Yorkshire Volleyball

YVA Youth Program/Coaching Development Meeting - 1/8/07

Present
Mike Turner (YVA Chair), Ed Humphries (YVA Youth Development), Steve Matthews (YVA Regional Coaching Admin), Sam Seepaul (ex-YVA Youth Development), Paul Hargreaves (Head of PE, Kings High, Pontefract), Steve Jones (Volleyball England Coach Education and Development), Simon Loftus (Leeds Met Coach).

Finances
Last year we qualified for 2 separate strands of funding from Volleyball England (VE)
1. Holistic development
2. Regional program
Steve Jones confirmed that we should be able to rely on this funding (possibly double last year's figures) for the coming year.


Holistic Development
The main emphasis of the meeting concentrated on how to work with individual school partnerships, via their Partnership Development Manager (PDM) and using VolleySport or MiniVolley courses. Steve Jones volunteered to run an initial course in Yorkshire, provided we get other coaches along, who will then become accredited to run other courses.

There are too many school partnerships in the region for current limited number of volunteers. We should target specific partnerships in volleyball-friendly areas to get maximum return on investment (ROI). If this is successful, we can extend the reach of activities in future. We can use as an example of good practice for other club/junior coaches in the region e.g. school-club links, increased participation in volleyball in schools through the MiniVolley/VolleySport courses.

Target Run a junior tournament in Summer 2008, maybe in conjunction with an adult grass tournament. This will encourage young players to continue playing after the Regional Championships. Steve Jones explained how the East Midlands junior event ran this year in conjunction with the Nottingham Tournament, as part of the Volleyball England Regional Grass Series.


Yorkshire Junior Program
Objective - To train squads to attend the Regional Championships (3-5 May 2008)
The training dates are already in Volleyball England calendar (8/9 Sept, 6/7 Oct, 17/18 Nov, 22/23 Dec, 5/6 Jan, 9/10 Feb, 15/16 March, 19/20 April)

We (just) need to identify and recruit the right staff (Head coaches, Assistant coaches, Squad Managers). The Regional Development Program (RDP) coach development plans, outlined by Steve Jones should be a significant incentive to help recruit the right Head Coaches.

We need to:
1. Get the word out into the Yorkshire volleyball community (clubs, coaches, schools) about our plans
2. Ask for interested people (coaches, asst coaches, squad managers) to contact Ed Humphries
3. Appoint the Head Coaches
(All by September!)

Once appointed, the Head Coaches have some freedom to run their program, within budget constraints.


Proposed Junior Coaches Event on the Sept 8/9 training dates. This is probably too early in the school year to make contact with teachers and to get the word out to the kids. Maybe at EIS Sheffield, to provide inspiration, particularly if there is some GB training there that weekend.