VOLLEYBALL

NEWSLETTER

The following Newsletter has been forwarded to you, from the Volleyball Newsletter E-Mail list. The UK's leading on line Volleyball News service, providing up to date volleyball information, direct to newsletter members throughout the UK and Ireland. Articles are collected from a variety of sources and credited appropriately. The Volleyball Newsletter uses advertising sponsorship to support our free and non-profit making service to newsletter members. To advertise your volleyball events or products, direct to players, club and league secretaries throughout the UK and Ireland, then please see our web site for details or contact Dave at Dave.Reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

Hi all, more news from the web.

Cheers - Dave Reece Dave.Reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

Level 4 Referees Course Cheltenham  

There's a Level 4 course in Cheltenham on Jan 31 / Feb 1, the Venue is Hardwick Campus sports centre, St Pauls Road , Cheltenham, GL50 4BS. Cost £30

Further details from Graham Withers Graham.withers@hartpury.ac.uk or from www.glosva.net on the News page.

Thanks Mark Horseman mark_d_horseman@yahoo.co.uk

BBC Sports Page Update  

Hi, I noticed that all of the Olympic sports pages were removed soon after the Olympics finished, so it's not just volleyball that is being neglected.

However, volleyball news is still appearing on the website from time to time, in the Olympics section:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic_games/7806498.stm. It seems that the BBC have opted to have one inclusive section for the Olympic sports.

Ben Fairweather ben_fairweather@yahoo.co.uk

Lunatics - Thats What I Need  

Karpol - Lunatics - that's what I need by Tomislav Birtic Hello, I want to buy a copy of the above book, does anyone know were I can get a copy? Thanks Sergio Navarro climent sernacli@hotmail.com

Chester Volleyball Club  

Chester Volleyball Club, with teams in National Volleyball League Div 3N for men, NVL Div 3N and Div 2 for women, and Merseyside League for men, is one of the largest volleyball clubs in the North West. The Club has ambitious aspirations to consolidate, develop and grow volleyball within the area, at all levels. To assist with this the Club is looking to attract and encourage a number of key volunteers.

Areas we are looking for additional support include:

Coaches

1. Looking for a coach to work predominantly with our NVL 3 North ladies team. Working with an FIVB Qualified and Experienced Head Coach in a framework environment to train, develop, and match coach the girls towards their full potential. The squad has a mix of youth and experience, is keen to learn and develop.

2. Assistants for Div 2 and Div 3N.

Working with the team coaches at training, working with individual players, drill management and analysis. / All coaches will have mentor opportunities and be supported and developed within the Club framework.

Coaching support

1. Statisticians Preparing individual and team statistics. Both in a live match environment, and from DVD.

2. Video support Video recording of training and matches. Production of DVDs for coaches, and players.

Administrative support

1. Volunteer Administrators to take forward Projects such as Fund Raising, Grant Applications, Clubmark Planning, Accreditations etc.

2. Website Support Help with improving and updating the current Chester VC website

No volleyball experience necessary! Full training, support and advice provided. Logical, diligent and organised thinking an asset!

All of the above posts are voluntary, but the Club will look to refund necessary travel expenses, provide training & support and ongoing development. The Club is working towards Volley123 Accreditation with Volleyball England. As such we are committed to developing and supporting volunteers. For further info on the club, please visit the Chester VC website under: www.chestervolleyballclub.co.uk

Anyone interested in becoming involved, or would wish to discuss, should contact the Club Secretary: Maja Guenther chestervc@hotmail.co.uk

Malory Ladies v Australia U19 Ladies

Malory are playing host to the touring U19 Australian team on Friday 27th February at Ernest Bevin College (Beechcroft Road, Tooting, London, SW17 7DF) which is a 10 minute walk from Tooting Bec tube station on the Northern Line and has a small car park as well as free on street parking.

The game is being played on the show court at the venue ensuring that there will be maximum space for spectators to watch. Tickets are being sold on the door at £3 for adults and £1 for juniors so why not come down and see what is bound to be a top class display of volleyball.

Thanks and see you there.
David Jenkinson d.jenkinson@gmail.com

The 2009 Exeter Ladies Challenge, will be taking place on Sunday the 26th April 2009 (10:00 - 18:00) at the Riverside Leisure Center, Exeter. The event caters for all playing standards, from Local / Regional to Lower National League. A very popular event and limited to 12 teams only, first come first served. More details on our web site: www.exeterladieschallenge.com or email me at dave.reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

The 2009 Exeter Men's Challenge, will be taking place on Sunday the 19th April 2009 (10:00 - 18:00) at the Riverside Leisure Center, Exeter. The event caters for all playing standards, from Local / Regional to Lower National League. More details at: www.exeterchallenge.com or email me at dave.reece@volleyballnewsletter.com

Photo of the Week  

Will Roberts willroberts1981@hotmail.com

Swiss Cottage v Coventry - Warwick Riga and Docklands v C&W Riga

The women and mens matches from Saturday 31st January 2009. 

Truly rubbish lighting at Docklands but Riga men all turned up on time, perhaps they should go back to some getting there late as the results seem to be better then. Match photos at: http://www.mcgugan.co.uk/volleyball

Jon McGugan

Sports Mole & Coloured Courts

The FIVB is considering the use of a TV-friendly coloured Volleyball court in international tournaments to distinguish attack and defence zones.

 FIVB examines TV-friendly coloured Volleyball court to distinguish attack & defence zones. The coloured Volleyball court was tested in the Italian Men's League with the "in or out" ball-detector system "Sports Moles".The move would help players, courtside fans and television viewers better differentiate between the three-metre attack zones and the areas behind the three-metre line.

The Italian Men's League has already developed a court which not only distinguishes the different zones but also displays the colours of the Italian flag. This special court was used for the first time in the Italian All-Star Game last November, with the attack zones white and the defence zones green and red. After a careful analysis of the TV images provided by SKY Italia and the Italian League, FIVB Television and New Media Commission President Peter Diamond said, "We believe that the attack zones on both sides of the net should be a dull white, while the defence zones behind the three-metre line within the court should be powder blue. The area around the court should be a dull green for the best TV look. This will provide the best highlighting of each zone and all the colours are television friendly".

The FIVB has also received a presentation of a system that detects whether the ball has landed "in" or "out". The system, called "Sports Moles", transmits this information to the first referee and the judges table to help the referee´s decision-making. The Sports Moles system has been part of the Italian Men´s League Serie A matches for more than a year. It introduces a border running around the court in a contrasting colour to the main court colours and white lines to clearly distinguish the area of detection.

from FIVB & Volleycountry.com

The 100% Challenge

In December, we highlighted the fact that Devon Women VC were the only team in the EVA National League with a 100% record. Well it's now February, a few more matches on and it's now 15 wins out of 15 matches and they still have a clean scoresheet, ZERO sets against. 

Can the girls go a whole season, the challenge is on and everyone appears to be up for it. 

Q. Does anyone know if this has been done before? 

Dave.Reece@VolleyballNewsletter.com

Rule Change Video 

As you should all now be aware, the new rule modifications are now in place for all Volleyball England National League and Cup Competitions. The rule modifications can be found via the following link: http://www.volleyballengland.org/News.php?articleId=1258. For a 4 minute presentation of video clips regarding the rule modifications, please follow the following link: http://www.hunvolley.hu/mrsz/jatekvezetok/szab_terem/net_rule_modifications.wmv

During the video clips, in the bottom left hand side of the video, it is stated whether the highlighted play was a fault or not under the 2005-2008 rules, while in the bottom right hand side of the screen, stating whether it is a fault for the 2009-2013 rules.

Please feel free to circulate this link to all the NVL players, coaches and referees.

All referees who referee BUCS competitions: Please be aware that BUCS have now implemented the rule modifications in their competitions so the rule modifications now also apply in BUCS competitions.

Kind regards, Chris Stott c.stott@volleyballengland.org

CEV Small Countries

CEV Small Countries Division (SCD) held its General Assembly in Schaan, Liechtenstein, this past January 23. Thirteen out of 15 member Federations were represented from as far away as the frozen waters off Greenland to the balmy beaches of Cyprus home to SCD President Andreas Stavrou. 

Scottish CEO and former International Star Margaret Ann Fleming (pic attached courtesy SVA) was elected to replace her countryman Kenny Barton as SCD Vice President. Kenny Barton now based in EIS Sheffield with the Great Britain Program for the 2012 London Olympics. Johann Cardiff Ireland’s former team captain was delegate as was NIVA President Paddy Murphy. Recent steps in Wales led by Rich Calicott and Tom Ojassoo are helping to revive a structure there to bring the Principality back not only to CEV but to BVF. 

The Congress coincided with meetings of the CEV Executive Committee and Board of Administration in Liechtenstein and a very cordial and informative evening banquet was held in the Prince's Winery with guests from both Liechtenstein and Swiss Volleyball Federations and sports organizations.

Outcomes included the establishment of a working party to draw up a 4 Year Strategic Plan, special support allowance for Monaco, selection of venues and confirmation for the next Championships at Senior and Junior levels. Members were delighted to meet CEV President André Meyer who took time out of his busy schedule of meetings in Liechtenstein to engage with them and confirmed the SCD could be accorded status similar to Zonal Associations enabling presentations and meetings to be had at future CEV Congresses.

European Championship Tour  

The European Championship Tour 2009 again offers an attractive tour with five tournaments in the seventh year of its existence Spain, Austria, Germany, England and Russia – the European Championship Tour of Beach Volleyball will again be true to its name as the highest-ranking and most attractive European tournament series in the coming season.

The opening tournament will again take place on Grand Canary from May 7-10. The local heroes Pablo Herrera and Rau Mesa had created quite a stir winning silver at the premiere tournament on the Spanish holiday island. Reinder Nummerdor and Richard Schuil of the Netherlands only beat them in the final. Two tournaments are on tap in June on the European Championship Tour. First off Europe's best head to the Austrian Masters from June 4-7. 

Two weeks later the tour will travel to Berlin for the German Masters from June 18-21. The event site will again be on the area in front of the main train station, where a Grand Slam of the FIVB World Tour has been organised and marketed by Global Sports Marketing for the last two years. Hinnerk Femerling says: „We are very glad to have again secured this already legendary tournament site in Berlin guaranteeing Beach Volleyball fans another huge party with world-class sport in June 2009." 

Following a break in the action in July and August the European Championship Tour will travel to England – the host of the next Olympic summer games (London 2012) – for the event in Blackpool from September 10-13. The 2009 season will close out with the European Championship Final from September 17-20 in Sochi (Russia). Blackpool and Sochi first appeared on the tour calendar of the European series in 2008.

The schedule of the European Championship Tour 2009

May 7-10 Spanish Masters Grand Canary 
June 4-7 Austrian Masters Austria 
June 18-21 German Masters Berlin 
September 10-13 English Masters Blackpool 
September 17-20 European Championship Final Sochi (Russia) 

The European Championship Tour is the highest ranked series of European Beach Volleyball tournaments that promotes the sport and its star players on a European level. The series is broadcasted for more than 1'000 hours in 180+ countries.

For further information please visit www.eurobeachtour.com and/or contact the Communication Managers of the European Championship Tour Klaus Wegener and Felix Meininghaus at communications@eurobeachtour.com

Level 2 Coaches 

Dear All Level 2 Coaches, from the 22nd – 30th August 2009 coaches will travel to the University of East Anglia to attend an FIVB Level 1 course, the first to be run in Britain for over 10 years. This is a huge step forward in the development of our coaches in Britain as the FIVB course not only offers a variety of modern coaching methods and skills but also develops the technical competency and knowledge of the coach.

The course will be open to all Volleyball England Level 2 coaches (or equivalent) and will cost £450 with a reduced rate of £400 for coaches registered with Volleyball England. This is a great opportunity for coaches to further develop their skills and also a chance to gain an internationally recognised qualification.

Applications can soon be found on the Coaching section of the Volleyball England website and should be returned to the Head Office by fax or post. Alternatively, you can reply to this email and I will send an application form to you via email. For any further information on the course please contact me on r.flay@volleyballengland.org

Many Thanks, Rob Flay r.flay@volleyballengland.org

Volleyball Solutions

I wanted to bring to your readers attention a new website and service that has been started by Jim Stone, Ohio State University Head Coach, who has recently retired after 26 years coaching. He is currently Head Coach of the USA Youth National Team. The website address is www.volleyballsolutions.com and within the site is a unique opportunity to look into the gyms of many of USA's top College, Club and High School Coaches as they work with their teams and players.

The subscription site contains regularly updated videos of coaches like Paula Weishoff, Mick Hayley, Mark Rosen and Kevin Hambley to name just a few. Coaches have never had a chance to see each other in this way before and I strongly recommend it as a good investment to serious coaches in your readership! You might even see me on there from time to time!!! You will see new drills, ideas and coaching styles that are sure to inspire you and develop your coaching abilities.

Also the site contains opportunity for skill analysis of players using Datfish Video Technology and Personal Training for teams or individuals. If you are interested in signing up please visit the site and if you have further questions you can email Jim at volleyballsolutions@mac.com

Steve Colpus steve_colpus@yahoo.com
Matchpoint Volleyball
www.matchpointvolleyball.net

Northern Ireland Team Nominated for TOP Award

A pic from Monday night 18 January when the Volleyball Men's Team were in the Top Team Four for Northern Ireland Sports Awards of 2008! American Tim Bear Johnson is the coach - pictured with NIVA President Patrick Murphy in Irish Saffron Kilt!  Volleyball was nominated for their winning the European Men's Qualification tournament in Luxembourg last year - undefeated. A first ever. The Award winners in Northern Ireland's Top Newspaper sponsored annual celebration were Tyrone Gaelic Football the All Ireland winners - high quality competition as the Linfield (Belfast) Soccer triple league Cups winners for 3rd year and the Belfast Rossa Camogs (Women's Hurling). All Ireland Club winners were the other finalists. This was an historic night for Volleyball to be counted against such strong popular traditional Irish sports teams and reach the top 4 out of 35 nominees. Photo: Typical Irish (/American) - at the Bar! Untypical Irish 4 pints (lagers) £14.00!! Credit cruncher.

Maurice Colman Tourghlay mauricecolmantourghlay@msn.com

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