The Game Plan – Quarter one Updates (April to June 2026) 

Click here to view The Game Plan.

GET. KEEP. GROW 

Connected and stronger Regions, Counties, Clubs and Stakeholders 

More support for clubs 

• Updated Constitution and Code of Conduct templates have been released. 

• A new Commercial Toolkit has been produced and circulated to help clubs identify income opportunities and become more sustainable.  

• Clubs can now access resources linked to the new Let the Players Play campaign, promoting positive behaviour from parents and spectators. 

• Improvements to the affiliation process have been made ahead of the 2026-27 season, helping to better understand club membership and safeguarding requirements across the network.  

Celebrating volunteers 

• Annual Awards celebrating volleyball 's unsung heroes held at Loughborough University for the first time. Volunteers were honoured across 11 categories, with 121 nominations reduced down to 32 shortlisted finalists. 

• New club case studies, showcasing the excellent work taking place at Newcastle Staffs VC, Priestlands School and Cambridge VC, helping clubs across the country learn from each other's successes.  

Strengthening higher education partnerships 

• Applications opened for the 2026-27 Higher Education Volleyball Officer (HEVO) programme, featuring a refreshed recruitment process for Senior HEVO roles. 

• Progress has continued towards introducing sitting volleyball into BUCS competition, with a proof of concept submitted.  

VOLLEYBALL FOR LIFE (WORKFORCE) 

Building a diverse, inclusive and engaged volleyball workforce.   

• National Team beach coaches joined colleagues from across the country at the Volleyball England Coaching Conference to continue developing coaching practice and share ideas that will benefit athletes throughout the pathway. 

• 23 Talent Zones staff members attended induction training at Loughborough University. 

• Annual referee upgrade meeting staged, leading to 21 officials being upgraded across volleyball and sitting volleyball. 

VOLLEYBALL FOR LIFE (TALENT) 

Building a diverse, inclusive and engaged volleyball workforce and strong talent pathway    

Beach programme continues to grow 

• International competition also continued to provide valuable experience, with England competing in the CEV Beach Nations Cup against some of Europe's strongest nations. 32 young athletes were selected to represent England at the Junior NEVZA Championships following a national selection camp. 

• New Indoor Performance Director Alex Porter appointed to oversee the development of the indoor programmes. 

AN ACE SERVICE

High quality domestic and international events.  

Delivering memorable events 

• Cup Finals Weekend returned to Loughborough University, bringing together 11 finals and Volleyball England's 70th anniversary celebrations, with more than 1,000 spectators attending (with an average satisfaction score of 8.8 out of 10). 

• Super League Final 4 returned to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, showcasing the very best of domestic volleyball. 

• THE NVL play-offs – including play-offs to stay in the Super League – were staged in Loughborough, with seven teams earning promotion for the 26-27 season. 

• May’s Inter Regional Championships welcomed 40 teams from 10 regions to Loughborough. London claimed three titles, with South West taking the Under-15 Boys crown, and participants rating the event 8.29 out of 10.  

Continuing to raise league standards 

• Interest in the National Volleyball League remains strong, with 25 applications received for places in the 2025-26 competition. 11 new clubs were admitted, while the second year of the NVL Self-Report enabling tailored feedback to support improvements in governance, operations and player experience.  

A RESPECTED AND VALUED NGB 

Building a safer game 

• As Safeguarding remains a strong focus.The Club Welfare Officer Community of Practice has grown to almost 100 members. 

• The Globocol safeguarding portal continues to expand across affiliated clubs, regions and Volleyball England competitions, making it easier to report and manage safeguarding concerns securely. 

• Volleyball England also launched the Let the Players Play campaign, alongside updated Codes of Conduct, designed to help create a more welcoming environment for all those who play, watch and officate at matches. 

Investing in safeguarding education 

• More than 500 safeguarding courses have now been completed, while a new "Safeguarding for All" learning programme is being developed ahead of the new season. 

• Club safeguarding audits have also begun as part of a wider development plan to strengthen safeguarding culture across affiliated clubs. 

• Volleyball England has completed its annual Child Protection in Sport Unit policy review and begun work towards the Ann Craft Trust's Safeguarding Adults in Sport accreditation.