball-team/
Support both teams  > https://www.pledgesports.org/projects/team-green-supporting-irish-volleyball/

Our teams are travelling to Luxembourg to take on San Marino, Wales and the hosts in what promises to be a wonderful experience for our youngsters. The combined cost of the trip is expected to be in the region of €19,000 which includes flights, hotel, food and match jerseys for 26 players, plus the volunteer coaching team. 

Both teams would like to offer their appreciation for your continued help and support!

​What a week in school volleyball we had!
 
Two major finals days, back to back in the city of Galway. On Wednesday over 300 spectators, players, coaches, VI staff, bus drivers and parents all descended on NUIG Kingfisher for the 2020, U16 National Finals.
 
The matches and event certainly lived up to the hype as the Girls A final got us underway. Holy Family SS A looking to continue their winning ways raced into a 16-3 lead in the first set. However, their Kildare rivals from Naas fought back with great spirit coming back to within 2 points of their Newbridge neighbours.
 
Holy Family served out the first and took the second to win 2-0. The Kildare school however didn’t quite have it all their own way on the day as Scoil Mhuire of Strokestown clinched the B title 2 sets to 1, against the Holy Family's division B team.
 
In the Girls C division, it was a nip and tuck game. Ardscoil Mhuire Ballinasloe raced into a one set lead however the Dublin school Grange CC came fighting back to take the next two sets and the match, 2-1.
 
As for the boys St Brigid’s College, Loughrea got back to winning titles this time at the expense of Patrician Presentation in the Boys B final 2-0. As did Drumshanbo VS who overcame Elphin CC on a similar score line 2-0. 
 
Congratulations to all coaches, players and schools for a remarkable year and making it all the way to the National Finals.
 
Boys A – Drumshanbo VS 2-0 Elphin CC
Boys B – St Brigid’s College 2-0 Patrician Presentation
Girls A – Holy Family SS 2-0 St Mary’s College
Girls B – Scoil Mhuire 2-1 Holy Family SS
Girls C – Grange CC 2-1 Ardscoil Mhuire
 
We weren’t quite finished for the week yet as we had our biggest ever Post Primary Spikeball Finals the following day. This time it was all about the new 1st year players. We had 200+ competing on the final day. A total of 102 matches on the day would determine this year’s champions.
 
The 34 schools progressed from their regional pools just before Christmas to set themselves up against the best of the best in the country. It was a phenomenal day of player skills and also refereeing from our older students who took complete control of games throughout the day. As the day moved on, the counties represented became less and less until we were left with only 4.
 
The boys final Sutton Park School of Dublin faced against Grennan College of Kilkenny. An incredibly tight game saw the Kilkenny side just clinch this year’s title. Over in the girls two different counties of Kerry and Laois. It was the Kingdom’s Mercy Mounthawk that took gold over Scoil Chriost Ri after an intense 2-1 win. Again, huge congrats to all schools for progressing to the final day.
 
What’s up next for school’s volleyball?
The focus shifts to one of the most anticipated events on the school calendar. January 30th in The National Indoor Arena, we have North VS South. Our Senior and U16 A Champions will face their northern counterparts in an exciting Champion of Champions day of volleyball. Representing our country is a fantastic four different schools showing the competitive nature of volleyball we have at this moment. Last year it was honours even as two trophies went back North. Let’s see how 2020 plays out. The best of luck to all players!
 
Senior Boys – St Flannan’s College, Ennis V Campbell College, Belfast
Senior Girls – Colaiste Mhuire, Ennis V Dalriada School, Ballymoney
U16 Boys Drumshanbo VS, Leitrim V Campbell College, Belfast
U16 Girls- Holy Family SS, Newbridge V Portadown College, Craigavon
 
We also have our much-coveted Schools Cup and junior volleyball first rounds currently underway. Stay tuned for the big updates as we progress towards the final straight of school volleyball for this season.

Tutors Clodagh NicCanna and Vinnie Dos Santos had a fruitful trip to the West of Ireland, to deliver a Grade 3 referees course in partnership with the Mayo Volleyball Club. 9 of the 12 candidates passed the exam and assessment with flying colours, including Mikal O'Boyle who scored an impressive 98%.

The Education & Training Commission would like to thank Longford Smashers VC for their participation as players - as well as Mayo VC for their help and support organising and promoting the course.

 We had a fantastic day on Saturday at our first ever DIVA Conference.

​ Developing, Inspiring, Volleyball, Activators or ‘DIVA’  is funded through the Sport Ireland Women in Sport Programme. It will support your students develop leadership skills and establish social volleyball classes within their institution. For many Activators, it will be the first step on the Coaching and Leadership ladder.

Our first batch of DIVA's are from Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Technical University Dublin Tallaght, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Cork Institute of Technology and Dungarvan College. 

 The objective of the DIVA Programme aims to increase participation, engagement and activity within college life.  We are very excited to  be working with each of the DIVA's and we look forward to seeing them bring  this   fantastic initiative to life. 
 
Keep an eye on our social media pages to see what are DIVAs are up to!