Are you ready for tryouts?

"There is an old saying that goes, "You never have a second chance to make a first impression." Nowhere is this truer than at a volleyball tryout. Serious volleyball players participate in several tryouts each season and can include club tryouts, school team tryouts, and High Performance or National Team tryouts. Doing your best at the tryout can be the difference between being on the team or being on your way home." Kelly C. Bourne
 

Improve Your indoor game on the Beach

Free Beach every Tuesday and Thursday 2 - 4 pm

Starting June 2, 2019

Sand volleyball has many advantages. More and more indoor players are improving their game by learning how to play on the beach. We believe anyone that trains at sand will improve your indoor game, jump, and strength at a minimum.

The problem solving, skill development, balance, movement, strength, reading, anticipation, and judgment needed to play sand doubles are amazing benefits for any athlete (especially indoor players and those dedicated to playing sand volleyball).
All genders, age and skill level welcome. 

Taken from a website called VolleyMasters training System

Before coming to the first time register on the website.

Congrats to the Elite Academy Beach Volleyball doubles teams

Welcome to Michele McKeown our beach volleyball coach for another year.  We are very excited to welcome the following doubles team to the Canadian Elite Academy Beach Volleyball doubles team training.  It occurs every Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00 - 6:00 pm and 6:00 - 8:00 pm for June and July.  Look for these players with their Elite Academy beach uniforms and the Elite Academy approach to the beach volleyball game.

Beach Doubles Competition Training
Girls
Azra Hadzihasanovic	Jaryn Janzen
Katie Young	Emjay Koller
Jamie Waskowic	Liv Stianson
Ayaka Imamura	Brynn Lewis
Ali Orvold	Paige Friesen
Rylie Regier	Abebayehu Pahl
Boys
Will Pahl	Colton Ginther
Adam Webster	Daxtin Cannell
Jacob Tratch	Owen Sumner
Austin Regier	Austin Peters
Jaden Suderman	Josh Graham

Balancing the Beach Volleyball Sessions

The following message was sent out to all our beach doubles teams.  We were challenged to try to balance out the two session times.

We are attempting to balance the session times for all our beach doubles athletes. We have two different session times and they are from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm and 6:00 - 8:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursday nights. You need to reply to us with one of the following responses…

1) Either session works for my team
2) Only the 4:00 - 6:00 pm session works for my team ( state why)
3) Only the 6:00 - 8:00 pm session works for my team (state why)

We need people to be as flexible as possible as it has become difficult to balance out the two sessions. Both Michele and myself are very excited about the way our athletes played in the first tourney of the year and are looking forward to the growth as you train to be an elite beach player.

Please respond as soon as possible so we can finalize the sessions and let you know before this Tuesday when the first sessions begin.

The six W's

The academy tries to provide what athletes need to do the work.

To become an Elite player in any sport and athlete has to put in the work.  Many athletes only work when in front of a coach but this is not enough for athletes to achieve the elite status that they wish to achieve.  Athletes need to put in at least as much or more work on their own perfecting their skills.  To do this they need to practice and play the game.  The academy hosts two hours of free beach volleyball play every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Father Robinson School.  This will begin in July and August.

Beach volleyball is one of the best ways to improve your indoor skills with foot speed, strength, and agility.  Take full advantage of this free beach play time to develop your game.

Many people have asked about the "Making the Cut Camp" in August and how is it different from other camps.  We tend to focus on teaching not only the skills of the sport but also how an athlete needs to act to give them the best chance to make their school teams.  This year we are offering two different camps.

The Youth Academy camp is designed to allow athletes who are younger still in Elementary school and have not played on a High School team or Club team.  They should be new to the sport and need basic skill training and lots of touches.

The Elite Academy camp is designed to allow athletes who are older in High School and have played on a High School team or Club team.  They are not new to the sport but need to shake off the summer rust, work on their skill development, eliminate bad habits and make a large number of touches allowing them to prepare for school tryouts.

In the last two years, the camp has sold out and has received a 5/5 rating by the participants, the 10 athletes to one coach and the camp format have made it popular and we hope to continue this history.

Volleyball Travel

May and the beginning of June have been busy with travel, it did mean that as Head Coach for the academy I was not around to do as many sessions as I would have liked but it did give me an opportunity to watch a lot of great coaches, athletes, and volleyball people.  We are very lucky to be part of the volleyball world and the great people involved.  I feel truly blessed.  

Ottawa Nationals May 1-6

Being the Volleyball Canada Representative at the Under 14 Girls and Boys allowed me to watch some pretty exceptional volleyball people.  This is me handing out an Outstanding coach award.  

Regina Nationals May 17 - 20

As Volleyball Canada Representative watching the Under 16 Girls and Under 15 boys play for the medals.  Wow some unbelievable volleyball people and an excellent learning experience watching the coaching working with their athletes.  Again the image about is me handing out an outstanding coach award

Ohio US Open May 23 -27

Talking about the Volleyball Community, the US Open is a huge competition of all different age classes.  I was asked to coach the Canadian Over 55 women's team at this event.  I again had the opportunity to meet a group of ladies who were legends of the game and reconnect with some past teammates who are still playing this beautiful sport.  I again got a chance to watch some immensely talented athletes and coaches, the learning continues and as a bonus, it was the first time I coached my wife.

Volleyball Canada Convention June 6 -10

This is the collection of Volleyball people from each of the provinces and territories who help make volleyball happen in this country and I am honored to represent Saskatchewan at this event.  I will also get a chance to watch our National men's team play in the Nations League against Australia and Germany.  Watching the best male players in Canada is a great opportunity to watch the way the game is changing and how beautiful the sport of volleyball can actually be when played right.

Las Vegas  AOC clinic June 15 -16

I get a chance to learn from exceptional coaches at this clinic.  Almost every coach who has searched for skill videos in volleyball have watched an Art of Coaching how-to video.  The coaches are some of the best North America has to offer and I am so excited to meet and learn from these coaches for these two days.  

Once I have attended all these events I hope to bring back what I have learned and share it with the athletes and the volleyball community in which I am honored to be able to be involved.