WELCOME TO VOLLEYBALL DEVELOPMENT CAMPS
Forthcoming Events
A structured training camp which combines individual skill work with group drills and team play. This camp runs over 4 days during the Easter holidays and is suitable for athletes between 13 and 18 years old who have had some experience of playing volleyball in a team setting.
The aim of the camp is around improving the way that the athletes link skills together especially the anticipation, preparation and movement. The framework for this will be working on the various forms of “Transition”.
Emerging Elite is VbDC’s entry level Performance camp, with a curriculum designed for athletes who have been training and playing competitive volleyball seasonally for three or four years, or year round for at least two years. Athletes will have sufficiently competent ball-handling skills to enable them to participate in team drills that simulate game situations.
Emerging Elite is VbDC’s entry level Performance camp, with a curriculum designed for athletes who have been training and playing competitive volleyball seasonally for three or four years, or year round for at least two years. Athletes will have sufficiently competent ball-handling skills to enable them to participate in team drills that simulate game situations.
The flagship VbDC event, the Elite Camp is designed to help refine the skills –both mental and physical – which committed elite players have been acquiring through their participation in the highest level of volleyball. It is is a limited enrolment camp to which athletes must apply to determine their eligibility. Enrolment is restricted to 24 athletes who submit videos, coach recommendations and an essay with their application. Most athletes are members of their national team, but those who play for a university or in the top division of their national league may also be considered.
For players who want to “hit the ground running” for the new season.
An intense 5 day camp for players who are serious about their pre-season preparations whether it is for a National League, school varsity or even university teams. The camp will ensure that all the fundamental skills are in place while refining techniques before match preparation.
8 Simple Rules is an innovative two day volleyball camp designed for intermediate level players competing at a local league level, it covers 8 key areas of the game in an enjoyable, practical and rewarding programme.
The concepts will be presented in an easy to digest format covering techniques, theory and tactics of the game that participants can take back to their clubs and teams.
The complete syllabus will be delivered over the two days and to get maximum benefit from the camp we strongly recommend attending both days, however recognising that it might not be possible for everyone to attend both days we are offering a one day option.
The weekend Pathways Camp is designed for the new volleyball player who, having had an introduction to the game, has decided to participate in a competitive school or club programme. The curriculum features drills to develop each of the basic actions required to play the three-touch game: the dig, set and spike, and the action that initiates a rally, the serve. This is the first VbDC camp in which the athlete will be expected to exhibit self-discipline and communication with the coach.
A transitional camp with a curriculum designed to take the athlete from individual ball-handling drills into team-based game simulation drills. Skillz Plus doubles the hours of training as preparation for the stamina and attention required for the Performance camps. The curriculum includes revision on closed-ended ball-handling skills, but also puts the athlete into open-ended situations where they gain a fuller understanding of how competence in performing individual skills contributes to a successful team effort.
In Autumn 2018 VbDC intends to convert its First Stepz Camp to an outreach programme in which primary schools, leisure centres, clubs, churches or social groups introduce volleyball to young athletes, usually of (but not limited to) primary school age. Interested organizations can contact VbDC to set up a session, and VbDC will provide the coaches and equipment for a four-hour session at a venue chosen by the host organization.
Talented athletes will, at some point in their volleyball career, have to make a choice whether or not to play at the elite level. It can be a life-changing decision, since the move to elite sport involves not just an increase in on-court training, but affects almost every aspect of their life: mental discipline, diet, off-court physical conditioning and regular long-distance travel are just some. The most physically demanding of all VbDC camps, Pre-Elite is designed for athletes whose coaches have identified them as being capable of elite performance, but who have yet to experience the elite training regime.
Volleyball Development Camps ran its first event in 2005, a week-long day camp for two dozen local athletes ranging from beginners to teens who practiced with their parent’s club. Two years later there were more camps, for introducing the sport to first-timers, for adolescents who needed help learning to handle the volleyball, and for teen-agers who were beginning to play year round at higher levels.
Today there are seven levels of training in the VbDC curriculum, along with one-day workshops for positional players, programmes to help mature recreational players enjoy the game more, English language tuition for athletes from abroad, and outreach activities for schools and leisure centres. A VbDC event takes place every month. Young athletes aged 8 to 22 participate in training tailored to a particular level of ability. Aspects of the game covering players’ technical form and game tactics are introduced from early ages. Guest speakers discuss the game during lunch breaks, professional and national teams have joined the training sessions, and sports science specialists analyse individual performance. Many athletes return year after year and progress through the range of camps. Some have become friends in whom VbDC has taken an active involvement in helping them chart their sports future.
Activities have grown off court, too, with VbDC assisting athletes in their search for scholarships to US and Canadian universities, organizing courses for the qualification of game officials, and sponsoring local clubs. A sister company, Top Flight Volley, retails training equipment, balls, shoes, accessories and clothing.
But the founding guideline on which VbDC was founded has not changed over time: Assemble highly qualified coaches in the best facilities available and create a course of instruction that will help disciplined, dedicated volleyball athletes take their performance to a higher level.
Welcome to the VbDC website. Please explore it and read about our approach to volleyball training, how we structure our camps and when various programs are scheduled, who we are and the support services we offer, and the latest developments in the lives of VbDC athletes of note. You’ll quickly see how VbDC has become not only a good training programme, but a community of volleyball enthusiasts.
Enquiry Form
Would you like to learn more about Volleyball Development Camps programmes, or about one camp in particular? The form below can be used to send us an enquiry.
The form asks for a few general details, which help us be more accurate in our response to your enquiry. This information is kept only for the purpose of providing a reply. In keeping with new data protection regulations, it will not be shared with any outside organisation. It will be removed from our database after our initial contacts if you wish it to be removed.
Why do we ask for this information?
- Very general personal details, such as age and gender, enable us to know who we are discussing.
- If we know the athlete’s location and dates of availability, we will have an idea whether the athlete is likely to require a residential or language option, and for us to be prepared to help with transport and tutoring arrangements, if necessary.
- Some questions we ask about the athlete’s playing history and club association enable us to make a better recommendation on the type of camp they will benefit most from attending.
Please take the time to fill out the form if you wish to learn more about VbDC activities. The data will be used only to help you make the right choice for the athlete on whose behalf you are enquiring.
ONLINE ENQUIRY FORM
WELCOME TO VOLLEYBALL DEVELOPMENT CAMPS
Forthcoming Events
Introducing our Quarantine Camp (Q-Camp). While the sports halls may be empty for the moment there are still plenty of ways for everyone to work on their game.
We have created a dedicated page with fitness suggestions, some drills you can do at home and also other areas that you can work on during this enforced downtime
A structured training camp which combines individual skill work with group drills and team play. This camp runs over 4 days during the Easter holidays and is suitable for athletes between 13 and 18 years old who have had some experience of playing volleyball in a team setting.
The aim of the camp is around improving the way that the athletes link skills together especially the anticipation, preparation and movement. The framework for this will be working on the various forms of “Transition”.
Emerging Elite is VbDC’s entry level Performance camp, with a curriculum designed for athletes who have been training and playing competitive volleyball seasonally for three or four years, or year round for at least two years. Athletes will have sufficiently competent ball-handling skills to enable them to participate in team drills that simulate game situations.
Emerging Elite is VbDC’s entry level Performance camp, with a curriculum designed for athletes who have been training and playing competitive volleyball seasonally for three or four years, or year round for at least two years. Athletes will have sufficiently competent ball-handling skills to enable them to participate in team drills that simulate game situations.
The flagship VbDC event, the Elite Camp is designed to help refine the skills –both mental and physical – which committed elite players have been acquiring through their participation in the highest level of volleyball. It is is a limited enrolment camp to which athletes must apply to determine their eligibility. Enrolment is restricted to 24 athletes who submit videos, coach recommendations and an essay with their application. Most athletes are members of their national team, but those who play for a university or in the top division of their national league may also be considered.
For players who want to “hit the ground running” for the new season.
An intense 5 day camp for players who are serious about their pre-season preparations whether it is for a National League, school varsity or even university teams. The camp will ensure that all the fundamental skills are in place while refining techniques before match preparation.
8 Simple Rules is an innovative two day volleyball camp designed for intermediate level players competing at a local league level, it covers 8 key areas of the game in an enjoyable, practical and rewarding programme.
The concepts will be presented in an easy to digest format covering techniques, theory and tactics of the game that participants can take back to their clubs and teams.
The complete syllabus will be delivered over the two days and to get maximum benefit from the camp we strongly recommend attending both days, however recognising that it might not be possible for everyone to attend both days we are offering a one day option.
The weekend Pathways Camp is designed for the new volleyball player who, having had an introduction to the game, has decided to participate in a competitive school or club programme. The curriculum features drills to develop each of the basic actions required to play the three-touch game: the dig, set and spike, and the action that initiates a rally, the serve. This is the first VbDC camp in which the athlete will be expected to exhibit self-discipline and communication with the coach.
A transitional camp with a curriculum designed to take the athlete from individual ball-handling drills into team-based game simulation drills. Skillz Plus doubles the hours of training as preparation for the stamina and attention required for the Performance camps. The curriculum includes revision on closed-ended ball-handling skills, but also puts the athlete into open-ended situations where they gain a fuller understanding of how competence in performing individual skills contributes to a successful team effort.
In Autumn 2018 VbDC intends to convert its First Stepz Camp to an outreach programme in which primary schools, leisure centres, clubs, churches or social groups introduce volleyball to young athletes, usually of (but not limited to) primary school age. Interested organizations can contact VbDC to set up a session, and VbDC will provide the coaches and equipment for a four-hour session at a venue chosen by the host organization.
Talented athletes will, at some point in their volleyball career, have to make a choice whether or not to play at the elite level. It can be a life-changing decision, since the move to elite sport involves not just an increase in on-court training, but affects almost every aspect of their life: mental discipline, diet, off-court physical conditioning and regular long-distance travel are just some. The most physically demanding of all VbDC camps, Pre-Elite is designed for athletes whose coaches have identified them as being capable of elite performance, but who have yet to experience the elite training regime.
Volleyball Development Camps ran its first event in 2005, a week-long day camp for two dozen local athletes ranging from beginners to teens who practiced with their parent’s club. Two years later there were more camps, for introducing the sport to first-timers, for adolescents who needed help learning to handle the volleyball, and for teen-agers who were beginning to play year round at higher levels.
Today there are seven levels of training in the VbDC curriculum, along with one-day workshops for positional players, programmes to help mature recreational players enjoy the game more, English language tuition for athletes from abroad, and outreach activities for schools and leisure centres. A VbDC event takes place every month. Young athletes aged 8 to 22 participate in training tailored to a particular level of ability. Aspects of the game covering players’ technical form and game tactics are introduced from early ages. Guest speakers discuss the game during lunch breaks, professional and national teams have joined the training sessions, and sports science specialists analyse individual performance. Many athletes return year after year and progress through the range of camps. Some have become friends in whom VbDC has taken an active involvement in helping them chart their sports future.
Activities have grown off court, too, with VbDC assisting athletes in their search for scholarships to US and Canadian universities, organizing courses for the qualification of game officials, and sponsoring local clubs. A sister company, Top Flight Volley, retails training equipment, balls, shoes, accessories and clothing.
But the founding guideline on which VbDC was founded has not changed over time: Assemble highly qualified coaches in the best facilities available and create a course of instruction that will help disciplined, dedicated volleyball athletes take their performance to a higher level.
Welcome to the VbDC website. Please explore it and read about our approach to volleyball training, how we structure our camps and when various programs are scheduled, who we are and the support services we offer, and the latest developments in the lives of VbDC athletes of note. You’ll quickly see how VbDC has become not only a good training programme, but a community of volleyball enthusiasts.
Enquiry Form
Would you like to learn more about Volleyball Development Camps programmes, or about one camp in particular? The form below can be used to send us an enquiry.
The form asks for a few general details, which help us be more accurate in our response to your enquiry. This information is kept only for the purpose of providing a reply. In keeping with new data protection regulations, it will not be shared with any outside organisation. It will be removed from our database after our initial contacts if you wish it to be removed.
Why do we ask for this information?
- Very general personal details, such as age and gender, enable us to know who we are discussing.
- If we know the athlete’s location and dates of availability, we will have an idea whether the athlete is likely to require a residential or language option, and for us to be prepared to help with transport and tutoring arrangements, if necessary.
- Some questions we ask about the athlete’s playing history and club association enable us to make a better recommendation on the type of camp they will benefit most from attending.
Please take the time to fill out the form if you wish to learn more about VbDC activities. The data will be used only to help you make the right choice for the athlete on whose behalf you are enquiring.
ONLINE ENQUIRY FORM
Welcome
Forthcoming Events
Volleyball Development Camps ran its first event in 2005, a week-long day camp for two dozen local athletes ranging from beginners to teens who practiced with their parent’s club. Two years later there were more camps, for introducing the sport to first-timers, for adolescents who needed help learning to handle the volleyball, and for teen-agers who were beginning to play year round at higher levels.
Today there are seven levels of training in the VbDC curriculum, along with one-day workshops for positional players, programmes to help mature recreational players enjoy the game more, English language tuition for athletes from abroad, and outreach activities for schools and leisure centres. A VbDC event takes place every month. Young athletes aged 8 to 22 participate in training tailored to a particular level of ability. Aspects of the game covering players’ technical form and game tactics are introduced from early ages. Guest speakers discuss the game during lunch breaks, professional and national teams have joined the training sessions, and sports science specialists analyse individual performance. Many athletes return year after year and progress through the range of camps. Some have become friends in whom VbDC has taken an active involvement in helping them chart their sports future.
Activities have grown off court, too, with VbDC assisting athletes in their search for scholarships to US and Canadian universities, organizing courses for the qualification of game officials, and sponsoring local clubs. A sister company, Top Flight Volley, retails training equipment, balls, shoes, accessories and clothing.
But the founding guideline on which VbDC was founded has not changed over time: Assemble highly qualified coaches in the best facilities available and create a course of instruction that will help disciplined, dedicated volleyball athletes take their performance to a higher level.
Welcome to the VbDC website. Please explore it and read about our approach to volleyball training, how we structure our camps and when various programs are scheduled, who we are and the support services we offer, and the latest developments in the lives of VbDC athletes of note. You’ll quickly see how VbDC has become not only a good training programme, but a community of volleyball enthusiasts.
Enquiry Form
Would you like to learn more about Volleyball Development Camps programmes, or about one camp in particular? The form below can be used to send us an enquiry.
The form asks for a few general details, which help us be more accurate in our response to your enquiry. This information is kept only for the purpose of providing a reply. In keeping with new data protection regulations, it will not be shared with any outside organisation. It will be removed from our database after our initial contacts if you wish it to be removed.
Why do we ask for this information?
- Very general personal details, such as age and gender, enable us to know who we are discussing.
- If we know the athlete’s location and dates of availability, we will have an idea whether the athlete is likely to require a residential or language option, and for us to be prepared to help with transport and tutoring arrangements, if necessary.
- Some questions we ask about the athlete’s playing history and club association enable us to make a better recommendation on the type of camp they will benefit most from attending.
Please take the time to fill out the form if you wish to learn more about VbDC activities. The data will be used only to help you make the right choice for the athlete on whose behalf you are enquiring.
ONLINE ENQUIRY FORM
Shop
Introducing our Quarantine Camp (Q-Camp). While the sports halls may be empty for the moment there are still plenty of ways for everyone to work on their game.
We have created a dedicated page with fitness suggestions, some drills you can do at home and also other areas that you can work on during this enforced downtime
A structured training camp which combines individual skill work with group drills and team play. This camp runs over 4 days during the Easter holidays and is suitable for athletes between 13 and 18 years old who have had some experience of playing volleyball in a team setting.
The aim of the camp is around improving the way that the athletes link skills together especially the anticipation, preparation and movement. The framework for this will be working on the various forms of “Transition”.
Emerging Elite is VbDC’s entry level Performance camp, with a curriculum designed for athletes who have been training and playing competitive volleyball seasonally for three or four years, or year round for at least two years. Athletes will have sufficiently competent ball-handling skills to enable them to participate in team drills that simulate game situations.
Emerging Elite is VbDC’s entry level Performance camp, with a curriculum designed for athletes who have been training and playing competitive volleyball seasonally for three or four years, or year round for at least two years. Athletes will have sufficiently competent ball-handling skills to enable them to participate in team drills that simulate game situations.
The flagship VbDC event, the Elite Camp is designed to help refine the skills –both mental and physical – which committed elite players have been acquiring through their participation in the highest level of volleyball. It is is a limited enrolment camp to which athletes must apply to determine their eligibility. Enrolment is restricted to 24 athletes who submit videos, coach recommendations and an essay with their application. Most athletes are members of their national team, but those who play for a university or in the top division of their national league may also be considered.
For players who want to “hit the ground running” for the new season.
An intense 5 day camp for players who are serious about their pre-season preparations whether it is for a National League, school varsity or even university teams. The camp will ensure that all the fundamental skills are in place while refining techniques before match preparation.
8 Simple Rules is an innovative two day volleyball camp designed for intermediate level players competing at a local league level, it covers 8 key areas of the game in an enjoyable, practical and rewarding programme.
The concepts will be presented in an easy to digest format covering techniques, theory and tactics of the game that participants can take back to their clubs and teams.
The complete syllabus will be delivered over the two days and to get maximum benefit from the camp we strongly recommend attending both days, however recognising that it might not be possible for everyone to attend both days we are offering a one day option.
The weekend Pathways Camp is designed for the new volleyball player who, having had an introduction to the game, has decided to participate in a competitive school or club programme. The curriculum features drills to develop each of the basic actions required to play the three-touch game: the dig, set and spike, and the action that initiates a rally, the serve. This is the first VbDC camp in which the athlete will be expected to exhibit self-discipline and communication with the coach.
A transitional camp with a curriculum designed to take the athlete from individual ball-handling drills into team-based game simulation drills. Skillz Plus doubles the hours of training as preparation for the stamina and attention required for the Performance camps. The curriculum includes revision on closed-ended ball-handling skills, but also puts the athlete into open-ended situations where they gain a fuller understanding of how competence in performing individual skills contributes to a successful team effort.
In Autumn 2018 VbDC intends to convert its First Stepz Camp to an outreach programme in which primary schools, leisure centres, clubs, churches or social groups introduce volleyball to young athletes, usually of (but not limited to) primary school age. Interested organizations can contact VbDC to set up a session, and VbDC will provide the coaches and equipment for a four-hour session at a venue chosen by the host organization.
Talented athletes will, at some point in their volleyball career, have to make a choice whether or not to play at the elite level. It can be a life-changing decision, since the move to elite sport involves not just an increase in on-court training, but affects almost every aspect of their life: mental discipline, diet, off-court physical conditioning and regular long-distance travel are just some. The most physically demanding of all VbDC camps, Pre-Elite is designed for athletes whose coaches have identified them as being capable of elite performance, but who have yet to experience the elite training regime.
Q-Camp Update
We continue to update our Q-Camp page with content during this lock-down period with workout exercises for fitness and some ball handling drills that can be done at home. We have just added a second Coaches Classic match, this is where our coaches recommend a match and highlight some of the more subtle points to look out for.
Meanwhile our Facebook page features some of the more quirky ideas and features
BREAKING NEWS
The FIVB have announced that their Volleyball TV channel will be available for FREE between 8th May and 31st August 2020.
This means that Full Match replays of hundreds of matches from the VNL 2018 and 2019,the 2018 FIVB Volleyball World Championships, plus the FIVB Volleyball Club World Championships, can now be watched for free, which of course includes these two matches.
You still need to signup, but simply use the FREEPASS promotional code to subscribe.
CoronaVirus Update-2
Like you, we at Volleyball Development Camps have been closely following developments in the coronavirus crisis. The pace of events has been so rapid that it has been impossible to chart a path for our forthcoming activities, and only last week it seemed like some small sports activities might be able to resume after an initial two-week closure of schools.
However, with the Prime Minister’s announcement of the unprecedented measures that we must now take to protect our society and our lives, we now know that we will be unable to hold the Easter Break Skills Camp at the time originally scheduled.
As we await further government instructions on sports gatherings, VbDC will continue to offer volleyball training. But you won’t have to gather in a group to train. Virtual training to help athletes maintain their volleyball skills are being created for the VbDC Q Camp – Q for quarantine – which is now live on the VbDC website and will be updated on a regular basis.
Have a look at the Q Camp, we may have to stop our physical training and competing as part of our contribution to the global effort to stop the coronavirus pandemic, but it doesn’t mean we have to stop enjoying volleyball – the best sport in the world.
CoronaVirus Update
In line with almost all sports in every country in the world, Volleyball Development Camps have suspended all training and match activity.
Volleyball Development Camps is committed to follow UK Government and World Health Organisation guidelines on the coronavirus and of course the well being of our athletes, coaches and their famalies is the most important thing to us. Likewise, we are committed to our sport, and to continue providing opportunities for volleyball enthusiasts to participate in the game to the best of their ability.
VbDC will carry on with preparations for scheduled training programs. With circumstances changing daily, we are also making adjustments to our calendar as the situation evolves. Our intention is to resume a sustained schedule of training sessions as soon as guidelines permit.
While we may not be able to play the game we love for a while we will certainly be active in other areas which we will share with you both here and on our Facebook page in the coming days and weeks.
VbDC miss out on semi finals
The Under 15 girls narrowly missed out on qualifying for the semi finals of the Volleyball England Under 15 National Championships. The team have visibly improved through each match, rapidly gaining in confidence as they progressed.
U15 Tournament Results
1st Boswells
2nd Newcastle Staffs
3rd VbDC
4th Ashcombe Dorking
Dates for 2020
We are all looking forward to an exciting 2020 with some great new projects and events which are in the development pipeline.
For now though booking for our first set of camps is now open (more will follow shortly) offering some great Early Bird discounts.
- Easter All Skills Camp – 14th – 17th April 2020 – ACS Cobham
- Emerging Elite Camp – 29th June – 3rd July 2020 – ACS Egham with accomodation at Royal Holloway University
- Emerging Elite Camp – 3rd – 7th August 2020 – ACS Egham with accomodation at Royal Holloway University
- Elite Camp – 10th – 14th August 2020 – ACS Cobham
- Pre-Season Boot Camp – 17th – 21st August 2020 – ACS Cobham
Yes there are two Emerging Elite camps this year, we have added a second one in the main UK school holidays. Both are at ACS Egham and offer residential options at the nearby Royal Holloway University in the spectacular Founders Halls.
Launching our first camp for adults
It’s not about winning at volleyball… it’s about enjoying the game
You don’t have to be an elite athlete to enjoy volleyball, but you will get more pleasure from it at any level if you follow
EIGHT SIMPLE RULES
By popular demand, Volleyball Development Camps is offering a two-day workshop for adult recreational volleyball players who want to start the coming season with improved confidence in their skills, and a better understanding of the teamwork required to play a satisfying game. We call it Eight Simple Rules, or 8SR.
The new 8SR workshop takes place at the ACS Cobham International School Sports Arena on Saturday 21 September and Sunday, 22 September. The workshop begins at 10 am and concludes at 4 pm both days. Deadline for registration is 20 September.
Have you recently started playing volleyball? If so, ask yourself these three questions:
• Would you like to step your game up to the a higher level?
• Is being more satisfied with your on-court performance a personal goal?
• Would a better grasp of the fundamental tactics for an effective game help you improve?
8SR is not a team developmental camp, nor is it coaching individual ball-handling skills, although we’ll provide advice on those if you want it. 8SR is a 10-hour session of informal instruction geared toward adults. It follows eight points identified by VbDC Director of Curriculum John Biddiscombe which, if followed, can quickly help a recreational player find a greater degree of personal satisfaction from their game.
Latest News
Time for a news update as there are so many exciting things happening for our former campers, mentors and coaches.
- Ben Lucas won his first England senior cap against Scotland at the beginning of June, successfully making the often difficult step up to the senior squad.
- Alice Brand and Carla Hulme paired up as one of the two England teams competing in the MEVZA (Middle European Volleyball Zonal Association) U20 Beach Volleyball Youth Cup along with another camper, Leah Blight in the other team for the competition in Slovenia.
- Coach Will McDonald had a busy weekend of coaching with Richmond at the National Finals in Kettering where they were represented in every age group and along with several campers, winning 2 out of the 3 girls finals.
- Another of our coaches, Rachel Hynes, managed the difficult role of Player/Coach to steer Dartford ladies to the South East Region championship.
- Hannah Carey, a great friend of VbDC who has now settled the USA, battled back from an injury to compete at the USA Volleyball Nationals Women’s A division in Columbus Ohio and come a very credible 31st place, considering there were 482 teams.
- One face that we sadly probably won’t be seeing this summer, but who’s voice we hopefully will be hearing a lot of is Clayton Lucas as he is busy providing, seemingly non-stop, english language commentary for the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL).
- Finally Ailsa McDonald who started as a camper, progressed to become a mentor and then a coach, currently working towards her level 2 qualification and culminating her time at the University of East London (UEL) was recently awarded the Service to Sports Award, no doubt taking into consideration the work she does with GB Sitting volleyball. Incidentally Ailsa’s multi talents also stretch to filming and producing the videos on this site.
Athlete is Showcase bound
A former VbDC camper and mentor will be travelling to Minneapolis in December to take part in a showcase of talent before scouts and coaches at the American Volleyball Coaches Association convention.
Ben Lucas, a member of the England U-19 squad, will participate in the showcase with other young men who are looking for scholarships to play at US universities. Lucas is the third male VbDC alumnus to have received offers to play on a sports scholarship in America, but he is the first to use the AVCA showcase to broaden awareness of his volleyball skills among university recruiters.
At the showcase, athletes are taken to a closed gym to participate in a variety of drills and activities that display their skills. Lucas plans to attend university in autumn 2019.
AVCA Convention 2018
It’s nearly convention time again, we will shortly be getting our winter clothes ready for a trip to Minneapolis
We here at VbDC have been members of the American Volleyball Coaches Association – @AVCAVolleyball – for almost as long as we have been running camps. We first attended the AVCA Convention in 2010 and have attended as often as we can ever since. The convention and all the associated events is a great opportunity to pick up on all the latest trends and tactics in the game as well as seeing the latest products not to mention the numerous networking opportunities.
Over the years the number of international coaches attending the convention has steadily increased. To further grow that number the AVCA are offering a discount of $330 off the full convention price to coaches travelling from Great Britain.
This year the convention and NCAA Finals are in Minneapolis between December 12th and 16th and the all important discount code you need is –
2018AVCAGreatBritain
If you are heading to Minneapolis this year, drop us a line so that we can meet up for a coffee.
Ohio university gives Losada first-year court time
Former VbDC camper Alejandro Losada, who hails from Ludo, Spain, near Santiago de Compostella, has been given more court time than usual for a freshman, as he wraps up his first year as a member of the Wittenberg University men’s varsity team in Springfield, Ohio.
Losada took part in 42 sets in 21 matches of the mens’ 25-game season, and put six services aces, two blocks and 16 points on his personal scoresheet. Most first-year athletes spend the majority of their introductory season on the bench while they learn the college’s playing style. The Tigers had 17 men on this year’s squad, and finished their season in the NCAA Division III North Coast Atlantic Conference with a 14-11 record.
Welcome
Volleyball Development Camps ran its first event in 2005, a week-long day camp for two dozen local athletes ranging from beginners to teens who practiced with their parent’s club. Two years later there were more camps, for introducing the sport to first-timers, for adolescents who needed help learning to handle the volleyball, and for teen-agers who were beginning to play year round at higher levels.
Today there are seven levels of training in the VbDC curriculum, along with one-day workshops for positional players, programmes to help mature recreational players enjoy the game more, English language tuition for athletes from abroad, and outreach activities for schools and leisure centres. A VbDC event takes place every month. Young athletes aged 8 to 22 participate in training tailored to a particular level of ability. Aspects of the game covering players’ technical form and game tactics are introduced from early ages. Guest speakers discuss the game during lunch breaks, professional and national teams have joined the training sessions, and sports science specialists analyse individual performance. Many athletes return year after year and progress through the range of camps. Some have become friends in whom VbDC has taken an active involvement in helping them chart their sports future.
Activities have grown off court, too, with VbDC assisting athletes in their search for scholarships to US and Canadian universities, organizing courses for the qualification of game officials, and sponsoring local clubs. A sister company, Top Flight Volley, retails training equipment, balls, shoes, accessories and clothing.
But the founding guideline on which VbDC was founded has not changed over time: Assemble highly qualified coaches in the best facilities available and create a course of instruction that will help disciplined, dedicated volleyball athletes take their performance to a higher level.
Welcome to the VbDC website. Please explore it and read about our approach to volleyball training, how we structure our camps and when various programs are scheduled, who we are and the support services we offer, and the latest developments in the lives of VbDC athletes of note. You’ll quickly see how VbDC has become not only a good training programme, but a community of volleyball enthusiasts.
Enquiry Form
Would you like to learn more about Volleyball Development Camps programmes, or about one camp in particular? The form below can be used to send us an enquiry.
The form asks for a few general details, which help us be more accurate in our response to your enquiry. This information is kept only for the purpose of providing a reply. In keeping with new data protection regulations, it will not be shared with any outside organisation. It will be removed from our database after our initial contacts if you wish it to be removed.
Why do we ask for this information?
- Very general personal details, such as age and gender, enable us to know who we are discussing.
- If we know the athlete’s location and dates of availability, we will have an idea whether the athlete is likely to require a residential or language option, and for us to be prepared to help with transport and tutoring arrangements, if necessary.
- Some questions we ask about the athlete’s playing history and club association enable us to make a better recommendation on the type of camp they will benefit most from attending.
Please take the time to fill out the form if you wish to learn more about VbDC activities. The data will be used only to help you make the right choice for the athlete on whose behalf you are enquiring.
ONLINE ENQUIRY FORM
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Forthcoming Events
The weekend Pathways Camp is designed for the new volleyball player who, having had an introduction to the game, has decided to participate in a competitive school or club programme. The curriculum features drills to develop each of the basic actions required to play the three-touch game: the dig, set and spike, and the action that initiates a rally, the serve. This is the first VbDC camp in which the athlete will be expected to exhibit self-discipline and communication with the coach.
Those young athletes who enjoy their introduction to volleyball via First Stepz will then be able to sign up for the Next Stepz Camp, a half-day course that introduces the athlete to the fundamental rules of volleyball, and initiates drills to teach the basic ball-handling techniques. A little game-time fun rounds out the day to encourage use of the newly acquired skills.
In Autumn 2018 VbDC intends to convert its First Stepz Camp to an outreach programme in which primary schools, leisure centres, clubs, churches or social groups introduce volleyball to young athletes, usually of (but not limited to) primary school age. Interested organizations can contact VbDC to set up a session, and VbDC will provide the coaches and equipment for a four-hour session at a venue chosen by the host organization.
Emerging Elite is VbDC’s entry level Performance camp, with a curriculum designed for athletes who have been training and playing competitive volleyball seasonally for three or four years, or year round for at least two years. Athletes will have sufficiently competent ball-handling skills to enable them to participate in team drills that simulate game situations.
Talented athletes will, at some point in their volleyball career, have to make a choice whether or not to play at the elite level. It can be a life-changing decision, since the move to elite sport involves not just an increase in on-court training, but affects almost every aspect of their life: mental discipline, diet, off-court physical conditioning and regular long-distance travel are just some. The most physically demanding of all VbDC camps, Pre-Elite is designed for athletes whose coaches have identified them as being capable of elite performance, but who have yet to experience the elite training regime.
Our first camp outside England, VbDC joins forces with the International School of Brussels to conduct an all-skills camp at the ISB campus. From elementary school athlete to high school varsity competitor, VbDC coaches will lead a week-long program that incorporates elements from both the Skills and Performance curricula for a range of ability.
The flagship VbDC event, the Elite Camp is designed to help refine the skills –both mental and physical – which committed elite players have been acquiring through their participation in the highest level of volleyball. It is is a limited enrolment camp to which athletes must apply to determine their eligibility. Enrolment is restricted to 24 athletes who submit videos, coach recommendations and an essay with their application. Most athletes are members of their national team, but those who play for a university or in the top division of their national league may also be considered.
A transitional camp with a curriculum designed to take the athlete from individual ball-handling drills into team-based game simulation drills. Skillz Plus doubles the hours of training as preparation for the stamina and attention required for the Performance camps. The curriculum includes revision on closed-ended ball-handling skills, but also puts the athlete into open-ended situations where they gain a fuller understanding of how competence in performing individual skills contributes to a successful team effort.
The highest level of the weekend VbDC Skills camps, in which drills are designed to train the individual athlete how to play the ball in its most basic actions: the serve; the underarm pass, or dig; the overhead pass, or set; and the attack, or spike. The curriculum calls for some scrimmaging to emphasize the importance of good ball-handling technique, but most of the camp is devoted to refining the skills needed to effectively move the ball around the court.
Q-Camp Update
We continue to update our Q-Camp page with content during this lock-down period with workout exercises for fitness and some ball handling drills that can be done at home. We have just added a second Coaches Classic match, this is where our coaches recommend a match and highlight some of the more subtle points to look out for.
Meanwhile our Facebook page features some of the more quirky ideas and features
BREAKING NEWS
The FIVB have announced that their Volleyball TV channel will be available for FREE between 8th May and 31st August 2020.
This means that Full Match replays of hundreds of matches from the VNL 2018 and 2019,the 2018 FIVB Volleyball World Championships, plus the FIVB Volleyball Club World Championships, can now be watched for free, which of course includes these two matches.
You still need to signup, but simply use the FREEPASS promotional code to subscribe.
CoronaVirus Update-2
Like you, we at Volleyball Development Camps have been closely following developments in the coronavirus crisis. The pace of events has been so rapid that it has been impossible to chart a path for our forthcoming activities, and only last week it seemed like some small sports activities might be able to resume after an initial two-week closure of schools.
However, with the Prime Minister’s announcement of the unprecedented measures that we must now take to protect our society and our lives, we now know that we will be unable to hold the Easter Break Skills Camp at the time originally scheduled.
As we await further government instructions on sports gatherings, VbDC will continue to offer volleyball training. But you won’t have to gather in a group to train. Virtual training to help athletes maintain their volleyball skills are being created for the VbDC Q Camp – Q for quarantine – which is now live on the VbDC website and will be updated on a regular basis.
Have a look at the Q Camp, we may have to stop our physical training and competing as part of our contribution to the global effort to stop the coronavirus pandemic, but it doesn’t mean we have to stop enjoying volleyball – the best sport in the world.
CoronaVirus Update
In line with almost all sports in every country in the world, Volleyball Development Camps have suspended all training and match activity.
Volleyball Development Camps is committed to follow UK Government and World Health Organisation guidelines on the coronavirus and of course the well being of our athletes, coaches and their famalies is the most important thing to us. Likewise, we are committed to our sport, and to continue providing opportunities for volleyball enthusiasts to participate in the game to the best of their ability.
VbDC will carry on with preparations for scheduled training programs. With circumstances changing daily, we are also making adjustments to our calendar as the situation evolves. Our intention is to resume a sustained schedule of training sessions as soon as guidelines permit.
While we may not be able to play the game we love for a while we will certainly be active in other areas which we will share with you both here and on our Facebook page in the coming days and weeks.
VbDC miss out on semi finals
The Under 15 girls narrowly missed out on qualifying for the semi finals of the Volleyball England Under 15 National Championships. The team have visibly improved through each match, rapidly gaining in confidence as they progressed.
U15 Tournament Results
1st Boswells
2nd Newcastle Staffs
3rd VbDC
4th Ashcombe Dorking
Dates for 2020
We are all looking forward to an exciting 2020 with some great new projects and events which are in the development pipeline.
For now though booking for our first set of camps is now open (more will follow shortly) offering some great Early Bird discounts.
- Easter All Skills Camp – 14th – 17th April 2020 – ACS Cobham
- Emerging Elite Camp – 29th June – 3rd July 2020 – ACS Egham with accomodation at Royal Holloway University
- Emerging Elite Camp – 3rd – 7th August 2020 – ACS Egham with accomodation at Royal Holloway University
- Elite Camp – 10th – 14th August 2020 – ACS Cobham
- Pre-Season Boot Camp – 17th – 21st August 2020 – ACS Cobham
Yes there are two Emerging Elite camps this year, we have added a second one in the main UK school holidays. Both are at ACS Egham and offer residential options at the nearby Royal Holloway University in the spectacular Founders Halls.
Q-Camp Update
We continue to update our Q-Camp page with content during this lock-down period with workout exercises for fitness and some ball handling drills that can be done at home. We have just added a second Coaches Classic match, this is where our coaches recommend a match and highlight some of the more subtle points to look out for.
Meanwhile our Facebook page features some of the more quirky ideas and features
BREAKING NEWS
The FIVB have announced that their Volleyball TV channel will be available for FREE between 8th May and 31st August 2020.
This means that Full Match replays of hundreds of matches from the VNL 2018 and 2019,the 2018 FIVB Volleyball World Championships, plus the FIVB Volleyball Club World Championships, can now be watched for free, which of course includes these two matches.
You still need to signup, but simply use the FREEPASS promotional code to subscribe.
CoronaVirus Update-2
Like you, we at Volleyball Development Camps have been closely following developments in the coronavirus crisis. The pace of events has been so rapid that it has been impossible to chart a path for our forthcoming activities, and only last week it seemed like some small sports activities might be able to resume after an initial two-week closure of schools.
However, with the Prime Minister’s announcement of the unprecedented measures that we must now take to protect our society and our lives, we now know that we will be unable to hold the Easter Break Skills Camp at the time originally scheduled.
As we await further government instructions on sports gatherings, VbDC will continue to offer volleyball training. But you won’t have to gather in a group to train. Virtual training to help athletes maintain their volleyball skills are being created for the VbDC Q Camp – Q for quarantine – which is now live on the VbDC website and will be updated on a regular basis.
Have a look at the Q Camp, we may have to stop our physical training and competing as part of our contribution to the global effort to stop the coronavirus pandemic, but it doesn’t mean we have to stop enjoying volleyball – the best sport in the world.
CoronaVirus Update
In line with almost all sports in every country in the world, Volleyball Development Camps have suspended all training and match activity.
Volleyball Development Camps is committed to follow UK Government and World Health Organisation guidelines on the coronavirus and of course the well being of our athletes, coaches and their famalies is the most important thing to us. Likewise, we are committed to our sport, and to continue providing opportunities for volleyball enthusiasts to participate in the game to the best of their ability.
VbDC will carry on with preparations for scheduled training programs. With circumstances changing daily, we are also making adjustments to our calendar as the situation evolves. Our intention is to resume a sustained schedule of training sessions as soon as guidelines permit.
While we may not be able to play the game we love for a while we will certainly be active in other areas which we will share with you both here and on our Facebook page in the coming days and weeks.
VbDC miss out on semi finals
The Under 15 girls narrowly missed out on qualifying for the semi finals of the Volleyball England Under 15 National Championships. The team have visibly improved through each match, rapidly gaining in confidence as they progressed.
U15 Tournament Results
1st Boswells
2nd Newcastle Staffs
3rd VbDC
4th Ashcombe Dorking
Dates for 2020
We are all looking forward to an exciting 2020 with some great new projects and events which are in the development pipeline.
For now though booking for our first set of camps is now open (more will follow shortly) offering some great Early Bird discounts.
- Easter All Skills Camp – 14th – 17th April 2020 – ACS Cobham
- Emerging Elite Camp – 29th June – 3rd July 2020 – ACS Egham with accomodation at Royal Holloway University
- Emerging Elite Camp – 3rd – 7th August 2020 – ACS Egham with accomodation at Royal Holloway University
- Elite Camp – 10th – 14th August 2020 – ACS Cobham
- Pre-Season Boot Camp – 17th – 21st August 2020 – ACS Cobham
Yes there are two Emerging Elite camps this year, we have added a second one in the main UK school holidays. Both are at ACS Egham and offer residential options at the nearby Royal Holloway University in the spectacular Founders Halls.