New assistant coach award coincides with courses re-launch

We are delighted to announce the long-awaited return of coaching courses and workshops, with a Level 2 Coaching Volleyball course in Ashcombe on 28^th August set to be the first to take place since before lockdown.

Conversations are taking place to swiftly organise a cluster of dates across the country to help the backlog of coaches who have had their professional development stalled by the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, one of the major obstacles to courses returning is the availability of venues. If you are interested in hosting one and have access to a volleyball court and teaching area, please contact coaching@volleyballengland.org. If you are keen to attend a coaching course, please register your interest here so we can contact you as soon as a date becomes available.

In the meanwhile, we are seeking learners for a Level 2 course in Newark across 21st-22nd August and 18th-19th September. Please use this form to reserve a place. 

Assistant Coach Award

In further exciting news, we are currently piloting a new Assistant Coach Award. Developed during lockdown, this new award will be the first formal step on our Coach Education Pathway and covers the disciplines of indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, and sitting volleyball. It will replace our Level 1 Introduction to Coaching Volleyball Award.

The Assistant Coach Award will introduce learners to volleyball fundamentals that underpin the development of the dig, volley, block, serve, and spike skills, as well as Volleyball England’s game-based approach to coaching.

Upon completion of this eight-week blended course – two virtual classroom sessions, a one day face-to-face practical session and online studies – learners will become qualified to assist coaches in delivering volleyball sessions for senior beginners or social players.

Learners will each receive a free Volleyball England coach membership for their first season, a 12-month UK Coaching subscription, and a resource pack for the course fee of £150.

Natasha Buckland, Project Lead for Workforce Development & Courses, said: “Courses are essential for the development of coaches and so we are delighted they are now back online after being temporarily stopped by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Blended learning is also being piloted on the Grade 4 Refereeing Course with more information to follow.

For more information on courses, visit www.volleyballengland.org/courses. Future course dates, as well as all other future Volleyball England events, will be listed on our new event finder tool. Please note we are currently working with a number of clubs interested in organising Assistant Coach and Level 2 Awards.

Picture: Adam Bradbury, Coach at Newcastle Staffs, during the U15s Finals earlier this year.