LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR A STRONGER FUTURE ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 FIVB BEACH WORLD TOUR MEDALS WON 3 BY ENGLISH TEAMS 343 CONTENTS CLUB AFFILIATIONS Page 4 Page 10 CHAIR’S report CORE MARKET report Adam Walker provides an overview of Volleyball Rob Payne provides an overview England’s achievements and evolving approach of member products and services Page 6 Page 14 CEO’S report Technical AND talent report Together, the Hub team and community can Gillian Harrison reports on national team achievements 700THE NUMBER OF 3,400 achieve so much, says Sue Storey and Volleyball England’s new coaching initiatives TEAMS PLAYING PLAYERS WHO TOOK PART IN Page 7 Page 18 IN ENGLAND VOLLEYBALL ENGLAND COMPETITIONS Deputy CEO’S report COMpetitions report Sam Jamieson reaffirms the case for why Jonathan Moore recaps on a season a shift in mindset is needed cut short by the coronavirus Page 8 Page 22 FINANCIAL report COMMunications report Kevin Fletcher gives an update on Stewart Thorpe explains the fresh Volleyball England’s finances focus to our communications Page 24 2019/2020 Regional reports An update on what has taken place in the IN NUMBERS… nine volleyball regions this last year OUR VISION: TO BE A sustainaBLE, SELF-sufficient £72,000 459 organisation; WORTH OF GRANTS THAT NATIONAL REGISTERED ATHLETES BENEFITTED FROM REFEREES MORE RELEVANT AND Better connected to THE VolleyBALL coMMunity IL GIBBIN. IL H : P T DI RE 504 8.4 134 C REGISTERED NVL COACHES 10 TEAMS HOW DELEGATES RATED OUR INAUGURAL ClUB CONFERENCE 2 Volleyball England Annual Report 2019/2020 Volleyball England Annual Report 2019/2020 3 CHAIR’S report Adam Walker provides an overview of Volleyball England’s achievements and evolving approach Over the last two years my key messages have transitioned from repair and rebuild to stability and sustainability. Despite the very real challenges associated with ongoing reductions in Sport England funding we have, to a great extent, achieved this agenda. Overwhelmingly, much of this success must be attributed to the Volleyball England Board ▲ Adam Walker and the Hub staff who have been relentless in their endeavours, never losing focus of the work that needs to be done. Particular thanks for this ► Adam handing success must go to Janet Inman and Stewart Kiana Eskandani, of Dunne, Volleyball England’s former CEO and Stockport VC, the GIBBIN. IL COO who have now left to enjoy new challenges, H 2019 Young Volunteer : P T of the Year Award. as well as Sam Jamieson, now the Deputy CEO. DI RE Without their fantastic leadership the sport would C not be in such a favourable position. viewed as a positive one by the majority. ▲East London Lynx To aid this process we will continue to build the “OVER THE last TWO years MY Key Messages take on Sheffield in the CHANGE sport’s insight. The ongoing development and 2019 Sitting Grand Prix HAVE TRANSITIONED FROM repair AND REBUILD Final. Looking to the future, our approach will change enhancement of VolleyZone, the online community again. Working with our new CEO Sue Storey, portal that we launched last summer, has become to staBility AND sustainaBility.” our new focus will concentrate on the iterative one of Volleyball England’s cornerstones and development of the sport, ensuring that we have as the platform develops further, the service we MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS Foundation marked its relaunch with a fresh new the relevant building blocks in place to bring provide to our customers can be enhanced. Our Annual Report is the perfect vehicle for website in February. in new participants, keep the ones we have Controlling our own financial destiny will also bringing together a year’s worth of work to For many of these achievements and much and grow the opportunities for all those that be given even greater emphasis. Despite an help us to take stock, see the bigger picture more, we owe our thanks to the army of want to play the sport, so that they enjoy their incredibly cluttered and competitive market, we and reflect on some of volleyball’s successes. volunteers – our grassroot heroes – that have : CEV. T involvement and fulfil their aspirations. DI will continually work hard to diversify our funding For example, after much hard work, in August, made it possible. RE To deliver the meaningful change we all desire C and secure new income streams. Any success in beach volleyball was confirmed for the 2022 As this report is being compiled, the country is will require a balance of patience, pragmaticism ▲ IBB Polonia this area allows us to develop more quickly and Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. In dealing with unprecedented societal change made history at the and ambition. With very limited discretionary effectively. From an internal perspective we will October, England Girls made history by triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. Time will Copper Box Arena funds, we will continually have to innovate, finding continue to appraise the things we do, ensuring all winning a silver medal at the NEVZA U17 tell what the overall impact will be on Volleyball by becoming the new and creative ways to deliver. In addition, our our programmes, initiatives and competitions have Championships – a record finish for an England England and the volleyball community, but rest ▲Beach volleyball first British side to was one of three future focus will have prioritisation at the heart of long-term sustainability at the core of their design team in a NEVZA competition – while later that assured we are rising to meet these challenges. take part in the CEV everything we do. Whilst some of our decisions sports to be added to and delivery. Again, this may frustrate some, month, IBB Polonia London brought Champions When we emerge from this period of uncertainty, the programme for the Champions League - will inevitably not be popular with everyone, we Europe’s premier club however, we hope it will be appreciated by most of League volleyball to England for the first time. we will make sure we are ready to work with you 2022 Commonwealth sincerely hope that our overall approach will be competition. the volleyball family. And then, more recently, the Volleyball England all to achieve our collective ambition. Games in Birmingham. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Andres Hernandez Brendan Fogarty Clare Francis Freda Bussey MBE Ian Wall Jefferson Williams Richard Harrison Seyram Atubra Simon Griffiths Independent Director Non-Executive Director Vice-Chair Non-Executive Director Independent Director Non-Executive Director Non-Executive Director Non-Executive Director Non-Executive Director 4 Volleyball England Annual Report 2019/2020 Volleyball England Annual Report 2019/2020 5 CEO Report Deputy CEO’S Together, the Hub team and community can achieve so much, says Sue Storey Report I am honoured to contribute to my first Annual Sam Jamieson reaffirms the case for why a Report as Chief Executive of Volleyball England. When I joined in November, it was shift in mindset is needed TH clear that Janet Inman and the team had put in ▲ Sue Storey pictured with Sue Sowden, I SM a lot of hard work to get the sport to the position Secretary of Newcastle Panthers VC. The 2019/20 financial year began with an eye- TEVE it is in now. During my first few months, some : S opening full-cost analysis of Volleyball England’s T key themes have really stood out. DI RE products and services which confirmed that much C UPPORT of what we do is delivered at a significant loss. ▲ We have introduced individual player These are not strategic investments based on registration fees for more competitions, such as I have been overwhelmed by the incredible S short or long-term objectives. These losses have the Grand Prix, to make them more sustainable. ▲ Sue Storey support that has been given to me. The Hub come about due to a delay in making necessary team prove daily what a hardworking and adjustments following decreases in funding. committed group they are – it is great to be Much of 2019/20 has been spent recognising the a part of a team that is driven to achieve the need for a shift in mindset and implementing a much best for volleyball. The Board, and in particular ▲ Sam Jamieson more sustainable approach in both our delivery of our chairman Adam Walker, are a strong, products and services to the sport as well as our professional and dedicated group who support internal operations. At the start of the year the Board but are not afraid to challenge what is being ▲ Loughborough University’s SportPark facility is took decisive forward-thinking action to increase done. They too have big ambitions for the home to Volleyball England’s Hub team. and/or add fees across competitions and affiliations. future. Finally, I have been able to meet many This was in addition to cost saving measures. This amazing volunteers, who are truly the backbone ISION action was taken to protect the future of volleyball of this sport. Thank you for the great work you V Our vision is to be a sustainable, self- activities by making them more self-sustaining. do, I will do everything I can to help you carry sufficient organisation, more relevant and better We were really pleased to see the amount of on doing what you do. TH connected to the volleyball community, and this positive feedback on these change and have been I SM has never been more tested than during the heartened by the response from the community to NTHUSIASM coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, working TEVE what has naturally been unwelcome news. : S T E One of my favourite parts of this role has towards this vision, we are putting clubs at the Understanding more about the people consuming DI RE been seeing the passion that people have for centre of the sport’s eco-system, improving our our sport and streamlining the processes by C volleyball.