The 2 Tiers of Competition

This year, as a progression, there will be a double tier of competition and you will choose one of these when you enter on the booking system.

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Masters Open Tournament

This will aim to have matches of a decent standard. Players should understand position play/switching, and have a decent read of the game… generally this is pitched at players who played at a good level in NVL when younger (even if you haven’t touched a ball for 10 years (literally) or those who play at a good level in local league (or any NVL) currently (so are training and playing regularly and used to moving).

This is the format played at the Masters for the last few years
The aim for this event is for a competitive tournament with good standard volleyball.

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The Less Physical Tournament (The LPT)

This is for everyone else. From former international athletes who can’t (or don’t want to) jump or dive anymore,  players who can dive but struggle to get back up and players who are relatively new to the skills and tactics of the game but have 'ability'.

Ability in this sense can be defined as:

• I can get the ball over the net on serve 9 times out of 10

• I can direct a ball with a pass or volley in the right direction for 3 touch play

• I can laugh at myself when I do serve into the net or spoon the ball into the spectator area on those odd occasions 'when it just happens'! 

We'd especially like to see people back who feel they can't play at a tougher level anymore and people who have taken up the sport later in life.

Rules are tbc but current plan is no jumping allowed and rotating players onto court rather than substitutions.
The ethos for this side of the event is more for enjoyment and having 'a bit of a run-around'.

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Who is in charge of the teams?
We will be opening applications for coaching positions. For the open, these will be non playing roles, for the less physical tournament, these will be playing roles.   Coaches will receive £35 off their registration fee for the weekend in return for some help behind the scenes

a couple of weeks before the event

(i.e. team organisation).

Coaches will help newcomers get a feel for the event and help the team gel. This is a unique challenge for coaches to experience creating a team from scratch players and can be incredibly rewarding.  You do not need to be a brilliant player or a qualified coach to do this.  You do need to be a welcoming person, keen to help people gel well together and excited about being part of the event. You will need to decide whether you want to apply to coach The Open (more serious volleyball) or the LPT (less serious volleyball).

Applications to coach are now open. Please email us at themastersvb@gmail.com by the 31st of July if you would be interested in coaching at the Masters this September.

(*you will need to meet the same age range as players for the event

(ie no women age 33 or under or men under 40))

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And who will be blowing whistles?

We are expecting to have qualified Referees along for the weekend to referee the matches so if you want to be involved as a referee please do let us know.  The event is part of Volleyball England’s calendar and is thus insured in line with all VE events.  There will be VE physios and a paramedic (who we hope will be there purely for show) at the event.