Winter Academy 2026
This winter, our Volleyball Academy will be taking on a new and improved format designed to bring maximum value to every athlete. For our 17U/16U athletes, we’re introducing a position-specific training model — allowing each player to dive deeper into the skills, decision-making, and techniques that are most important to their role on the court. Whether you’re a setter, outside hitter, middle, or libero, every session will be tailored specifically to your position, ensuring focused development and measurable progress.
For our younger athletes in the 15U/14U group, training will remain combined across all positions, as this stage of development is about building strong volleyball fundamentals in every area of the game. These athletes will still receive focused feedback based on their preferred position, but the goal will be to help them become well-rounded players with a solid technical foundation before specializing later on.
🏐Winter Volleyball Academy (January–March)🏐
Program Structure
15U / 14U Girls Group
Our younger athletes will train in a combined positions group, focusing on mastering the fundamentals in every aspect of the game — passing, setting, attacking, serving, defense and blocking. While each player will receive additional attention in their preferred position, the emphasis will remain on developing well-rounded athletes who can succeed anywhere on the court.
Program Inclusions:
Beyond the on-court training sessions, each athlete will receive access to a range of tools designed to support their development throughout the program.
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Video analysis platform, allowing them to review practice sessions, study technical details, and track their progress over time.
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Athletes will also receive detailed focus forms for each skill area — serving as a personal reference guide to help them reflect, troubleshoot, and understand the “why” behind their performance when things aren’t clicking.
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All participants will take part in sport psychology/ mental preparation workshop designed to help them strengthen their focus, confidence, and resilience both on and off the court.
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Every athlete will receive an official Winter Academy T-shirt, representing their commitment to growth and excellence within the program.
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Strength and Conditioning sessions designed to complement their on-court development and improve their overall athletic performance.
*Program Length: January 5th to March 22nd - (No practices week of March Break)
Practice times and locations:
Mondays – 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM
📍 Location: University of New Brunswick (UNB) Rec Gym
Friday – 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM
📍 Location: University of New Brunswick (UNB) Rec Gym
* Maximum number - 10 athletes
17U / 16U Girls Group
Our older athletes will train in a hybrid format, combining position-specific sessions with group gameplay integration to create a complete high-performance experience. Each position group will focus on advanced technical refinement and tactical mastery during the week, while Sunday group practices will allow players to apply those skills in a controlled team based situation.
Program Inclusions:
Beyond the on-court training sessions, each athlete will receive access to a range of tools designed to support their development throughout the program.
-
Video analysis platform, allowing them to review practice sessions, study technical details, and track their progress over time.
-
Athletes will also receive detailed focus forms for each skill area — serving as a personal reference guide to help them reflect, troubleshoot, and understand the “why” behind their performance when things aren’t clicking.
-
All participants will take part in sport psychology/ mental preparation workshop designed to help them strengthen their focus, confidence, and resilience both on and off the court.
-
Every athlete will receive an official Winter Academy T-shirt, representing their commitment to growth and excellence within the program.
-
Strength and Conditioning sessions designed to complement their on-court development and improve their overall athletic performance.
*Program Length: January 6th to March 22nd - (No practices week of March Break)
Weekly Schedule (morning):
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Setters: Tuesdays – 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM
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Outside Hitters: Wednesdays – 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM
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Middles: Thursdays – 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM
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Liberos: Fridays – 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM
📍 Location: University of New Brunswick (UNB) Rec Gym
Group Practices: Sundays
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Group Session 1 - 9:00am to 10:00am
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Group Session 2 - 10:00am to 11:00am
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📍 Location: (École des Batisseurs)
*Maximum athletes per positions
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Setters - 6
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Outsides - 8
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Middles - 6
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Libs - 4
Program Highlights
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🏐 Position-Specific & Game Integration Training – Focused positional work paired with team-style gameplay to bridge technical and tactical development.
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👥 Small Group Sizes – smaller athlete-to-coach ratio for more touches, attention, and feedback.
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🎥 Video Analysis Access – Every athlete receives access to our analysis platform to re-watch practices and receive personalized breakdowns from their coach.
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🧠 Mental Preparation & Sport Psychology Workshops – Designed to help athletes strengthen their focus, confidence, and resilience both on and off the court.
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🌎 Elite Coaching Team – Led by Connor McConnell, former U SPORTS All-Canadian and former professional athlete, alongside a team of high-level guest coaches.
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⚡ High-Performance Environment – Structured, competitive sessions
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💪 Strength and Conditioning sessions designed to complement their on-court development and improve their overall athletic performance.
Investment
💰 Cost: 3 instalments of $460 ($1200 + tax) - includes all 20 on court sessions + video analysis platform access + t-shirt + sports performance workshops + strength and conditioning
Selection Process (DONE)
Participation in the Winter Academy is by application only.
Applicants must:
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Complete the online form
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Share details on their club/school experience, positions played, and volleyball goals
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Be prepared to train at a high level alongside other serious athletes
Only the most committed athletes will be selected to ensure a competitive, focused, and growth-oriented training environment.
Selections will be made December 22nd and athletes will have 24 hours to respond.