The Volleyball England 2023-24 season is shaping up to be a bumper one for teams across the country. The National Voleyball League (NVL) sees additional divisions added to the third and fourth tiers of competition for both men and women with over 150 teams.

For juniors there are numerous competitions for all levels of play that are ideal for new or inexperienced teams whilst also creating competitive playing opportunities for the country’s most talented junior athletes. This has come about from moving from knock-out cup style competitions that could see teams play just one match, into two tiers of Grand Prix-style events that will match teams against similar-level opposition throughout the season.

Extra rounds of matches have been added, providing even more playing opportunities at U14, U15, U16 and U18 levels.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is the organisation that represents the profession of volleyball coaching in America and their annual convention brings together thousands of coaches from across the world in December every year.

This year it is being held in Tampa, Florida – a welcome change from the usual frozen locations. Another first at this years convention is that there will be a session presented by a British coach. Simon Loftus the England men’s coach, and Head Coach at our Emerging Elite Camp will be presenting a session titled “Mental Health and Wellbeing in Coaches”

They simply called it VOLLEYBALL DAY !!

On August 30, 2023, the University of Nebraska women’s volleyball team set a new world record for attendance at a women’s sporting event at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska with a crowd of 92,003.  The previous record was set in April 2022, when 91,648 fans in Barcelona, Spain, gathered to witness a UEFA Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Wolfsburg at Camp Nou.

There have been some spectacular staging for volleyball matches. Horse Guards Parade in London for the Beach Volleyball at the 2012 Olympics, Italy opening this years Women’s Euro Volley tournament in an outdoor amphitheatre in Verona but in terms of scale this tops the lot. The news coverage around the world has certainly grabbed attention for women’s sport in general and volleyball in particular.