 In response to the Government's move to Level 5 restrictions and the subsequent curtailment of Volleyball activity, Volleyball Ireland have launched a five week Virtual programme for clubs, coaches, referees and players.
The programme is a mix of education, learning and social get togethers, with a focus on; Club Development, Youth Development, Coach & Referee Education. Gary Stewart, General Manager of Volleyball Ireland said, "the whole volleyball community is disappointed that we can't get on court of course, but we're hopeful that these virtual sessions will keep our members engaged with the sport, and connected to the volleyball community. We're hoping that whilst players can't train or play, they may consider taking part in a coaching course and use those times reserved for training and matches to train as an official." A key part of the programme are the Social get togethers which will be relaxed, informal and light hearted. Gary added, "the social side of Volleyball is one of its key strengths and we're very much aware that people miss that. Hopefully the informal referee get togethers and coach catch ups will give that social connection." The programme isn't all serious, with week 3 of the Virtual Volleyball initiative featuring the Big Club Quiz on November 13th - who will be crowned the biggest brain in Irish Volleyball? There are five key categories included in Virtual Volleyball: Club Development: These workshops will upskill volunteers and build capacity in clubs. A variety of topics will be covered including Social Media, Managing Meetings and information on our new club development programme - VolleyGrow. Youth Development: Designed for u18s a variety of educational workshops will take place including introductory workshops for coaching and refereeing. We also have some International stars of Volleyball lined up to share their experiences and tips. Coach & Referee Education: A mix of accreditted courses, workshops and Q&As will keep our referees and coaches engaged and upskilled throughout the lockdown period. We will also be hosting some informal catch ups and chats where coaches and referees can share experiences and tips. Watch Parties: We'd all love to be playing Volleyball right now, but we can't. So instead we'll be replaying some action for matches gone by, as well as sharing some interesting online documentaries so you can get your VolleyFix. Grab the popcorn. Informal, Social, Chats & Talks: The social side of Volleyball is arguably the best side of Volleyball. We're missing that right now. So instead we will be hosting some social catch ups including the Big Club Quiz - who's the biggest brain in Irish Volleyball? These sessions will be a great chance to catch up with your Volleyball buddies. How do we sign up? Each Monday morning we will be publishing registration links and info the week ahead. Most sessions will be held on Zoom. All courses except the Foundation Coaching course are free. You can find more info on Virtual Volleyball here. Level 5, Guidance note: Wednesday October 21, 21:45 In the wake of the Government's move to Level 5 of the Living with Covid Plan, Volleyball Ireland has updated the Level by Level guide for Volleyball activity. For the avoidance of doubt, all Volleyball activity is suspended at Level 5. Volleyball Ireland would again like to thank our club network, playing community and Covid officers for all their diligent work and adherence to protocols throughout the Covid pandemic. Further information and updates on the status of Volleyball competitions will be provided in due course.  Young Leaders Online Learning
As part of our continual drive for youth development, Volleyball Ireland are hosting a two-part webinar series which will help introduce coaching and refereeing to our current and future youth officials. The online training is a brief prelude to the Coaching Ireland Foundation Course and also Volleyball Ireland’s Official Grade 3 Referee Course. The programme is aimed at all young players aged 13-17 years old. The course is FREE. Register in advance for these sessions https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkceGrrD4tHNe_49YTBOpThxfTJmE1mKo3 Session 1: Intro to Coaching, Wednesday, October 28th, 6-8pm
Scoresheet Step by Step Webinar Thursday, October 29th, 8-9pm Volleyball Ireland’s Education & Training commission are hosting a scoresheet webinar for beginners and experienced volleyballers. This one-hour session will also include an opportunity for Q&A. The presentation will cover each section step by step as well as the newly added checklist for 2020-2021. We encourage all players and officials to register for this e-learning session at the following link. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkdeuprzspHNNQCI7rELNmLY4W2FQA3CNM
Referee Refresher Course Thursday, November 5th, 7-10 pm The Education and Training commission are delighted to be hosting a follow up referee refresher course. This will be the final opportunity in 2020 for those referees looking to update their licences before registration opens in January once again. The webinar will be hosted by Alan Gormally and you are invited to register at the link below. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0uf-yqrjsvHNfEjvbtoFYmJjs4BjLsTd-X
Quiz Night Friday 13th November, 19:30 - 21:30 We bring 8 rounds of trivia questions to you live via zoom. Let your team mates know and battle it out to see who has the smartest brain in volleyball. Link below to join. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88961697411 Passcode: QuizNight Due to the Government’s announcement yesterday evening (October 14th), that the exemption for Senior Club Championships at Level 3 of the Living with Covid Plan has been removed, all indoor Volleyball activity is now suspended until further notice. This includes National League team training and matches. Outdoor Volleyball training can still take place in pods of 15. Volleyball Ireland would like to take this opportunity to thank clubs and Covid officers across the country who have worked diligently, tirelessly and at great expense to put in place the comprehensive protocols that have so far allowed the safe return to Volleyball. Further information on an updated return to volleyball plan will be published in due course. Volleyball Ireland.  Volleyball Ireland continues to closely monitor the current Coronavirus pandemic and is following guidance from the Government’s Expert Group for Sport’s Resilience & Recovery framework published on September 18th.
The Government’s Living with Covid plan permits National Governing Bodies to operate their Senior Club Championship at Level 3. Therefore, the adult National League will begin as planned this coming weekend (October 10th, 11th). However, the Board of Volleyball Ireland recognises and respects that members of our community may have concerns about playing, training and travelling to and from Volleyball activity at this time. With this in mind, the Board have directed that clubs located in a Level 3 county, can request a postponement of their match, if they are not comfortable fulfilling the fixture (ref: Competition Rule 5.10). The process for the postponement request will be communicated with Club Secretaries in due course. The health and safety of the Volleyball Ireland community is our priority and we are determined to be proactive regarding precautions to limit the spread of the Coronavirus. More information on the Volleyball Ireland protocols as well as HSE approved guidance and advice can be found at www.volleyballireland.com/coronavirus. Ahead of this weekend’s fixtures players are reminded that Gardai travel checkpoints are in place nationwide and teams should consider potential delays in their travel plans. Travel Authorisation exemption letters have been distributed to all licensed players, referees and coaches. Ends. References Competition Rule 5.10: In the event that either team deems the weather or other conditions too dangerous to travel to a match, and an appropriate national authority has officially issued a travel/safety warning, the opposing team and match officials should be informed. The Match should be postponed, and details sent to the Competitions & Development Commission to review, including a copy of the official advice. If it is subsequently deemed that there was no travel/safety issue, the team refusing to travel shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Match without authorisation and will forfeit the Match.  Following the Government's announcement on October 5th, that all counties in the Republic of Ireland will be moving to Level 3 status, the following guidance for Volleyball Clubs is provided: 1. Adult National League matches and training are permitted to proceed as planned, under the 'Senior Club Championship' exemption provided by Sport Ireland and the Government's Expert for Sport Group. This permits players, officials and support personnel to travel to other counties for the purpose of National League Matches and training. 2. No other Indoor training is permitted at Level 3. Players can train individually, but not in a group. 3. Outdoor training is permitted in pods of 15. The latest Volleyball Ireland protocols are available at the bottom of the page. 
 Volleyball Ireland has recorded significant improvements in all areas as it publishes the results of the 2019-20 season annual stakeholder survey.
The survey, now in its second year, has established ‘performance benchmarks’ in a range of different areas including Communications, Coach Education, Player Development and Leadership. As well as providing members the opportunity to put forward their own ideas to improve their sport. The survey assesses whether members’ consider the Association to have a positive image and whether they consider it to be successful as an NGB. (note: this concept and the benchmarking questions was inspired by the UEFA Grow project presented at the FIS conference at the Aviva stadium. UEFA provided the same questions that they use to assess their national federations in Soccer). Last years version provided a range of ideas which Volleyball Ireland has since implemented including; regular newsletters, online player registration system, a coaching workshop series and a move to a fun non-competitive primary school competition. The survey also asks ‘how successful you perceive Volleyball Ireland to be as an NGB’. General Manager, Gary Stewart, said, “The Stakeholder survey is really important as the ideas and suggestions impact our operational plans and programmes. Last year we had around 65 responses with a range of brilliant ideas, some of which we’ve managed to put in place. I’m not concerned with the actual scores we get, our focus is we improve and get better in every area, year on year. That’s what we strive for and as a members organisation it’s vital our members are the ones to judge that.” Last year around 5% of licensed playing members completed the survey, now with the weekly newsletter engaging over 1700 subscribers, Gary is delighted the numbers completing the survey increased, he added, “We aimed to double the number of responses which we have more or less achieved. This gives us even more information to work with and more ideas to implement. Naturally, we have a lot of conversations with people over the year and getting feedback that way is great, but having hard data and scores that can be measured is invaluable.” Stakeholder Survey In 2019 the first Volleyball Ireland stakeholder survey was published allowing members to provide a series of satisfaction benchmarks in key areas of the sport. The survey is used to measure the organisations performance versus the previous 12 months. The survey also provides members with a chance to suggest their own ideas for new projects or activities that will improve their experience of Volleyball in Ireland. The 2020 version received nearly double the number of respondents which provides a more accurate picture of member sentiment. 2019 Score 68 responses 2020 Score 120 responses Do you consider Volleyball Ireland to be a successful NGB? 58% Successful 15% Unsuccessful 27% Don’t Know 72% Successful 3% Unsuccessful 25% Don’t Know How do you rate the overall image of Volleyball Ireland? 69% Positive 16% Negative 15% Don’t Know 80% Positive 3% Negative 17% Don’t Know Specific Areas, ratings out of 10 Net Promoter Score The 2020 version includes a Net Promoter Score question. Net Promoter Score is a globally recognised tool to measure customer satisfaction in a number of industries. NPS works by asking a simple question “How likely are you to recommend a friend or colleague to become a member of Volleyball Ireland”. Members then score on a scale of 1-10. People who rate 9 or 10 are classed as promoters. Anyone who scores 1-6 is classed as a detractor. And 7 & 8s are rated as passives. The % of detractors is subtracted from the % of promoters to give a score between -100 and +100. Global benchmarks suggest a score of 30 is ‘good’ and anything above 50 is ‘excellent’. Promoters: 58% Detractors: 9% Passives: 33% NPS Rating: 49 Most promoters recognise the improvement that has been made across the board particularly identifying improve communications, engagement and more social media activity, including the new Monster Block weekly newsletter. Promoters highlighted the Coaching Masterclass and online webinars as good steps forward as well as noting an increase in National Team activity and the efforts made to develop youth club competitions and junior beach activities, including the Friendship Tournament held last year. Conversely some detractors highlighted a lack of social media activity and content and promotion in general, with suggestions that more of an effort to get volleyball promoted on mainstream media such as TV and national papers is needed. Several comments related to a ‘Dublin bias’ with more programmes needed nationwide, as well as lack of funding for National team programmes. Several detractors highlighted a need to centralised referee appointments and a move away from club referees. Passives are generally satisfied with the performance of Volleyball Ireland but identified more tournaments and events for social/recreational players would be a step forward. As well as more help supporting clubs with funding. In summary, the stakeholder survey has seen increased scoring in all departments which signifies improvement and satisfaction of members. In general terms the organisation has a very positive reputation and image. This should give encouragement for the future and reassurance that Volleyball Ireland is moving in the right direction. Whilst the scoring signifies improvement it also demonstrates there is continuous work to do, especially in areas of player development and participation development. Implementing programmes for both should be priorities. There are still areas for improvement, and the ideas and feedback gained will help inform this ahead of next years survey.  Join representatives from the Ireland Mens National Team including players Cathal Dwyer, Peter McGlynn, Gareth Gilmartin and Head Coach Andrei Molnar, as well as Narbonne Coach Jose Trefle as we discuss the Narbonne Twinning Project. The webinar will explore the background and future plans! You can join in and ask questions on the Zoom or follow on Volleyball Ireland's YouTube Channel. Saturday October 3rd 6pm Register > https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrduGrrz8rE9VIA7aCabosWM4FqZuYpEmn Belgian Youth Volleyball coach expert and CEV tutor Kristof de Loose delivered a fascinating online webinar for Volleyball Ireland's Coaches and teachers on Thursday evening. Over 100 individuals registered for the event which explored the development of key volleyball movement skills. Check out the materials from the event:
Volleyball Ireland will be running Safeguarding Workshops to help train up Safeguarding officers ahead of the new season. These workshops will be online and are for those who will be taking up the roles of the Club’s Children’s Officer and or Designated Liaison Person or due to renew their certificate. If you are unsure whether you are due to renew your certificate please nco@volleyballireland.com
Safeguarding 2 – Children’s Officer Workshop 1st October 2020, 6.30-9.30pm Cost €20 pp Limited to 12 places Contact nco@volleyballireland.com to reserve your place Safeguarding 3 – Designated Liaison Person 6th October 2020, 6.30-9.30pm Cost €20 pp Limited to 12 places Contact nco@volleyballireland.com to reserve your place If you are a Children’s Officer you must complete Safeguarding 1 & 2. If you are a Designated Liaison Person you must complete Safeguarding 1, 2 & 3.  The Narbonne twinning project continues to bear fruit with the great news that u20 Men's National Squad players Gareth Gilmartin and Peter McGlynn will be heading to the South of France for a 'one week internship'.
The trip will involve training with the professional outfit, gaining an insight into the life of a full time Volleyball player, in the French top flight. Both players will join Cathal Dwyer who is excelling with the team at the moment. Gilmartin of Drumshanbo VS is the current captain of the Men's u20 squad and said, "I'm delighted and really excited to head over to France and experience the culture and environment of an elite professional team. It's an opportunity I'm grateful for and would like to thank Narbonne for giving me the chance, as well as my coaches and Volleyball Ireland that have helped at underage level here in Ireland that have helped me get to this stage." Volleyball Ireland would like to thank Mens Squad Head Coach Andrei Molnar, as well as Eric Marty and the team at Narbonne Volley for driving this opportunity. 44 people from 18 different clubs attended Volleyball Ireland's Annual General Meeting - the first ever held online. National President Grainne Culliton opened proceedings and thanked the Volleyball community for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. Noting the CEV Continental Cup held last Summer as standout achievements for the organisation. Co-opted Treasurer Barbara Wojcik-Jaruga provided a financial report which included a 32% income and expenditure increase versus the previous financial period. The following elections took place: Clodagh NicCanna (DVC) elected as Vice President unopposed. Alfredo Aloi (Net Force) and Erica Fatini (Munster Thunder) elected as Ordinary Board Members unopposed. Barbara Wojcik-Jaruga (Balbriggan) elected as Treasurer unopposed. Volleyball Ireland Commissions presented relevant reports on Competitions & Development, Education & Training and High Performance. Before General Manager Gary Stewart introduced a progress update on strategic objectives and results from the 2020 Stakeholder Survey which shows a membership satisfaction improvement score in all areas. Volleyball Ireland staff Conor Flood, Mark Leonard Doyle and Norma McIntyre provided summary information on youth development, club development and operational improvements. Further information on Volleyball Ireland's activities during 2019 can be found in the comprehensive 2019-20 Annual Report and financial statements below.
Government Restrictions, Level 3 DUBLIN
Friday September 18, 2020, 20:30 In line with the recent Government announcement on the Level 3 restrictions in Dublin, all Volleyball activity under the auspices of Volleyball Ireland and affiliated clubs in the county of Dublin is suspended from midnight this evening (Friday September 18th). With the exception of: 1/ Team Training and Competitive Matches for affiliated *National League Adult Teams. For clarity this includes teams that are registered to compete in the 2020/21 National League Competition (Premier, Division 1 and Division 2 only). 2/ Outdoor training is permitted in pods of 15, including coaching staff. Recreational/fun/social sessions are not permitted at Level 3 of the new Living with Covid Plan. A level by level overview of Volleyball restrictions and protocol guidance will be published in the coming days. *Volleyball Ireland’s National League is classified as a Senior Club Championship and is exempt from Level 2 and Level 3 pod training and match restrictions. This only applies to teams and players registered and licensed to play in the Volleyball Ireland Adult National League. Ends.  Saturday September 12th marked the closing stage of our Junior Beach Tour 2020. Under sunny conditions at Bettystown Beach our junior players competed to determine winners of the U19 and U15 categories we set out for this year’s events.
Following on from our successful Junior Beach Performance Camp last summer, it was clear there was a demand for Junior beach volleyball out there. This summer Volleyball Ireland in partnership with the Olympic Federation of Ireland set about creating a new programme with junior player development at the forefront. Youth Development officer Conor Flood said “The focus for 2020 was to set up regionalised training days and blitz events to allow those younger players opportunities to engage more often with high level coaches but also to compete and sharpen their skills. Over the last few years, we have seen significant growth in youth volleyball players for indoor. We aim to transition these players and others across to the beach and keep their development progressing throughout the summer months” In a summer of uncertainty and government restrictions the Junior tour managed to complete all events scheduled. The players got underway on Bettystown beach -Home to the Tokyo Olympic beach qualifier no less than 12 months prior. Under the expert tuition of national beach fitness instructor/coach Viera Hauriskova and national beach team coach Luciana Sombra the players got their summer underway. Across the next 6 weeks training would alternate to the western region and there would also be competition opportunities on both coastlines of the country for all players looking to take part. The final competition stage that took place was combined with the women’s senior beach team training. This was an opportunity for the younger players to not only observe the training at times but also engage in a King and Queen of the court. All players had the chance to compete alongside and against the senior team, driving their development once more. Ireland’s beach team coach Luciana Sombra had this to say on the final day. “It’s great to see so many young and talented players taking to the beach and enjoying their volleyball. We are in the early stages of putting together a youth programme for the squads and aim to establish teams that will compete for Ireland on the European stage over the next number of years. From what I have seen over the summer we have a really good start” As the Junior Beach Programme closes, we want to thank all 44 players, parents, coaches, our partners at the OFI, Meath and Clare LSP's, county councils, staff, women’s senior team and everyone else that helped elevate junior volleyball this summer. Congrats to our 2020 Champions! U19 Boys Gareth Gilmartin & Cian Humphreys U19 Girls Lara Nichols & Maria Jones U15 Girls Emer Phelan & Laura Connolly U15 Boys Conor O’Neill We hope to see you all again on the beach next time!  Volleyball Ireland are delighted to announce Volleyball-14 | A fortnight of Pre-Season Activities.
The programme will begin on Monday 21st of September and conclude on Sunday 4th of October, six days before the commencement of the National League. During the two weeks we will have activities and competitions for referees, coachers and volleyballers of all ages and abilities. All activities will be live on our social media channels and webinars will be via Zoom. #RaisingTheGame In partnership with CEV, Volleyball Ireland are seeking a coach to attend a unique initiative between two confederations. The chosen coach will attend two week long training programmes in Belgium and Thailand, next year. The cost of the course is fully funded by the CEV and presents a fantastic opportunity for a dedicated coach to upskill, develop and have an impact on Irish Volleyball players for generations to come. Deadline for application is Monday September 14th at 1pm. Desired criteria;
Please see further details below: 1st Week - CEV Expert: Mr. Gert VANDE BROEK Date/Location: March 20, 2021 – March 28, 2021 in Belgium Venue: Faculty of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven) 2nd Week - AVC Expert: Mr. G.E. Sridharan Date/Location: April 19, 2021 – April 25, 2021 in Thailand Venue: FIVB Development Centre – Thailand (Bangkok) If you think you meet all or most of the criteria below please contact educationtraining@volleyballireland.com and attach a max 350 word letter specifying why you feel you are right coach for this programme.    The Annual General Meeting of Volleyball Ireland will take place at 11:00 (11am) on Saturday September 19th 2020. Due to the current Covid19 restrictions, the AGM will be held via Zoom. The decision to move the AGM online will provide full attendance accessibility to the AGM for members, and mitigates against the potential of further lockdown restrictions. Whilst this is not an election year, we currently have two vacancies arising on the Board of Directors. The positions are: Vice President Ordinary Board Member Volleyball Ireland would like to thank long standing board members Denise Tallon and Aidan Curran for their dedication, commitment and expertise. Following an appraisal of the current board skill set, we particularly welcome nominees with any of the following skills: Marketing & Communications, Governance, Legal, Commercial & Sponsorship. More information on the requirements and expectations of Directors, can be found in the attached document (below) ‘DIRECTOR INFO PACK’. Volleyball Ireland General Manager, Gary Stewart is available to answer any queries you may have on the vacancies (gm@volleyballireland.com). In line with the Constitution, nominations for these positions must be received by Saturday September 12th 2020. They should be returned to the President (president@volleyballireland.com), via club secretaries.
Volleyball Ireland welcomes further clarity from the Dept. of Health via Sport Ireland in relation to the Government's recent tightening of Covid19 restrictions.
In summary: -Matches, Tournaments and events can proceed in line with existing protocols, except that spectators are not permitted to attend. -Training sessions must be limited to 12 people per court. With no more than 6 people per group in a 'pod' during indoor training sessions. These training pods must not mix with other training pods during the session. Further information, (received August 20th 2020): Guideline: Sporting events and matches can continue to take place behind closed doors
Guideline: Sport facilities can remain open. Gyms/leisure centres/swimming pools/exercise and dance studios can remain open with strict distancing and other appropriate protective measures in place:
Guideline: Exercise and dance classes should be limited to 6 people and observe physical distancing rules. Groups exercising outdoors should be limited to 15 people, including training sessions. There should be no mixing between groups.
Ratios: Working Example
Volleyball Ireland's updated return to play protocols can be found here: http://www.volleyballireland.com/uploads/1/3/1/7/131710541/vi_phase_3_covid_protocols_final__005_.pdf  Congratulations to St. Flannans School and Ireland u20 Mens Player Cathal Dwyer, who has re-signed for Narbonne after a successful spell earlier this year.
The Middle Blocker from Ennis, impressed the French club as part of the 'Twinning Project' between the professional outfit and the Mens National Squad last year. A week long 'internship' in October led to Cathal signing forms to represent the Centurions on the pre-Nationale squad whilst schooling in France. Cathal will join up with the squad at the end of August, before representing in the prestigious u18 Coupe de France. Well done to Cathal and the coaches involved in his development so far. Volleyball Ireland notes the Government’s Announcement yesterday (August 18th), and has requested further clarification on a number of issues, related to indoor club training and outdoor volleyball matches.
Once clarification has been made, Volleyball Ireland will update and circulate our Return to Sport Protocols. Members should follow official Government advice in full. Volleyball Ireland would like to thank all clubs, volunteers, coaches, players and parents for their time, commitment and perseverance adhering to the existing measures and for ensuring the safe return of sport in your communities so far. Volleyball sessions have been delivered diligently in line with existing Government guidelines. In light of yesterday evening’s announcement the planned Junior Beach Volleyball Tour event planned for Bettystown Beach today (Wednesday Aug 19) has been postponed, as has the Kids Volley Camp in Bettystown (Thurs 20 and Friday 21 August). A decision on the planned Foundation Coaching Course (Saturday Aug 22) scheduled in Dublin, will be made later today. Updated Public Health Measures – Sport & Physical Activity
Wednesday August 12th, 2020
Junior Players from all around the country gathered down on the Wild Atlantic Way to take part in stage 1 of the Junior beach tour. A remarkable 22 players competed throughout the day in a 3 v 3 format style, under extreme sunshine on Fanore beach in County Clare. The competition will span over two legs. The first in Fanore, Clare and the final day in Bettystown, Meath on August 19th 2.30-5.30pm. After an extremely exciting first day of play we have the ranking points available for viewing here on our website. The 2020 tour is a mixed gender event and will be broken down into age categories for various prizes on the final day. There has been an incredible response to the 2020 summer programme. Firstly at the regional training sessions that took prior to the competition days and once again on Wednesday for the Fanore blitz. We still have places open for the final day and if you wish to register please go to volleyballireland.azolve.com or for further info contact Conor cdo@volleyballireland.com -0870997659 Following the announcement by An Taoiseach tonight the following guidance has been issued from Sport Ireland in relation to Kildare, Laois and Offaly. The Restrictions are in place for 2 weeks from midnight tonight (Friday 7 August) until midnight on Friday 20 August. The situation will then be reviewed. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7b237-special-advice-for-those-living-in-kildare-laois-and-offaly-friday-7-august-2020/ The key notes of importance include: Travel and transport
You should not travel into any of these counties, other than for the reasons above, and you need to travel through these counties to get somewhere else. You should not stop in Kildare, Laois or Offaly unless for essential purposes. Sport No sporting events or matches should take place, with the following exemptions:
Indoor gatherings All indoor gatherings should be restricted to a maximum of 6 people from no more than 3 households in total, while maintaining physical distancing. Outdoor gatherings Outdoor gatherings should be limited to a maximum of 15 people, while maintaining physical distancing Public and private transport You should not use public transport unless it is absolutely necessary to do so, and where possible you should not share private vehicles with others from outside your household. Please note that all Government guidelines supersede Volleyball Ireland's return to play protocols, which will be updated to reflect this development in due course.  Kids Beach Volleyball Camp for Bettystown!
Volleyball Ireland and Meath Local Sports Partnership are working together to host an introduction to Beach Volleyball for kids. The 2 day event will be held at Bettystown Beach on Thursday & Friday August 20th & 21st, from 11-1pm. The programme is designed for children aged 8-14 years old and will focus on Fundamental Movement Skills and the basics of Beach Volleyball. Volleyball Ireland Development Officer Conor Flood said, “We are delighted to be working with Meath LSP to bring a really fun, exciting and social sport to Bettystown. It’s a great way to be active and make the most of the beautiful natural environment of the Meath coast. Volleyball is developing really well in the region with increased schools participation both at primary and post-primary level. Volleyball is a wonderful sport to develop physical literacy as it covers the main fundamental movement skills. The main thing is, it’s a really fun activity.” Bettystown is becoming a hub for the sport, with the International CEV Continental Cup held at the venue last year, before a planned World Tour event was postponed this July due to Covid19. The Meath coast is also a regular stop on Ireland’s National Tour programme. Mary Murphy, Meath Local Sports Partnership Coordinator added, “Exercising outdoors is incredibly beneficial and County Meath has lots of beautiful locations to participate in sport. This innovative camp provides a great opportunity for children to develop basic skills in a fun way, and we’re delighted to support the project with Volleyball Ireland.” The activities will be led by Volleyball Ireland and Meath LSP development staff, in the presence of Volleyball Ireland’s Covid19 Officer. The cost of the 2 day camp, which is subsidised by Meath LSP Is just €10. Bookings can be made at http://www.volleyballireland.com/store/p25/Kids_Beach_Camp_Bettystown.html#/ and enquiries to Conor Flood, cdo@volleyballireland.com Detailed information is provided upon booking. Volleyball Ireland launches Youth Beach Tour
Volleyball Ireland yesterday (July 29) introduced its first National Beach Tour, specifically for junior players. The innovative programme will see players aged 14-18years old battle it out in events located on the West (Fanore, Co Clare) and East (Bettystown, Co Meath) of Ireland. The 3v3 format will see Tour ranking points allocated for stand out performances. Ahead of the competition, training days will be held in the same venues to aid the transition from indoor court to the sand, providing players with specific beach skills and tactics. The tour is the second stage in the formation of age group National Teams in Beach Volleyball, with Ireland expected to compete internationally in 2021. Conor Flood, Development Officer for Volleyball Ireland said, "The project builds upon our first ever Beach Volleyball Performance Camp last year, in which 24 players took part in a 3 day residential camp. This next step will help us form regional training squads who will then filter into Team Ireland next season. It's a really exciting time to be involved in Volleyball with lots of great opportunities for young players." This new development carries on the work created by the CEV Beach Volleyball Development grant which helped Ireland develop a National Tour and promote Beach Volleyball around the country. Expert coaching will be delivered by experience beach coaches, all of which have played on International Beach Tours with Luciana Hollanda (Brazil), Viera Hauriskova (Slovakia), Lee Annand (South Africa) and Mikal O'Boyle (USA), overseeing the training element on the programme. The programme is open to anyone interested in playing Beach Volleyball. The project is funded through the Olympic Federation of Ireland's Discretionary Fund, Manager of Volleyball Ireland, Gary Stewart added, "We are incredibly grateful to the OFI for this specific funding, as well as our core funder Sport Ireland and International partner CEV. They are helping us deliver local programmes with National benefits that will create a proper system for developing the next generation of beach volleyball players. The intention is that this programme will lead to International competition participation at youth level, but will also strengthen our own national tour in years to come.” Bettystown was the venue for the 2019 CEV Continental Cup – a Beach Volleyball Olympic qualifier that seen 8 teams from across Europe compete. The FIVB world tour was due to stop off in Meath earlier this month, but had to be postponed due to Covid19. More information on the Youth Beach Tour can be found here > http://www.volleyballireland.com/junior-beach.html#/ |
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