(Updated 24/11/2021)

• Coffs Harbour events moved to Boambee Beach.

The 21-22 beach volleyball season is fast approaching and the VNSW Pathways team is eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to get back out on the sand.

This update is directed primarily towards the Youth age bracket, meaning any COACHES or YOUTH ATHLETES U14-U18 (born 2005 or later) who are interested in the Performance Pathway for beach volleyball in NSW.

Please read on to get an update on what this season has in store for you!

Be In The Know

Whether you have been on multiple NSW teams, or are new to the VNSW Performance Pathway, make sure you are the first to know when new information is published about our Pathways programs.

ALL COACHES, ATHLETES and PARENTS, please register your interest and we will send you email notifications about the programs you choose:

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN VNSW YOUTH PATHWAYS PROGRAMS

Covid-19

The announcements below about VNSW programs are for community awareness and planning purposes. It is the intention of VNSW to operate the programs as described, however the community should be aware that they may be affected by Covid, Lockdowns or any other significant occurrences. Should any significant impacts occur, VNSW will re-assess the plans and provide an update to affected community members as soon as practical.

VNSW is committed to the safety and health of everyone involved in our programs and will be following all government regulations at a minimum.

Season Overview & Information Sessions

The 21-22 beach season is shaping to be one of great potential, depending on our opportunity to transition to a return to play. Given the current circumstances and rate of progression, the VNSW Pathways vision for the season is presented in 3 Phases:

• Phase 1: Online Education & Play Where Possible
  Expected Duration: October – January
  Description: During this Phase, we are anticipating NSW will transition to allow the return of community sport. To maintain as much flexibility as possible, the VNSW Pathways Team will be delivering online education programs to COACHES and ATHLETES and will be encouraging everyone to get out and play where it is possible to do so in their local environment. JBVT events and Junior Performance Camps are also scheduled during this Phase, should it be possible to proceed under Covid restrictions. There will be no formal Phoenix (State Team) activities scheduled during this Phase.
• Phase 2: Phoenix Selection
  Expected Duration: Mid-January
  Description: Over the course of a week in Newcastle in mid-January, VNSW expect to host a festival of beach volleyball which includes a JBVT event, BVT event and a Phoenix Camp. This Phoenix Camp is the first formal event for Phoenix (State Team) and will be used to determine selections into the Phoenix Team. The details around entry to this camp will be determined closer to the date.
• Phase 3: Community Development, Phoenix Preparation & AYVC
  Expected Duration: Late-January – March
  Description: The VNSW Pathway priorities during this final Phase are to develop and prepare the selected Phoenix Teams, whilst also ensuring there are continued community development opportunities through the Junior Performance Camps which are attached to the JBVT events.

Season Information Session #1:
7:00PM, Thursday 7 October, 2021
ONLINE via Zoom
Please make sure to REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN VNSW YOUTH PATHWAYS PROGRAMS and we will send you an email with the Zoom link on the day.
The VNSW Pathways team will be hosting an open information session for COACHES, ATHLETES and PARENTS interested in the Pathways Programs coming this season, in particular the Youth Beach Phoenix program. This will include a presentation – highlighting the important information and changes coming this season – followed by an opportunity for Q+A about the Phoenix program.

Season Information Session #2: Journey to Excellence - Youth Beach Phoenix 21-22 Roadmap 
7:00PM, Thursday 21 October, 2021
ONLINE via Zoom
Please click to register for this session via our EVENTS CALENDAR.
This presentation will set the tone for the season by offering a clear roadmap for athletes aspiring to become more competitive in beach volleyball at state, national and international levels.

Youth Beach Phoenix (State Team)

The Youth Beach Phoenix program will evolve this season. Taking into consideration feedback from the 20-21 season survey and looking to the exciting future for the VNSW Pathway, we will be making some positive changes to the program.

In summary, the 21-22 program will include 4 primary activities:

1. January 10-12 – Newcastle – Phoenix Squad Development and Team Selection Camp
2. March 12-13 – Brighton – Phoenix Team Preparation Camp
3. March 19-20 – Mollymook – NSW Junior Beach Championships
4. March 27-31 – Coolangatta QLD – Australian Youth Beach Volleyball Championships (AYBVC)

Selected Phoenix ATHLETES are also encouraged to engage with any other opportunities reasonably available to them to aid their in-season development. The VNSW Performance Camps, BVT and JBVT events are highly recommended activities in which Phoenix ATHLETES will receive priority placement, however they are not mandatory activities for this season’s program.

Applications for ATHLETES and COACHES are now open. Detailed information packages (including selection process, costs, inclusions, uniforms, logistics, etc.) is published on the PATHWAYS > YOUTH BEACH PHOENIX section of our website.

Junior Beach Performance Camps

The Performance Camp series is back this season. These were a popular new inclusion to the calendar last season and we excited to be bringing a revamped series to the 21-22 season.

We received some excellent feedback about last season’s camps and will be making some positive changes to the format. This includes shifting the off-ball education to a new online platform so that time on the beach can be spent primarily on the court. We will also be expanding the age groups to target ATHLETES from U13 through to U19 who want to develop their performance game. Within these age groups we will also be enabling courts to be grouped by ability to promote the strongest possible training environments.

Camps will once again be attached to the weekend of JBVT events (granted events can proceed under Covid restrictions), with dates scheduled for:

1. 30 October, 2021 – Avoca Beach, Avoca

2. 27 November, 2021 – Towns Beach, Port Macquarie

3. 11 December, 2021 – Jetty Beach Boambee Beach, Coffs Harbour

4. 29 January, 2022 – Maroubra Beach, Maroubra

5. 12 February, 2022 – Woonona Beach, Wollongong

Applications for COACHES and registrations for ATHLETES are NOW OPEN. Detailed information is published on the PATHWAYS > JUNIOR BEACH PERFORMANCE CAMPS section of our website.

Phoenix ATHLETES are highly encouraged to participate and will receive priority placement in the camps, however participation is not mandatory for the Youth Beach Phoenix program. In 2020-2021 the Performance Camp series were used as a State Team development and selection activity, however, in 2021-2022 the series will transition to open development camps and no longer be a component of the State Team selection process. Moving forward the camps will provide local and regional development opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t have existed while supporting the growth of aspiring state team athletes in a graded performance environment. 

Junior Beach Volleyball Tour (JBVT)

The VNSW Events team have done an amazing job of preparing an impressive line-up of events for the 21-22 JBVT. You can view the whole list of scheduled tournaments on the COMPETITIONS > BEACH VOLLEYBALL TOUR section of our website.

Whilst the VNSW Youth Pathway will have no formal integration with the JBVT this season, it is anticipated that these events will form an integral part of the talent identification process for the Youth Beach Phoenix program in the future.

Phoenix ATHLETES are highly encouraged to participate in all tournaments available to them, however participation is not mandatory for the Youth Beach Phoenix program.

New Programs Coming Soon

• Phoenix Odyssey (Athlete Load Management, Wellbeing, Strength and Conditioning & More):
  The VNSW Pathways team is very happy to quietly announce that we have been working behind the scenes to develop a brand-new foundational program to underpin the entire VNSW Performance Pathway. Open to ATHLETES of all ages and abilities who want to pursue performance volleyball, the program will be a subscription model delivered through the Sportly.Me App, with subscribers receiving access to services and content such as strength and conditioning, wellness monitoring, exclusive member insights and discounts to VNSW Pathways products. This will be a must have for all current and prospective Phoenix ATHLETES. Registration and more informantion about this program is now available on the PATHWAYS > PHOENIX ODYSSEY section of our website. 
• Phoenix Beach Volleyball Online Education:
  Whilst state level in-person opportunities continue to be limited, the VNSW Pathways team is preparing to deliver online beach volleyball education products for both COACHES and ATHLETES. The objective will be to provide detailed education based on a targeted beach volleyball curriculum, which can then be taken into a local training environment. Content delivered will be directly in line with principles for the Phoenix program and will be an ideal source of preparation for Phoenix selection. More information about these products will be available soon.
• Youth Beach RASi Program:
  The VNSW Pathways team is currently engaged in close discussion with the RASi Network about the potential for a Beach Volleyball program this summer. VNSW will make a future announcement should it be possible to deliver a modified program in a timely and safe manner.