UP AND JUMPING

Schedule of Events

Jan – May, 2008



Jan 4-6 Gold Medal for GBR in LUX

1. GBR 2. DEN 3. POR 4. LUX

Feb 9-10 Red & Blue – Weymouth & Poole

Mar 2-6 Israel in Sheffield
Mar 16 – April 7^th – Center Break

Apr 14 Training Begins in Sheffield

May 1 – 4 Denmark in Sheffield

May 8 Host Albania in Sheffield

- European Championship Qual.

May 10 Play Albania in Albania

May End (TBA) Luch (Russian club in Sheffield

GBR Wins Gold

T

he result was clearly shown in the faces of the GBR squad, as they were victorious over Denmark in the final of the 2008 Novotel Cup. If one could measure the size of the smile in setter’s Jo Morgan’s face, after the match, you can realize that that was the measurement of her first tournament win as a starting setter for GB. This was reemphasized by the ‘electricity’ and ‘determination’ in of each one of the players who were a part of this triumph. Team GBR avenged two five game losses to Denmark this past summer and showed that they are starting to learn about playing international volleyball.

The match was an amazing 2 hours and 13 minutes long with the second set lasting 31 minutes. Set scores were: 25-22; 27-29; 25-20; 21-25, and 15-9.

Player of the tournament for the GB Squad was right side, Rachel Laybourne and most improved player was setter, Joanne Morgan.

However, for Coaches Cooper and Sawula this was a well earned victory showing the results of their past training in the Sheffield Volleyball Center over the past 3 months. Sawula said; “It was not perfect, we made many mistakes but outweighing all of those was our execution of Game Plan and the perseverance of our players. They are starting to believe that the work they are doing can help them to become a respectable volleyball team.”

Jennifer Taylor summed it up by saying “It means something when, through hard work, you earn a victory and win a tournament. It is a good start to be 3 and 0 for the beginning of the 2008 year.

Coach Sawula reminded his players “there is still much work ahead and it was because of the work of Physiotherapist, Ian Gatt and Team Physical Training David Parker, that we were in a position to be able to play 3 hard matches in three days.”

The team resumes their training with Intra-squad matches on Feb 22 and Feb 29 which will help to prepare for Israel’s visit in March and the European Qualifier against Albania in Sheffield on May 8^th.


Each member of the Great Britain Women’s Volleyball squad has their own life outside of volleyball, some work, some study, some do both, but they all come together for the same reason, to improve and succeed in their mission to compete in London 2012.

An average day begins with a ‘Conditioning’ session, which consists of a warm-up routine followed by various drills for speed, strength, power and agility that help to build a solid physical foundation.Following conditioning, the group are either put through their paces with a high intensity metabolic session or head into the gym to pump some iron and strengthen up!

A metabolic session can vary from sprints on the bikes, track, or up a hill (outside and generally in the rain!) to high intensity circuit work in the gym. Following the metabolic sessions, the group will then have an hour of individual skills and ball work on the court, where each player has the chance to focus on specific techniques and areas of their game that they wish to improve.
Once cooled down (sometimes helped by the ice bath) and stretched, the group disbands and individuals head off for the day (for their other lives).

Team members regroup in the afternoon for what is known as ‘Prehab, Rehab’. The circuit session, run by the GB physiotherapist, focuses on core (abdominal and trunk) strength and balance. Whilst the exercises are both physically and mentally challenging, each exercise whether it is volleyball specific or general, assists with injury prevention, foundation strength and balance, all of which are essential for elite athletes.

Feeling warm and limber from ‘Prehab, Rehab’, the squad then gear up in the usual training attire, knee pads and ankle braces and focus in for a technical training session on the volleyball court. Coaches Lorne Sawula and Audrey Cooper help the team by conducting drills and game play set up to focus around a predetermined set of goals and aims for each week.

A slow jogging cool down followed by a long slow stretching session caps off the day. Athletes habitually munch on a small snack, usually in the form of a cereal bar or piece of fruit that, if consumed within the 10-20 minute ‘Window of Opportunity’, assists in important muscle recovery and repair.

Finally, the girls each head off to their respective homes for dinner, a little R&R and then it is off to bed, ready for the next day in the life of a GB women’s volleyballer!


OBJECTIVES

1.  To create a team that is ‘competitive’ by 2009
   •Competitive results with top 30 ranked countries
   •Improved ranking, targeting certain countries like Africa, etc.
   •Bringing younger players, in the Center, up to a technical level to play international volleyball and integrate with older UK players who, at present, are ahead in VB maturity
   •Continue to improve our physical development and search for ways to meet international standards.
2. To deliver an environment to develop World Class volleyball players
   •Continue center based full time programme
   •Fast Track existing & new athletes through involvement in Center & Pro Volleyball
   •Intensive VB skill development through monitoring and evaluation
   •Physical development – S&C
   •Support services all under one roof
   •Involvement with home nation coaches and potential athletes
3. Deliver a legacy for women’s volleyball in the UK
   •Create a clear pathway for women’s performance volleyball through the Performance Center concept and to assist in education of athlete needs for home nation programmes through what is done in the Center
   •Development squad programme (GB II)
   •Integration of home nation programmes into the delivery of athletes to the programmes within the Plan
   

Center Progress (Sep 07 – Feb 08)

• Creating identity and volleyball culture within programme
• Programme structure and support team
• Weekly programme
• Strength & Conditioning
• Physiotherapy & Injury Management
• Training commitment of players
• Organisational development
• Red & Blue Promotion
• Sporting Giants identification
• 21 Athletes – 16 to 30 years
• Emphasis on physical mastery & development
• Balance & reality - ‘full time’ athlete - NOT ‘full time’ professionals
• Mentality, athletes are learning to be ‘full time’ athletes
• 22-25 hours per week training – big step change (from 6-8 hours p/w)
  

POTENTIAL COMPETITION
JUNE TO DEC, 2008

EUROPEAN QUALIFICATION

June 4-14 – Slovenia and Czech Republic
June (end) – Nigeria in UK?
July 8-20 – Denmark & Sweden
July end – Canada to UK?
August – Russia Club Tour & Kazakhstan Tournament
November – Visit Japan

NEW ATHLETES ENTERING GB I PROGRAMME

Athletes that are recommended by Home Nations can come for identification purposes at an agreed upon time any time during the year since there is training throughout year within the Center.

It is also our intent, if our finances will allow and approval given by the BVF Board, to operate a GB II programme for 15-25 days during the year. The purpose of this programme is to link directly with the Home Nations, their elite players and those already training in the Sheffield Center .

OPEN DOOR COACH POLICY

Coaches are welcome at any time to attend trainings during the year. Contact the office to ensure training times and sites.

Audrey Cooper, Assistant Coach
audrey@britishvolleyball.org
Tel: 0114-223-7330

Lorne Sawula, Head Coach
lorne@britishvolleyball.org
Tel: 0114-223-5733

Team Website:
www.britishperformancevolleyball.org