Regina Volleyball Club

Please read the following (lengthy but important) information before registering with RVC

 RVC COMPETITIVE PHILOSOPHY

The RVC Competitive program is for men and women aged 12 to 18. (Note: RVC also offers a Developmental program for beginners aged 8 - 12 and Recreational programs for youth). These age-class teams compete in tournaments against teams from across the province which will involve travel outside Regina. Teams practice twice a week and can attend 4 to 6 tournaments. The season runs from November to April or May (depending on participation at national championships).

RVC endorses Volleyball Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model. This is a sustained and progressive approach which starts with the FUNdamentals and eventually works toward elite competition and lifelong sport participation. Volleyball is a late-specialization sport; volleyball players start the sport later than many other sports - and peak at an elite level when they are in their 20s & 30s. RVC youth programs (8-15) will focus on physical and technical development in a variety of playing positions. As athletes progress and mature with respect to volleyball, elite competitive strategies will be introduced where appropriate. For more information on LTAD, see the link on our website.

What does this mean for you. While winning games will be important for our competitive 13U, 14U and 15U teams this will not be 'at all costs'. During this developmental time for volleyball players, success can be measured by more than the final score. Athletes will be encouraged to learn a number of on-court playing positions so they are better able to develop a wide range of volleyball skills for the future. A philosophy of fair playing time will be used where possible given that the team will be in a competitive environment. This recognizes that the player that is given an opportunity to develop may end up as an elite player a few years down the road - but they need to have been given the chance to play and improve.

For our 16U, 17U and 18U teams, we will offer elite competition where appropriate. Our top 16U, 17U and 18U teams will be designated Elite Competitive. Please note: elite competition is not a fair-play environment - athletes are being trained to compete against the best teams in the country. That said, our RVC philosophy expects all coaches to find a role for each athlete on their team. A higher level of commitment will be required by athletes on Elite Competitive teams. Other 16U, 17U and 18U teams, not designated Elite Competitive, will operate in a competitive environment but the focus will be more on active participation and long-term involvement in volleyball. As RVC attracts many elite athletes, more than one team at any age-class may compete at the "Tier 1" level.

TEAM SELECTIONS

RVC assigns players to teams based on a combination of tryout results and team composition needs. The tryout results are determined from on-court evaluations of technical skill but more importantly, attitude, ability to communicate, and desire. Team composition needs are determined by each coach’s decision as to how many players are needed at each position, with consideration also given to such factors as physical height and competitive experience or potential.

The goal is to assign players to teams where they will have the best chance of individual success and be most capable of making a significant contribution to their team’s success. RVC tries to keep things light, but during tryouts players are being assessed. Players should be prepared for this and that no player is guaranteed a place on a team. All team placement notifications will be made by phone. Three days following notification team lists are considered final (no refund policy in effect). This is so teams can start their training, get organized with regard to tournaments (entry deadlines are getting earlier all the time) and uniforms can be ordered with the right sizes and numbers.

Teams will start practicing in November depending on gym availability and conflicts with school team playoffs - each coach will advise their teams as to the start date and their annual schedule. It is important to communicate with team selection staff and your team coach as far in advance as possible if there are schedule conflicts.

All participants are strongly encouraged to ask questions about the club, our coaches and the commitment required for our competitive teams at the team selection camps (or before). We do strive to place athletes in the best possible situation but need your help in this process.

Click here for more info and the tryout schedule

ATHLETE EXPENSES   (Club fees + Team expenses + Personal expenses = Total cost)

RVC works diligently to keep its fees as low as possible. Not all clubs/sport configure their expenses the same way - so comparisons must be made for the total costs - not just club fees. For instance, some clubs do not include coaching and facility costs in their club fees while others incorporate everything including hotels and transportation. RVC has adopted a structure where the club provides significant support to our teams, parents and coaches - while providing flexibility to suit each team's and each individual's unique situation.

RVC club fees include: access to all equipment including balls and nets, facility rentals, one athlete-owned uniform jersey, minimum Level 1 NCCP certified coach, certain coaching expenses and all Saskatchewan Volleyball and Volleyball Canada registration fees. In addition, each athlete will be required to contribute to team expenses, as determined by their team, primarily for tournament registration fees. Team expenses vary with respect to the age and the competitive calibre of the team. The older, more elite teams usually choose to attend more tournaments, which may include traveling out-of-province to national championships. Athletes are responsible for their own hotel and travel expenses for out-of-town tournaments and for required clothing (shorts, kneepads, etc) other than the one uniform jersey provided by the club.  Some older teams will require the purchase of a second uniform top. Personal expenses can be reduced by sharing transportation/accommodations for away tournaments and perhaps bringing food (rather than eating out).

Over the past few year, fees for SVA & Volleyball Canada have increased along with increasing costs of facilities and equipment. RVC works hard to keep costs low through tournaments, fundraising and sponsorship initiatives. However, in response to the rising costs, for the 2012 season, the RVC club fee is now $455.00.

Fundraising: Fundraising opportunities may be organized by individual teams as desired including in some cases, hosting an RVC tournament and running a fundraising canteen. Financial assistance may also be available through other funding organizations such as KidSport Saskatchewan.

CODE OF CONDUCT

None of our goals are attainable without the help of interested and committed volunteers, including team coaches, managers and RVC executive members. Each athlete and parent is expected, at all times, to represent themselves, their team and RVC in an appropriate and respectful manner to volunteer coaches and club executive, other team members, officials, opponents and others. We encourage all team members (players, parents and coaches) to observe, when appropriate, a 24-hr cool-down period and to work at resolving issues in a reasonable and timely manner. Any behaviour that is determined to be unbecoming of an athlete or parent is reason for and will result in expulsion from your team and RVC without refund of fees for the remainder of the season. Let’s ensure that everyone has a positive experience.

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REGISTRATION

All players must complete this registration online - do it at home and save yourself a lot of time at tryouts. Once you have completed and submitted the form, you will receive a confirmation email message to the parent's email address. (If you do not seem to have received this message, first check your junk mail folder). Registrations are not taken on a first-come first-served basis - as long as you register before team selections all is good - but again to avoid delays, please register prior to Oct 15.

When sending in your payment (RVC, Box 32005, Regina, SK S4N 7L2), please include this confirmation message or the athlete's name and program name with the cheque (RVC attracts hundreds of athletes and has a number of programs going at the same time). You may bring your cheque to the camp however, to enjoy the express line at registration, you are encouraged to mail your cheque in beforehand. [Note: cheques received for registration fees are not deposited until the player is chosen for an RVC team].

If you have any difficulty using the online form or have a question about registration - please contact our Webmaster directly.  For all other general questions or comments - please contact RVC.

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