Team Ontario: Athlete ID and Program Updates

A message from the Athlete Development Staff:

Greetings,  

The Athlete Development Team at the OVA sends healthy and safe wishes to you all. Here is another update on the Athlete Identification Process and the 2020 High Performance Programs.  

Athlete identification for all programs to be done through video 

A decision was made to cancel plans to host final tryouts in late May and early June. The selection of athletes for Team Ontario programs will be based on athlete evaluations done through our athlete identification process. 

About half of all athletes registered to be identified for beach and indoor programs have already been evaluated during OVA indoor events, Winter beach tour events and King/Queen of the beach events. All outstanding athlete evaluations for indoor and beach volleyball programs will be done through observing game film. The intention of this adaptation is to continue to provide the opportunity for athletes to be identified by evaluation through competition, as well as to respect the restrictions that we currently find ourselves in. 

Athletes registered for the Indoor/Integrate program evaluations will still receive their feedback once all evaluations are done.  

Team Ontario Program Updates  

We are planning for all of our programs to run as planned, however there are a few changes being made. The main one is that none of our teams will be travelling this summer. Due to the high level of uncertainty surrounding travel recommendations in the foreseeable future, the OVA has decided to focus its efforts on delivering the local portion of each program. At this point, we want to focus on what we have most control over and avoid unnecessary risk to maintain our participants health and safety.   

We have also pushed the dates of some programs further in July to allow more time for restrictions to be lifted and therefore increase the probability that they will run. The new program details are listed below:   

Indoor/Integrated Programs:

·               Team Ontario White  

o       July 5-11, 2020 (no extra training dates)  

·               High Performance Center/Team Ontario Red  

o       July 4-12, 2020  

o       There will be no additional Team Ontario Red training and competition following HPC  

o       We are adding one extra day to HPC to host an official best-of-5-set tournament during the last days of the camp  

·               Team Ontario Black  

o       Both the boys and girls’ groups will train from July 11-24, 2020  

o       Competition opportunities will be available within the groups and against Team Ontario alumni athletes  

·               Tall Maples  

o        July 16-22, 2020 at Nipissing University  

o       If you are interested in the Tall Maples program, send your application to lbreadner@ontariovolleyball.org by April 30th 2020. Application must include:  

1. Your height (cm), standing reach (cm) (standing with one arm fully stretched above your head), birthdate and club team the athlete plays for  

2.  A picture of the athlete and their standing reach standing next to a standard interior door 80”  

3. A Tall Maples Motivation Letter. We would like to hear from the athletes and why they would like to be a part of the Tall Maples program this summer. In this one-page letter, the athlete should answer the following questions:  

·               Why the athlete would like to be a part of the program  

·               What skills the athlete would like to improve upon  

·               The athlete’s volleyball goals  

For more information on the Tall Maples program, visit: https://teamontariovolleyball.org/tall-maples

Beach Programs:

·               Team Ontario Beach 

·      July 16-22 2020 at Nipissing University 

·      July & August – Full-time Training Group 

·      Further activity dates confirmed as clarity around the current situation progresses 

As always, we are committed to providing an evaluation process that is fair during this new reality and obstacles that we are facing. We hope that everyone understands the circumstances we are in and that you trust us in selecting the best option to allow for athlete selection and training programs this summer. We will keep you all posted on new development as the current situation evolves.  

If you have any questions, please contact lbreadner@ontariovolleyball.org  

All program updates can also be found on our website: teamontariovolleyball.org

Stay safe OVA!

Team Ontario: Athlete ID Updates

Message from the Athlete Development Staff:

On behalf of the Athlete Development team at the OVA, we hope that you are all staying safe and keeping healthy. We understand that this season has not been what you were expecting and trust us, this is not what we were expecting either. We miss going to tournaments and seeing all of you on court! We know that we will return to the courts when it is safe to do so, so in the meantime make sure you are saying positive and staying on top of the ball by practicing your skills in your home.

On a brighter note, we are very excited for our summer programs! We are spending this quieter time thinking of new ways to make our programs great. Scheduling, planning, and coordinating on court and in classroom sessions. We cannot wait for another awesome summer with Team Ontario!

As you know, athletes selected to indoor and integrated Team Ontario programs are chosen through the Athlete Identification Process. Beach Team Ontario athletes can also be selected through physical testing at Ontario Championships. We were able to complete a large amount of evaluations in January and February, however not all of them. Since all remaining weekend tournaments have been cancelled and uncertainty remains around Ontario Championship, we need to rethink the way we evaluate athletes. We have consulted with our Team Ontario coaches and we have decided to modify the selection process the following way:

·      Final selection of players for all programs (indoor, integrated and beach) will not happen through in-game evaluations or physical testing anymore. Instead, all programs will have a final tryout planned for the end of May or early June.

·      The goal of our identification process is now to identify the players who will attend the final tryouts. Unfortunately, with hundreds of players per age group, we don’t have the capacity to invite everyone to a tryout

·      The players that we have not yet seen will be evaluated through video. We will reach out to parents and coaches in the near future to get footage from recent tournaments and will evaluate players the same way we do when we physically attend an OVA event.

·      We may or may not contact you depending on:

o   Whether you were already evaluated or not. We don’t need video of players who were already assessed

o   Whether we are able to get game video from your coaches or not

As always, we are committed to provide all players with an evaluation process that is thorough and fair. Delivering quality in everything we do is a priority. As such, at the end of this process, you will either receive an invitation to the final tryout or a formal evaluation report with scores and feedback. This will give you the confirmation that we have seen everyone who registered for an evaluation.

We know that this is a different process, but we are hoping that everyone understands the circumstances we are in and that you trust us in choosing the best option to allow for quality observation of athletes.

On a different note, the OVA has issued a Stay on Top of the Ball Challenge on our Instagram account @ova_updates. We are really enjoying seeing how OVA members are staying in shape and practicing your skills. If you have not done so already, tag us in your videos and you could be featured on our Instagram account!

To stay up to date on all things Team Ontario, make sure you are checking our new website: www.teamontariovolleyball.org We will be posting program updates, athlete/coach profiles, etc. that you won’t want to miss out on.

If you have any questions, please reach out by sending a message to lbreadner@ontariovolleyball.org

Stay safe OVA!

Sincerely,

Athlete Development Team

Quest For Gold

Quest For Gold

Ontario Athlete Assistance Program (OAAP) is funded by the Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport.  The Program will provide direct financial assistance to Ontario athletes through an “Ontario Card” designation. The intent of the OAAP is to provide funding to individual athletes based on their demonstrated commitment to high performance sport, allowing them to pursue athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition.

In accordance with the OAAP guidelines, Ontario Volleyball is responsible for forming a Selection Committee and sport specific selection criteria to nominate the athletes for Ontario carding status.

The overarching goal of the Quest for Gold program is to “improve the performance and the number of Ontario athletes performing at the national and international level, thereby contributing to the improved performance of Canada at international competitions”.  Specific objectives of the program are:

• To help athletes continue their pursuit of athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition;

• To encourage athletes to stay in Ontario to live and train;

• To compensate athletes for earnings lost while training;

• To enable athletes to successfully pursue excellence in sport while fulfilling their educational goals;

• To increase athlete access to improved high performance coaching; and

• To enhance training and competitive opportunities available to athletes.

How much funding is available?

The exact level of funding for the 2019-2020 carding year will be determined by the Ministry after the total number of athletes nominated for Ontario Card status has been determined and the total funding has been confirmed.

How will the Ontario Volleyball Selection Committee decide who receives funding?

Please review the 2019-2020 OVA Quest for Gold Selection Criteria and Application Package for information on the process and regulations of the Quest for Gold program along with “How to Apply” instructions for Ontario Card status. 

*Athletes who received funding last year should review the document as changes have been made to last year’s Selection Criteria and Application Process.

All Indoor Volleyball applicants are required to fill up the form in Appendix C & D.

All Beach Volleyball applicants are required to fill up the form in Appendix A & B.

Ontario Volleyball will publish a draft list of the athletes nominated for Ontario Card status by no later than April 8th, 2020

Who can be considered for Quest for Gold?

Beach Volleyball athletes who have been members of the Ontario Provincial Team or Full-time Training Centre over the past competitive season and meet the following age requirements must submit a Quest for Gold Application Package to be considered.

Beach Volleyball

• Female 1998 and younger

• Male 1998 and younger

Indoor volleyball players who have been members of the Ontario Provincial Team, Canadian National Team or who attended a National Team tryout over the past competitive season and meet the following age requirements must submit the Quest for Gold Application Package to be considered.

Indoor Volleyball

• Female 1998 and younger

• Male 1998 and younger

All eligible indoor and beach athletes must submit the Quest for Gold Application Package, by March 25th, 2020 to LP Mainville at lpmainville@ontariovolleyball.org 

An email will be sent confirming receipt of the Quest for Gold Application Package.

Since the Quest For Gold program is intended for Ontario's top national team prospects age 22 and under, it is expected that athletes applying have a great sense of responsibility and accountability. For this reason, we will only answer questions or accept applications that are sent by the athletes themselves as they should be the ones in charge of applying for their funding.

If you have any further questions, please contact LP Mainville at lpmainville@ontariovolleyball.org

You can find the Quest For Gold Package HERE

A Taste of the International Stage: The Athlete Development Journey

Long before we see the athletes on volleyball courts at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, there are people across Ontario who are fine tuning their skills and enjoying their favourite sport at all levels of proficiency and ability.

Are the Olympic and Paralympic Games important to the growth of sport? A resounding ‘Yes!’ would be the answer.  According to Mark Eckert, president and CEO of Volleyball Canada, “we have seen five to seven percent increase in domestic participation after we compete in an Olympics, which has immeasurable social and economic impact.”

The fact that the Games are an inspiration to the next generation of possible Team Canada players is one thing but being able to see a post-Games boost financially and in awareness is another. If a sport and its athletes are to succeed, there needs to be opportunities for younger athletes to learn how to compete on the international stage.

OVA athlete teams from indoor and beach volleyball have just such an opportunity coming up during March Break, with camps happening in Poland for the boys and France for the girls for indoor volleyball and in Spain for beach volleyball.

"During the Olympic and Paralympic Games, I am as much of an 'uber' fan as anyone else when it comes to Volleyball and the Canadian team. Away from the TV, I think about those Olympians and Paralympians and where they must have started on their road to representing Canada. That is where Ontario Volleyball comes in and the experiences that will be afforded to some of those young athletes during the March Break Camps,” said Jo-Anne Ljubicic, Executive Director, Ontario Volleyball Association.

There will be four coaches headed to Spain with the Beach Volleyball athletes. “All of the athletes were a part of the 2019 Ontario Beach Provincial Team. There are 12 female athletes, and seven male athletes and we’ll be training at and with the Spanish Youth & Junior national teams,” said Angie Shen, Senior Beach Development Coach, Ontario Volleyball Association. “One of the main activities that we have in Spain is a conversation around the pathway and what that looks like towards the Olympics. This conversation tends to be easier to have with our athletes when they are there, as they start to see the hard work that is necessary. The Spanish athletes live, train and go to school at an academy. They (the Spanish athletes) have moved away from home and they are of the same age as our high school kids, which is an eye-opener for them.”

Liam McArthur is on the boys’ team headed to Poland and plays for Pakmen but was developed at Scorpions and LVC.  “Being one of the few athletes selected to travel overseas definitely does boost my confidence. Being able to play and keep up with athletes that come from one of the winningest volleyball programs in the world also results in an adequate confidence booster as well,” said McArthur.

Every journey starts with a single step and if the Games is where an athlete wants to go, then carefully planning those steps is vital. Big picture, there are hopes pinned on the Olympic Women’s Beach Volleyball team headed to Tokyo. “In general, increased success on the world stage, such a medal strong medal hopeful this year in our women’s beach program, can only have a positive effect on the growth of the sport, including future economic benefits,” said Eckert.

Closer to home in Ontario, the importance of these early international competitive opportunities for developing athletes cannot be over-stated. If experience is the best teacher, then it would stand to reason that the more experiences, the better.

For some of the March Break Camp participants, it will be their first time on the international stage not to mention the first time out of the country.

Being able to ‘walk the walk’ offers a unique perspective in coaching these young athletes. Louis-Pierre Mainville, Director of Athlete Development for Ontario Volleyball Association, is headed to Poland as a coach and recalls his own international experience: “ I was once a 17-year-old player with aspirations to make it to the National Team and I was lucky to achieve that goal through the support of fantastic coaches. I can’t think of a better way to create meaning in my professional life to offer the same support to today’s 17-year-old players.”

There are pluses for athletes and coaches alike headed abroad from Ontario Volleyball for the March Break Camps. “Coaching for the full week and doing so in a country like Poland that is the centre of the volleyball world right now on the men’s side. My day to day work is on the administration side of the sport so I look forward to putting my coaching shoes on with this great group of guys for a week,” said Mainville. ”We will attend the semi-finals of the Polish Cup in a 13,000-people stadium. That will be pretty special too. I think ultimately, I’m looking forward to seeing the boys being challenged and impressed and then seeing them adapt and grow.”

There is something special for a coach like Mainville to be re-experiencing international volleyball through the lens of athletes for whom much will be new. The same can be said for Lauren Breadner, Athlete Development Lead for Ontario Volleyball, who will be in France with the girls’ team. “It means a lot to be involved with athletes at this stage of their development. The Team Ontario Elite program is the last program in our OVA athlete development pathway before the athletes ‘graduate’ from the OVA and move on to other programs in the varsity, national team, etc., …streams.”

It is the ‘development’ in ‘athlete development’ that inspires some of the efforts that have gone into making the March Break Camps happen. “When the (female) athletes go to France, they will be training at the CREPS facility in Toulouse which is the home of the France Youth National team. We are training alongside them, not so much competing against them. We will have some friendly matches, but these will not be results focused,” explained Breadner. “The athletes will hopefully take away more knowledge on how the game is played at an international level, like the faster pace of offense, different offensive tactics and systems, the heavier/stronger serves, etc. The athletes will be able to apply this knowledge in their next volleyball journey at the varsity level and hopefully one day Team Canada.”

Team Canada and volleyball is where we started in this piece. “Qualifying and competing in the Olympics and Paralympics not only brings exposure to the sport, it also proves to our sponsors and funding partners that their investment is paying off,” concluded Volleyball President and CEO Mark Eckert.

The development of Ontario athletes at the Provincial and club level is where it all begins.

Team Ontario Regional Program Coaches Selected!

Congratulations to the coaches selected to the Team Ontario Regional Program!

These coaches will attend the 2020 Team Ontario Regional Program at Guelph University and will be educating athletes in both indoor and beach volleyball. Following the training camp, coaches will be leading the athletes at the Ontario Summer Games in London at Western University.

Region 1:

• Antonio Curciarello

• Terry McMahon

Region 2:

• Bryan Welsh

• James Schweyer

• Melissa St-Onge

• Sheldon Root

Region 3:

• Cassie Hawrysh

• Elaine Pilgrim-Susi

• Marc Ferretti

• Melissa Ignacio

• Zandra Bear-Lowen

• David Tiet

• Allison Gray

• Shawn Reaume

• Steve Stone

• Marcus Wu

• Vincenzo Saporito

• Mike Cameron

• Apprentice: Amye Pellow, Rachel Gray, Katia Tyndall

Region 4:

• Nick DeFreitas

• Dennis Dlouhy

• Lucia Kalmeyer

• Cassidy Nicholson-Clarke

Region 5:

• Aaron Jin

• Chris Lang

• Mike Fuh

• Alex Park

• Patrick Zumpano

• Andrew Carasco

• Cayra Deluna

• Katie Hutchinson

• Mike Griffin

• Stephane Vlachos

Region 6:

• Paul Rainville

• Keaton Proud

• Aaron Wade

• Kara Hayes

• Apprentice: Sarah Moss

2020 Team Ontario Elite Roster Selected!

Congratulations to the athletes selected to the 2020 Team Ontario Elite rosters! The Team Ontario Elite program aims to provide support to 17-18U athletes who demonstrate skills necessary to compete on a Youth or National team within 1-2 years. Our girls program is led by Head Coach John Nguyen (Ottawa Mavericks) and Amy Wilson-Hands (Pakmen). The boys program is led by Head Coach LP Mainville (OVA) and Danny Gosselin (Vision Volleyball Club).

This March break, our athletes will be travelling to Poland (boys) and France (girls) to experience top level competition for their age group at the international level. Follow along on @ova_connect for Team Ontario Elite updates in Poland and France!

Girl’s Roster

• Jessica Andrews, Middle, KW Preds

• Hayley Brookes, Libero, Halton Hurricanes

• Emily Foest, Leftside, Halton Hurricanes

• Rachel Gray, Rightside, Forest City VC

• Cheyenne Hlady, Middle, Pakmen

• Atara Kuruppu, Setter, Pakmen

• Phoenix Lee, Setter, Halton Hurricanes

• Aimee Lemire, Leftside, Halton Hurricanes

• Mia Miskovic, Middle, Halton Hurricanes

• Tia Shum, Libero, Forest City VC

• Sullie Sundara, Leftside, Ottawa Mavericks

• Sasha van der Merwe, Rightside, Halton Hurricanes

• Nicole Wernham, Middle, Pakmen

• Jennifer Zhu, Leftside, Pakmen

Boy’s Roster

• Ahmad Abdelaziz, Leftside, Ottawa Mavericks

• Vincent Berendsen, Leftside, Pakmen

• Cameron Chadwick, Leftside, Storm

• Maxime Gratton, Leftside, Ottawa Mavericks

• Braeden Sears, Leftside, Pakmen

• Connor Vanderkuip, Leftside, Pakmen

• Francis Bessette, Middle, Ottawa Mavericks

• Cole Duncanson, Middle, Pakmen

• Jacob Ferland, Middle, Ottawa Mavericks

• Cory Schoenherr, Middle, KW Preds

• Kylar Code, Rightside, Ottawa Mavericks

• Isaac Heslinga, Rightside, Storm

• Liam MacArthur, Rightside, Pakmen

• William Deschamps, Setter, Ottawa Mavericks

• Nolan Shapcott, Setter, Storm