The Future of Club Volleyball
Volleyball is growing in popularity! Since COVID-19, we have witnessed a remarkable increase in participation rates:
- From 2022 to 2024, the number of club teams increased by 33%, growing from 4920 to 6861 athletes.
- Volleyball BC organizes 55 tournaments each season with between 20-80 teams in each event.
- Our Provincial Championships now welcome over 600 teams across 3 weekends.
At the same time, finding facilities has become increasingly challenging and the cost of travel is rising. We also recognise that not all teams seek the same experience. To address these issues, Volleyball BC commissioned Sport For Life to undertake a review process, resulting in a series of recommendations for change. Outlined below is more information about this process and the changes that we will be introducing as a result.
CONSULTATION PROCESS
- Summer 2024: Appointed Sport For Life to lead a comprehensive review.
- Summer 2024: Created a Competition Review Working Group with club directors, referees, and VBC Board and staff members.
- Fall 2024-Winter 2025: Member survey which attracted over 1,800 responses from athletes, parents, coaches, referees, and club leaders.
- Spring 2025: 11 focus groups across 6 region, including dedicated sessions for coaches, referees and youth players. Key stakeholder interviews with Volleyball Canada, BC School Sports, the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (ISPARC), and several major facility operators.
- Spring-Summer 2025: Presentation of the final report for review and analysis by VBC staff and the Club Competition Working Group.
- Fall 2025: Development of implementation plan and creation of Competition Structure Oversight Committee to provide input.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
The review process produced several core recommendations that together form the basis for a new direction in Volleyball BC’s youth club competition system:
- Introduction of two distinct competition streams giving clubs greater choice in how they participate and allowing teams to select the environment that best matches their goals and resources.
Stream One (names still tbc) supports clubs and teams that prefer regional play or require more predictable scheduling, regional play focus.
Stream Two provides a province-wide competitive structure, focused on teams seeking travel for stronger competition. - Introduction of 1 day tournaments to complement 2-day tournaments and allow greater control over cost and travel.
- Adjustments to season scheduling:
Ranking tournaments moved later in the season.
Provincial Championships schedule aligned to National Championships. - Development of a Recreational House League system with inter-club play to support local, developmentally-focused play.
- Exploration of capacity for clubs to deliver elements of the competition system.
- Pilot league model to replace tournament-based competitions.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
- We are moving forward with a phased implementation plan designed to ensure thoughtful, sustainable, and member-driven change. In the diagram you can see our intended phases.
- We will be carefully evaluating, adjusting, and engaging with our members as we move through the changes.
- We have created a Competition Structure Oversight Committee with regional representatives to provide input and support for the implementation.
- We will keep this page updated and provide regular progress reports to our members.
- You can read Sport For Life’s final report here.
