Ford urges events team and volunteers to be proud of Bridlington tournaments

That's the view of Volleyball England's Chief Executive Officer Charlie Ford, after the East Coast town hosted 10 days of international competition between 21st June and 2nd July, which included a maiden Beach Pro Tour Futures event, as well as NEVZA events for Senior and Junior players. 

The events saw 250 players from 27 different nations compete in 240 matches across 10 days of competition. 

The 95.5 hours of play were overseen by 17 match officials, while 73 event team members and 180 Young Leaders were on hand to ensure things ran smoothly. 

East Riding of Yorkshire Council also provided extensive infrastructure support, while host club Skyball Beach Volleyball Club and its volunteers also played a vital role. 

Hosting events of this calibre is about so much more than the competition itself - and none of it happens by chance," said Ford. 

"It is only possible because of the passion, commitment and countless hours contributed by an incredible army of volunteers, partners and stakeholders who have shared our vision every step of the way. 

"I hope every single person involved will reflect with immense pride, knowing that together we have delivered something truly special for beach volleyball in England and for the future of our sport. 

"Over the last three years, we have taken a deliberate, measured approach to building our reputation as hosts of international beach volleyball events. 

"From the NEVZA Youth Beach Championships in 2024 to adding the Senior NEVZA Beach Championships last year and now proudly welcoming the Beach Pro Tour Futures to Bridlington Beach, we have steadily demonstrated what is possible through ambition, collaboration and a commitment to excellence. 

"To see England added to the list of Beach Pro Tour destinations is a milestone that everyone involved should be incredibly proud of." 

The army of on and off-court staff and volunteers was coordinated by Volleyball England's Strategic Manager for An Ace Service, Rob Payne, who took on the role of Event Director during the fortnight. 

He worked closely with CEV Supervisors David Cox and Alex Smith to ensure the events were delivered to a high standard and as planned. 

Payne said: "I would like to extend a huge thank you to the entire event team. Across 10 days in Bridlington, every team member worked tirelessly to deliver a truly outstanding international beach volleyball event and a fantastic spectacle for the sport. 

The team brought together a blend of experienced volunteers — many carrying forward the legacy of London 2012 and Birmingham 2022 — alongside a new cohort from East Yorkshire and across the country. 

"The future success of hosting international events relies heavily on this combination of experienced expertise and fresh enthusiasm, and it was wonderful to see that partnership in action throughout the tournament. 

" I was also particularly pleased with the event’s strong connection to local schools. Young Leaders from East Yorkshire schools were trained and deployed in courtside roles, where they demonstrated exceptional professionalism, commitment and maturity. 

"They were a credit to their schools and to the event, and represent an exciting future for volunteering and sport." 

Another big benefit from staging the events in Bridlington was giving English pairs the chance to test themselves against some of Northern Europe and the world's best. 

In all, 40 opportunities were provided for atheles (some played in more than one competition) across NEVZA Beach England (12 entries), Beach Pro Tour Futures (11 entries) and NEVZA Youth (17 entries). 

That yielded six medals – silvers for Kirsty Star and Katie Keefe and Enrique Bello and Niko Gleed in the NEVZA Beach England competition, silver and bronze respectively for Bello and Gleed and Freddie Bialokoz and Issa Batrane in Beach Pro Tour Futures and bronzes for Emmanuel Oretoye and Luca Robinson (U18) and Lewis Bunton and Bailey Harsum (U20) in NEVZA Youth. 

Ford added: "Bridlington has created invaluable opportunities for our English athletes to compete against world-class opposition on home sand.

"It also strengthens England's presence and reputation on the international stage, attracts greater media attention to our sport, and, perhaps most importantly, inspires the next generation to pick up a ball, get involved and dream of one day competing at this level themselves." 

Watch back the action from Bridlington on the Volleyball England YouTube Channel.