Junior Club Term 1 Wrap-Up

The first term of the Junior Club indoor season is coming to a close - and what a term it’s been! From new players getting their volleyball journey off to a flying start, to our Performance Teams ranking amongst the best in the country, there have been major successes all around.

Firstly, a thank you from me (Gracie)! It has been my first term working with Deep Dish running the Junior Club, and it has been such a fantastic experience so far. I look forward to every training because our players always bring the good vibes, energy, and effort; it is such a wonderful club to be a part of, and I have loved watching everyone develop and grow as volleyballers. I hope to see plenty of familiar faces next term, but we will also be expecting lots of new sign-ups, so make sure to secure your spot through our sign-up form before we reach capacity!

Term 2 Junior Club Sign-Up Form

Keep reading to find out what our Juniors got up to this term:

National Success for U18 Boys

Our U18 Boys have been on fire this term - after topping their pool at their first Junior Grand Prix of the season, they snagged a spot at the Volleyball England Super Series, where the top 8 Junior teams face-off at Loughborough University. After a strong inaugural performance which shocked their more seasoned opponents, they took home a Bronze medal, securing their place as the 3rd best team in the country. Our players made a real stamp on the competition, with outside hitter Tomo ranking 5th in Most Kills of the tournament, and middle blocker Orin ranking 5th in Most Blocks. In their second Super Series last Saturday, they beat Boswell’s School once again, but were then narrowly defeated in 3 sets by Richmond, finishing 4th overall for the day. In the New Year, the boys will be fired up to keep climbing the rankings and maintain their position as fierce competitors in the Super Series.

Alongside their Junior competitions, the U18s have also been making waves in the Men’s National Shield, where they have won two rounds so far in the adult competition. They are now through to the Round of 16, which they will play against Watford Volleyball Club on the 10th January. Whilst some Deep Dish coaches and adult players have been stepping in to help out on court, the team has remained majority Junior players, making their successes against Senior teams very commendable!

Competitive Debuts for Development Players

The U18 Development group has been working hard this term, bringing together a range of abilities in a small-group. Coach Jack has been pushing them to improve their fundamentals and start building their gameplay understanding. They recently attended their first mini-tournament against Wapping Wildcats and Orpington Ravens, where they dominated both matches - a great first step into competing as a team!

A Strong Start for U16 Teams

Both U16 teams travelled down to Sevenoaks for their first Junior Grand Prixs this season, delivering solid performances with 1 win each. The boys’ results pushed them into the top 10 in the country, landing them in the Gold pool for their next tournament. The girls put in a long shift with only 6 players for the whole day, but came away having defeated local rivals London Giants and securing themself third place in the pool. The U16s have continued working hard since their last competitions, and are determined to bring more success the rest of the season. Coach Gracie says: “I look forward to coaching the U16s every week, they are always abundant with energy and laughter, but also always pushing themselves and each other to get better. There is so much potential within these teams, and I can’t wait to see them keep refining their skills and building their tactical awareness next term!”

U16 Dev Players Working & Playing Hard

The U16 Development group has been our largest cohort so far, with over 50 players showing up every Monday to work on their game. From total volleyball newcomers to our Performance team players, the Monday group has been bringing the good vibes and energy all term. They will be finishing their year with an end-of-term mixed tournament, a chance for the whole group to come together and show off the skills they have been cooking up these past few months.

Queen & King of the Court Brings the Pros to Crystal Palace

All eyes were on Crystal Palace National Sports Centre this November, with heads turning as we all watched wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of sand being rolled inside the sports hall. Queen & King of the Court brought their exciting professional beach volleyball tournament to our home turf, and we couldn’t let the opportunity pass by without getting our Juniors on the sand too. On the Saturday morning before the main event, 20 of our U16/U18 Performance Team athletes took to the sand to play an intense tournament of their own, using the classic King of the Court style. They all battled hard, and at times there were some surprising frontrunners. In the end, the podium was comprised of 6 of our U18 boys, who clearly demonstrated that they will be a force to be reckoned with this coming beach season. Freddie Bialokoz and Issa Batrane of Team England - who took home Bronze later that day in the main tournament - came to crown our winners and present them with some Deep Dish x QKOTC exclusive jerseys. A huge shoutout to the rest of our Junior Club players and coaches, who braved the winter cold for a week of training whilst the event was being set up!

The U12s are Unstoppable!

Tuesdays with the U12’s this term have been an amalgamation of incredible hustle, fierce determination, dizzying rallies, flashy celebrations… and plenty of games of Stuck in the Mud. Having worked with every age group, I can say with certainty that no one else in Junior Club gets quite as hype as our U12s at the end of a long rally! These young athletes have worked hard every week to improve their fundamental skills, whilst having bundles of fun and making loads of friends. Watching them dig, set, and spike with confidence during matches makes me very hopeful for the future of our Junior Club - watch out U18s, these kids will be vying for your spot on the roster soon!

“Such an energetic and amazing bunch and working with them alongside the other coaches has been a genuine highlight of my week! Can’t wait to see them and continue having a good time on court with them soon.” says Coach Issa.

More Deep Dish Fun During School Holidays

October Half-Term meant a pause on Junior Club, but the activities continued around Deep Dish, with Fun Camp and Development Camp running during the week. We had a blast on the beach courts during Fun Camp, playing games, working on our volleyball, doing Halloween arts and crafts, and even showing off our hidden skills in a talent show! Our Development Camp, run by coaches Issa and Dalton, was two focused days of intense training, helping 13-18 year old athletes hone their skills and get tailored feedback through drills and scrimmages. Fun Camp and Dev Camp will be back during February Half-Term, so no need to worry about how you’re keeping entertained during your next school holiday!

Term 2 Loading...

Term 2 of Junior Club is fast approaching, and with it will bring more opportunities to train, play, and compete. With one term of building fundamentals under our belt, we will keep pushing our players to the next level, helping kids of all levels feel confident on the court. We will be working hard to create fun opportunities for our Junior Club players, such as our upcoming Juniors Winter Series Beach tournaments in February and March, which you can already sign-up for on https://deepdishbeach.played.co! These single-gender pairs and mixed pairs tournaments will give Juniors a chance to rev up for beach season, and are open to all levels, whether it’s your first tournament or you’re a regular competitor.

We will also be hosting team trials for our U16 and U18 teams at the start of the term, so if you are ready to step into a more competitive environment, come along and show off your skills!

If your child is aging out of their current training group, or just looking for more of a challenge, don’t hesitate to reach out to juniors@deepdishbeach.com to discuss moving groups for the new term.

Thank you all for joining us for Junior Club Term 1 - we hope you have a restful break over the holidays, and we are so excited to see you all come back fresh and ready to train hard in the New Year! 

Happy holidays from Gracie and all the Junior Club coaches!