The OVA is excited to share some Athlete Development news!
Recording of the February 1, 2021 Athlete Development Town Hall
We are adapting to COVID-19 restrictions and maximizing different opportunities to bring Athlete Development programs to the OVA community this year. We are looking forward to keeping athletes and coaches of all levels involved with the Athlete Development Pathway while providing an opportunity for some athletes to be identified for future Team Ontario programs.
Here is a summary of the programs we are working on. More details will be available soon.
Athlete Insights Program
This online program will be available to all 14U-18U OVA athletes later this winter. Participants will join a community of self-driven athletes to complete a series of interactive and engaging online modules based on Volleyball Canada’s Athlete Development Framework (ADF). This program will provide an opportunity for athletes to self-evaluate their own abilities and to identify areas of potential growth within the technical, physical, psychological and life skills pillars of the ADF. The program will be available to individual athletes or to club teams. Club coaches will be invited to access the program so they can follow up with their own athletes in order to consolidate learning and help them identify strategies to address their development goals.
Tomorrow’s Coaches Project
OVA staff and members or the OVA Coach Committee are working on a special program meant to inspire current youth athletes to pursue coaching in the future. The workshop will be delivered online and will introduce athletes to coaching concepts such as leadership and relationship building through the experiences of former athletes who have already transitioned to coaching. Clubs will be provided with resources to help follow up with their participating athletes and connect them with actual coaching opportunities within their club.
Team Ontario 2021
Beach Full Time Training Group
The Beach Senior and Junior Full time training groups (FTG) are set to resume training in Toronto in June. The athletes selected to be part of this program will train 3-4 times a week throughout the summer and have access to sport science and sport medicine support. Information on the selection process for the FTG will be available soon.
Beach Regional Training
Beach training sessions will be available for athletes across the province during the summer. Team Ontario guided training will be provided to athletes who want to grow on the beach whether they are new to the sport or are seasoned beach athletes. Athletes who participate in these sessions will be prepared for on court training through online preparation sessions prior to on court training, in order to get familiar with the Team Ontario Beach principles of play.
Indoor Canada Summer Games Training
We are working on a plan to offer two weeks of on-court training to targeted athletes in July. One girls’ team and one boys’ team will be training in preparation for the 2022 Canada Summer Games. We feel confident that we will be able to create a safe environment for athletes and coaches to train in. Athlete selection details to follow.
Team Ontario Academy & Team Ontario Elite - INDOOR
This inclusive program will allow athletes to connect with the Athlete Development Pathway. Athletes who have completed the Athlete Insights Program will have an opportunity to get back on court in a high-performance training environment. Athletes will participate in a few online sessions prior to attending on-court training in order to become familiar with Team Ontario indoor principles of play. Training will be held across the province to limit travel and will be run by Team Ontario coaches. Athletes at the 16U & 17U skill level who participate in this program will have a chance to be identified for targeted athlete training opportunities in the fall of 2021 as part of the extended Team Ontario Elite program.
Please find a recording of the Athlete Development Town Hall on February 1, 2021 at the top of this page.
We look forward to sharing the rest of the program details soon!