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May 15, 2025 | Newsletter
We’re heading into an exciting stretch of the year! Our May newsletter kicks off with highlights from our upcoming Coaching Symposium and Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet, followed by a look back at our indoor club season, introductions to our summer staff, and everything you need to know about beach tournaments, beach programs and summer camps!
We’ve also included updates on Team Alberta, coaching tips, referee initiatives, and a very important reminder about our new Safe Sport reporting system through ALIAS Solutions—an important step forward in our commitment to providing a safe and respectful environment for all.
There’s a lot happening, so be sure to scan through and click for more details. We’re looking forward to an amazing summer with all of you!
| | Coaching Symposium: "Digging Deeper" | | |
Calling All Coaches!
Registration Now Open for the Digging Deeper: 2025 Volleyball Alberta Coaching Symposium
📅 June 20–21, 2025
📍 Deerfoot Inn & Casino & Rally Pointe (Calgary)
Join coaches across Alberta for two action-packed days of on-court demos, classroom sessions, and keynote speakers, including:
• TJ Sanders – Olympian, Setter Academy
• Sarah Pavan – Olympian, FIVB World Champion
Topics include:
• Transitioning to beach
• Training for middles/liberos
• Setter development
• Load management with Vert tech
Earn PD points | Network with peers
Must hold an active Volleyball Alberta Leader membership to register.
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📌 Register by June 13 via Sportlomo-Volleyball Alberta Events. Search: “Digging Deeper: 2025 VA Coaching Symposium”
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Volleyball Alberta Announces 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees
We are proud to announce Ken Briggs and Scott McLean as this year's VA Hall of Fame inductees!
The 21st Annual Mikasa Achievement Awards & Hall of Fame Banquet will be held in Calgary on Saturday, June 21, 2025. We invite all past Hall of Fame inductees, members of our Volleyball Alberta community, and Coaching Symposium attendees to join us as we celebrate the newest Hall of Fame inductees and recognize the award winners from the 2024 Beach season and the 2025 Indoor season. *Mikasa Achievement Award Recipients will be announced on our website on May 30th.
Read the full announcement here: Latest News Stories.
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VA's 2025 Premiers & Provincials series wrapped up May 3-4. Congratulations to all teams who competed at Provincials, and to our Sportsmanship Award winners, nominees, and All Stars - well done!
To those heading to Nationals: Good luck and enjoy the experience; to the entire membership: We trust the season brought growth, success, and lifelong memories.
All Star Awards | Sportsmanship Awards | Full Results | End-of-Season Survey launches May 29.
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2025/26 Club Signing & Tryout Updates:
We shared draft details in our April 24 email — view it here
| | Thank you to all referees, coaches, athletes, and families for your support this season! | | Summer Staff Announcement | | Please join us in welcoming VA's 2025 summer staff: Anna, Brendon, Renae, Brielle and Aideena. The team is thrilled to have their support throughout the next few months! Contact details is available on our Contact Us page. | | | | |
Beach Tournaments
We're counting down the days until our beach volleyball season kicks off! Our first tournament hits the sand in Edmonton on May 31st, and spots are filling up fast. Register or waitlist through Sportlomo - Volleyball Alberta Events. If tournaments are full, please join the waitlist, as staff will be managing this and inviting teams as more spots become available.
Important Reminders:
• 2025 Beach Tournament schedule
• Beach Registration Guide
Please ensure your team name follows this format:
• First Initial. Last Name / First Initial. Last Name
(ie, B. Morin / B. Ure).
Let’s make this beach season unforgettable -see you on the sand very soon!
| | Beach Programs in Edmonton at John Fry Park | | | | |
There’s still time to join the fun on the sand this summer!
Whether you're looking to stay active, build skills, or connect with the community, Volleyball Alberta has programs for all ages and experience levels.
Register on Sportlomo
• Step 1. Membership pre-requisite.
• Step 2. Register for the program/league.
• More info can be found on our website's Edmonton Youth Beach & Adult Beach pages.
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Edmonton Youth Beach Programs
12U-14U
• Beginner Level Youth Beach Skill Development June & July sessions still have spots available.
14U-17U
• Youth Beach Skill Development June is full & there are a few available spots in July.
• Youth 2's League Nights June & July are full - join the waitlist.
Our youth programs are designed to introduce and enhance fundamental beach volleyball skills in a fun, encouraging environment.
🔗 Edmonton Youth Beach Prorams
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Edmonton Adult Beach Leagues
We’re welcoming registrations for:
• Men's 2's
• Women's 2's
• Co-Ed 2's & 4's
Leagues begin soon – secure your spot today! We look forward to seeing you on the sand!
Join us for a great mix of competition, camaraderie, and sunshine!
Games will be held at John Fry Park Beach Volleyball Courts (92nd Street and 28th Ave, Edmonton)
🔗 Edmonton Adult Beach Leagues
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Summer Camps
Registration is open for Volleyball Alberta Summer Camps, now in FOUR locations: Calgary, Edmonton, Grimshaw & Sylvan Lake! Offering Smashball Day camps for youth ages 6-11, Volleyball Day Camps for youth 12-16 and an overnight volleyball camp experience in Sylvan Lake for ages 12-16! Limited Spots Available! Camps in Calgary, Edmonton, and Grimshaw still have room—Sylvan Lake is FULL and taking a waitlist.
For more information, please visit our Summer Camps page.
Register on Sportlomo – Volleyball Alberta Events
Spots are limited, register today!
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GO Sports Fall, Winter & Spring Sessions
Our GO Sports programs are taking a break for the summer and will be back in the fall. A huge thank you to all of our participants, parents and coaches who make this program so amazing. Stay tuned on our GO Sports page for our next round of registration dates!
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School Sessions - Planning ahead? Book a Smashball School Session for 2025/26.
We are accepting smashball school session bookings for the 2025/26 school year. SMASHBALL is volleyball for kids aged 6-12 played on a modified court in a 3 vs 3 format. There are 5 progressive levels that provide a fun, safe and developmentally appropriate environment for kids to learn volleyball. For more information, visit our website or email Dia Syed.
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Welcome Chantelle Lamotte
We are pleased to welcome Chantelle Lamotte as our High Performance Manager (Term) based in Calgary. Chantelle brings strong experience from past Team Alberta programming and will lead our 2025 high-performance season. Please join us in welcoming Chantelle back to the Volleyball Alberta team!
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Team AB Volleyball (18U)
Congratulations to the 15 women and 21 men selected to represent Alberta at Volleyball Canada's Canada Cup in July and St. John's 2025 Canada Summer Games in August!
18U Women's Team
• Canada Cup & Canada Games Roster
18U Men's Team
• Canada Cup Roster
• Canada Games Roster
Learn More:
Visit the Team Alberta pages on our website for full details and updates.
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Team AB Volleyball (15U-17U)
Thanks to all the athletes who registered through GMTM and participated in the ID Camps across Alberta. We have been impressed with all the talented athletes. For full information on Team Alberta, please see our website: Team Alberta Information & Results pages.
- 17U Boys and Girls Final Tryout Invitations:
- All Wave 1 invites have gone out
- All Wave 2 invites will go out by May 28
- 15U & 16U Boys and Girls Selection Camp Invitations:
- All Wave 1 invites have gone out
- All Wave 2 invites will go out by the week of June 2
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Team AB Volleyball Drill Coaches
Volleyball Alberta is now hiring Drill Coaches for the Team Alberta Training Camps taking place at the Saville Community Sports Centre from July 5- 20th. All those who are interested can view the job posting online and submit completed forms to the High-Performance Coordinator. Drill-Coach-Job-Application.pdf
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Team AB Beach 16U & 18U Selection Camp: Registration is OPEN
Are you ready to compete at the next level?
➡️ These are OPEN tryouts - no invite or GMTM application required.
If you're a high-performance beach volleyball athlete ready to showcase your skills, this is your chance!
Camp Details
Dates: June 28-29, 2025
Location: Calgary, AB
Registration: Available now through Sportlomo – Volleyball Alberta Events
Mark Your Calendar
If selected, athletes must be available for the following key dates:
- August 4-10: Team AB training week (Calgary)
- August 11-17: Team travel & competition (Toronto)
Learn More:
Visit the Beach Team Alberta page on our website for full details and updates.
We look forward to seeing Alberta’s top beach talent on the sand this June!
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Referee Updates
A heartfelt thank you to all our incredible referees for your dedication throughout the 2025 season. Premier and Provincial Championships would not have been possible without your hard work, professionalism, and passion for the game.
And the season isn’t over yet!
Many of you are continuing your officiating journey at Edmonton 2025 Nationals - set to be the biggest celebration of volleyball in Canada, right here in Alberta. Your commitment to excellence is what makes events like this thrive, and we are truly grateful for your continued support.
Thank you for representing the best of our sport! 💙🏐
Interested in learning more about how to become a referee?
• Fill out this form here
• Check our website for new clinics: Referees - Upcoming Clinics.
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Blue Whistle Campaign
Reminder: If their whistle is blue, be kind - they’re new! Let's continue to support referees at every stage of their journey with encouragement and respect. Share Positive Feedback: Submit it here
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IMPORTANT UPDATE: Changes to Safe Sport Reporting
Volleyball Alberta is committed to ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all members. As part of our ongoing efforts to improve our safe sport protocols, we’d like to inform you of some important updates.
Effective immediately, we recommend clubs remove any reference to the Canadian Sport Helpline or the Abuse-Free Sport Helpline.
New Safe Sport Reporting with ALIAS Solutions
Volleyball Alberta is proud to announce that we’ve partnered with ALIAS Solutions to offer an independent safe sport reporting service. This new platform will allow individuals to report improper conduct confidentially via both the web and phone, ensuring that all safe sport (maltreatment) reports are managed by ALIAS’s independent third-party case management team.
This partnership strengthens our commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, and transparent environment for all members of Volleyball Alberta.
Stay tuned to the website for further updates on this important development and we thank you for helping us to maintain a respectful and supportive volleyball community.
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Safe Sport for Youth Athletes
Encourage your 13–19 year olds to complete this free, athlete-focused resource. It teaches:
- Boundary setting
- Recognizing & reporting abuse
- How to stay safe in sport
📜 Includes certificate of completion
Learn more and register at safesportforyouth.org
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