Team Ontario Beach
Team Ontario Beach is a Learn to Compete development program designed to identify and expose athletes to the beach high performance training environment. The objective is to create stepping stones towards future international and national team success. Identified athletes benefit from support in all areas of development that include services from partners such as Volleyball Canada and the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario.
Athletes enter Team Ontario Beach through structured identification pathways and engage in one of two training environments: the Full-Time Group (FTG) or Camps.
2026 beach identification pathways
Both Team Based and Individual Athlete Identification pathways lead into the same Team Ontario Beach system.
Athletes may engage through the Full-Time Group (FTG) or Camps-based depending on readiness, commitment, and program alignment.
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TEAM BASED IDENTIFICATION Program Begins: May 2026 Team-Based Identification is designed for pre-formed partnerships committed to structured season planning and preparing for competition trials, international events, and developmentally appropriate out-of-province competition. Teams applying for May Start must: - Meet age eligibility (born 2008 & later) - Confirm partnership commitment - Submit a structured competition season plan - Prepared to at minimum engage with beach coaches in May for season planning Application Deadline: March 29, 2026 Selection Notification: Early April |
INDIVIDUAL BASED IDENTIFICATION Program Begins: June 2026 Individual Identification is designed for athletes seeking entry into the Team Ontario Beach high-performance pathway. Information about individual athlete identification can be found here. Athletes applying for June Start must: - Meet age eligibility (females 2008–2011; males 2008–2010) - Apply individually through the Athlete Identification process - Intend on committing to a single partnership for the season.* Application Deadline: March 1, 2026 Selection Notification: Early May *Partnerships are formed when both athletes in a partnership have been identified to Team Ontario Beach, or new partnerships are formed with athletes met in the program.* |
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Teams applying for May Start should consider the following events when developing their season competition plan. Final competition plans will be confirmed in collaboration with a Team Ontario coach.
Required Key Competitions
August 1/2 – Beach Ontario Championships
August 8/9 – Beach Ontario Championships
August 14/16 – National Championships
Possible Key Competitions (as eligible)
April 11/12 – U18 World Championship VC Qualification Trials
April 23/27 – U18 Norceca World Championship Qualifier
June 20/21 – Toronto Grand Slam
July 8/12 – U18 World Championships
July 10/12 – Vancouver Open/16U
July 18/19 – Calgary Open
Aug 13/17 – U23 NORCECA Continental Tour, El Savador
Aug 21/23 – 16U National Championships in Vancouver
Tournament Events in Quebec
National Tour events in other countries
TBC – Eligible Youth Olympic Games Trials/Events
TBC – NORCECA Open trials or Eligible NORCECA Continental Events
TBC – Eligible FIVB Future Events
2026 beach TRAINING ENVIRONMENTS
| FULL TIME GROUP (FTG) | CAMPS BASED | |
| ABOUT | The Full-Time Group (FTG) is Team Ontario’s centralized high-performance beach training environment for athletes committed to advanced development and competition progression. | A camp-integrated model for athletes maintaining their own Daily Training Environment while engaging in Team Ontario Beach programming. |
| ATHLETE ELIGIBILITY | 2008–2011 Females & 2008–2010 Males | |
| SELECTION | 12–18 per gender | 6–12 per gender |
| PROGRAM COST | TBC (2025: $2800 + HST) | TBC (2025: $2200 + HST) |
| DAILY TRAINING SCHEDULE |
Training 3–4 days/week June: Tues–Thurs 6:00–8:30p, Fri 6:00–8:00p July–August: Tues–Thurs 8:00a–1:00p, Fri 8:00–10:30a |
Home Daily Training Environment |
| TRAINING INCLUDES |
Lead Strength & Conditioning (2x/week) Yoga, mental performance and nutrition support, with access to an athletic therapist in the DTE Guidance from coaches to create personalized training and competition plans Coaching and preparation provided throughout the season |
Friday access to Fulltime Training Group ball training (June–August, Ashbridges Bay) Yoga available on Fridays Self-led Strength & Conditioning program provided Coaching and preparation provided throughout the season |
| LONDON SUPER CAMP |
June 27 – July 2, 2026, Western University, London, ON Technical & tactical training, physical preparation, mental performance, nutrition education, and Team Ontario culture development |
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| HORSESHOE CAMP |
August 5–7, 2026, Horseshoe Resort, Barrie, ON Three-day training camp leading into Beach Ontario Championships |
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| FIVB MONTREAL ELITE 16 CAMP |
August 20–23, 2026, Montreal, QC Optional training camp leading into the FIVB Montreal Elite 16 |
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| REQUIRED COMPETITIONS |
Participation in Volleyball Canada Trials Toronto Grand Slam (June 20–21) Beach Ontario Championships (Aug 1–2 & Aug 8–9) Beach National Championships (Aug 14–16) |
Beach Ontario Championships (Aug 1–2 & Aug 8–9) Beach National Championships (Aug 14–16) |
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Strength & Conditioning - Matt Golas (CSCS)
SportSports Dietician – Becca Ourique (MHSC, RD)
Physiotherapist - Candice Wong (PT, DPT, FCAMPT)
Medical Team - CSIO
Team Ontario Team Coaches - Angie Shen (ChPC), Eddie Coleman (ChPC), Oklend Llakaj
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Commitment - With the mandate of the Team Ontario Beach program to support Ontario athletes on to a future Olympic podium, we recognize that participation in the Team Ontario Beach program requires a large commitment. Should athletes be unavailable to attend any of the above dates or activities, this program may not be suited to your schedule. The competition exceptions to any of the above dates would be any FIVB or NORCECA trials or event, or anything that has been planned with a Team Ontario coach in the teams’ season plan. See below for the integrated athlete.
Partnerships - Athletes identified to the daily training group are prioritized to those who have partnerships within the training group. With that said, athletes trying out as a team are not guaranteed to both make the team together. It would be good to have this discussion with your partner as to what you will do should only one of you make the team. Athletes trying out as a single will have opportunities to test out partnerships and potentially meet a partner within the group within the first few weeks of training. Coaches will support athletes in conversations to choose their own partners. While getting into beach for the first time, securing a partner with like objectives can be challenging, this program does not suit athletes who intend to have a different training environment than their partner. In the scenario where athletes are in their first year in the program, coaches have supported atheltes as a single. Athletes who are joining the program in their 2nd year or more are expected to prepare themselves for training in a partnership.
Camps Based Athletes - Camp based athletes are expected to have a regular weekly training environment that they are a part of outside of the Team Ontario environment. Due to this, camp based athletes are not expected to have a partner that is also a part of Team Ontario. It would be our understanding that all athletes taking part in Team Ontario have the intention train with their partner in environment where they can do so together.
Integrated Athlete - A beach and indoor integrated training plan may created to support targeted athletes meeting all of the following criteria:
Athlete meet the beach OHPSI mandate
Athlete is on a path to the Train to Compete development stage for beach volleyball
Athlete is targeted for the indoor OHPSI program (Team Ontario Black and/or Team Ontario Elite)
Athletes who qualify for an integrated training plan will be supported by the OVA Sport Science Lead to make sure they meet the demands of both Team Ontario Beach and Indoor programs.
