This can be a periodic replace in my position as Indoor Efficiency Director for Volleyball England. I laid out the excessive stage priorities underneath which I’m working in my preliminary put up.
Persevering with on from my final replace, it’s been a busy interval for the England nationwide groups.
U22s in European Championship qualification
Each the England U22 groups performed of their first ever Euro qualification event in July. The ladies traveled to Slovakia the place they performed the hosts in addition to Poland. Israel was additionally of their group, however they needed to withdraw because of the battle occurring at the moment. This resulted in a forfeit victory for us. Not the way in which you’d want to win, however you by no means know if these rating factors will make a distinction from a seeding perspective down the road. The opposite two matches have been 3-0 losses. Not sudden given our bodily and expertise shortcomings. There have been some brilliant patches of play, although.
The lads went to Italy the place additionally they had Denmark and Ukraine of their pool. Once more, all three matches have been losses, however they weren’t with out some positives. Most notably, the fellows took a set off Ukraine, who received the group. Additionally they had good durations of play towards Italy. I feel everybody would agree, nonetheless, that they didn’t play their finest towards Denmark in between the 2. Perhaps that’s as a result of they’ve seen Denmark various occasions over time in NEVZA U17 and U19 tournaments.
International Problem
Additionally in July, we despatched a gaggle of U19 girls to Croatia within the International Problem. This was the primary time ever getting into that event for an England group, although particular person gamers have competed there in recent times. All in all it was an excellent expertise for everybody who went. We will see it changing into an annual fixture, although we have to see the place they ultimately fall out with their age teams.
Nordic Cup
In late July/early August the Senior males went to Denmark for the Nordic Cup for the second 12 months in a row. The performed Norway and the France U22s alongside the host Danes. Though they have been lacking in all probability their high OH, who will play within the 1.Bundesliga this 12 months, they often had an excellent event.
The group began with a 3-0 loss to Norway, however with the primary set going 28-26. If reminiscence serves, they have been by no means that shut in any set in final 12 months’s version. The subsequent night they took Denmark to 5 units, in the end falling 15-13. Sadly, they performed France the very subsequent morning on a brief turn-around, and by no means actually obtained it going. Nonetheless, the teaching employees was fairly happy with how the group is progressing in how they wish to play.
August Juniors camp
Final weekend we held the U17 and U19 zonal championships squad choice camp (see beneath). It ran over 3 days and was the final occasion for the foreseeable future at what’s been our nationwide coaching heart, as we’ve moved our heart of operations to Loughborough College (additionally the place our workplace is situated). It was bitter-sweet handing within the keys after I left on the finish of issues on Sunday.
Coming off camp, the coaches put ahead their choices. An official panel meets, after which gamers are knowledgeable of the selections. Then, the groups and training staffs are publicly introduced.
Off-court work
There are two huge tasks we take note of (from an indoor perspective) to get underway this time subsequent 12 months – ideally. One is what we’re calling Expertise Zones. Consider them as a regionalized feeder system for the U18s. The opposite is a residential nationwide academy. That may cowl athletes within the final two years of college earlier than college within the UK training system (ages 16-18). We’ve accomplished a bunch of labor mapping out what must occur over the following 12 months. Now it’s about implementation.
Upcoming
The large factor over the following few months would be the annual U17 and U19 NEVZA Championships in October. This 12 months the U17 event may even be a primary spherical zonal qualifier for subsequent Summer time’s Euros. The winners will advance straight into the primary draw, whereas 2nd place transfer on to the second spherical of qualification in April.
We all know the U17s could have a restricted discipline of simply Denmark, England, Finland, and Sweden competing for Euro locations. The U19 individuals have but to be introduced at this writing, however rumors there additionally counsel a smaller than regular discipline. We’ll see.
On the Senior/U22 entrance, there’s a brand new improvement this 12 months supposed for his or her profit. The VE Competitions group have left about one weekend per 30 days free within the league calendar. This can permit the squads (a minimum of the home gamers) to return collectively for coaching. We’ve additionally collaborated with Scotland, Northern Eire, and Eire on having these kinds of open weekends in widespread throughout all our competitors calendars to permit our groups to play friendlies, do joint trainings, and many others.
Trying additional out, in my final replace I discussed getting FIVB funding for some nationwide group coach improvement. We’ve now obtained a pair of individuals lined up to try this for us – 1 on the seaside facet, and 1 indoor. We’re presently engaged on plans to run a mixed occasion with the 2 in early June.
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