Programme Expectations and Athlete Commitments
No option to not travel and not stay with Volley South
Athletes selected into the programme will be expected to:
- Attend scheduled trainings where possible- QTN athletes' exceptions
- Attend scheduled camps and warm-up tournaments
- Communicate availability promptly in Heja chat
- Demonstrate positive behaviour on and off the court
- Participate in team activities and fundraising opportunities
- Represent Volley South professionally at all times
Travel and Accommodation Plans assessed
Current planning includes:
- Flights to and from Queenstown to Auckland
- *additional costs if required to take to and from the airport
- Minivan transport while in Auckland and fuel
- *Food - some food may be requested for families to supply IE share container of baking, a bag of mandarins, a bag of share pack Lollies
- Entry fees
- 4 nights accommodation- Camp Maynard
- Further details will be confirmed once the final teams are announced
Self Commitment, Growth & Training Opportunities
To give every player the best possible preparation for IPC 2026, we encourage all selected athletes to continue playing, training, and competing regularly throughout the winter and school volleyball season.
Representative training is only one part of your development. The players who improve the most are those who actively seek additional opportunities to train, compete, and develop their skills.
We encourage all athletes to:
- Use your school gym at lunchtimes to practise your serving, passing, setting, and ball control.
- Book a beach volleyball court with a group of friends for extra training. Casual court hire is just $15 per hour. Book online here: https://www.volleysouth.org.nz/book-a-sand-court-1/casual-hire
- Participate in winter indoor competitions in your local area.
- Attend school volleyball trainings and competitions.
- Train and compete with your community volleyball club.
- Enter indoor volleyball competitions throughout August to December.
- Play in beach volleyball competitions and tournaments whenever possible.
- Attend $3 Open Gym sessions.
- Join community open training sessions, whether they are free or low-cost.
Every opportunity to train, compete, and touch a volleyball helps build your technical skills, confidence, fitness, and game awareness.
Our Recommendation
The more commitment you show outside of your Volley South representative programme by attending school, club, community, beach, and open training sessions, the better prepared you will be to represent Volley South and the Deep South at the IPC 2026 Championships in Auckland.
Remember, great players aren't made only at representative training—they're made through the extra work they choose to do when nobody is watching.
Every session. Every contact. Every opportunity. Every extra effort counts.
Volley South - Training Schedule – October to December 2026
Athletes Should always Bring
Preparation Programme Information
The Volley South U15 Boys and Girls representative programme includes two preparation camp and tournament weekends, followed by weekly Saturday trainings through to departure on 19 December.
Camp & Tournament Dates
Camp 1 – KST Tournament Weekend
Friday 23 October – Camp
Arrival: 7:30 pm–8:00 pm
Venue: Otepuni Community Hub, 40 Forth Street
Friday night: Potluck dinner
Saturday morning: Breakfast provided by Volley South
Saturday 24 October – KST Tournament
Venue: ILT Stadium Southland
Time: Approximately 8:00 am–5:00 pm
Camp 2 – SGHS Tournament Weekend
Friday 13 November – Camp
Arrival: 7:30 pm–8:00 pm
Venue: Otepuni Community Hub, 40 Forth Street
Friday night: Potluck dinner
Saturday morning: Breakfast provided by Volley South
Saturday 14 November – SGHS Tournament
Venue: Southland Girls’ High School
Saturday Training
Following the SGHS Tournament, training will be held every Saturday until departure on 19 December.
Venue: Southland Girls’ High School
Time: 2:00 pm–4:00 pm – TBC
These are full-muster trainings for all U15 Boys and Girls, including Queenstown/Wakatipu players.
All players are expected to attend each Saturday as part of the final preparation programme.
For Queenstown/Wakatipu families, we encourage parents to job-share the travel roster, including driving and supplying a suitable vehicle. The aim is to spread the travel commitment across families so that no one family is responsible for every Saturday trip.
Camp Information
All U15 Boys and Girls are required to stay overnight at both preparation camps.
Boys and girls will sleep in separate halls.
For each camp, every player must bring:
Why Are Selections Being Made in July?
The U15 National Championships will be held in Auckland from 19–23 December 2026.
By finalising teams in July, athletes and families will have approximately six months to:
Prepare for the tournament
Attend team trainings
Budget for programme costs
Participate in fundraising activities
Organise travel commitments
Build team culture and connections
Early selection provides certainty for families and allows costs to be spread over several months rather than facing significant expenses closer to departure.
The six-month preparation period will also enable coaches and management to establish training plans, develop team culture and undertake fundraising activities aimed at reducing the overall cost to families.
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