Junior Women
The purpose of the Junior & Youth National Team program is to identify, select and train a group of athletes who have future Senior National Team potential. The programs are also designed to identify an athlete pool to continue to develop through advanced training opportunities in future programs.
General information
Congratulations to the following athletes who have been selected to the Junior National Team for 2018
Stella Rains, AB
Katreena Bentley, MB
Gabby Brown, BC
Cecilee Max Brown, BC
Emily Teehan, ON
Sarah Glynn, NB
Parker Austin, AB
Sadie Dick, ON
Sydney Grills, BC
Nyadholi Thokbuom, AB
Tiffany Westerberg, BC
Ella Stewart, ON
Teodora Vukovic, ON
Haley Armstrong, ON
Lauren Pastor, ON
Phoenix Lee, ON
Katarina Pantovic, BC
Emma McKinnon, ON
Mady Saris, ON
Rakaelle Powell, ON
Sasha van der Merwe, ON
Hannah Duchesneau, ON
Anna Smrek, ON
Amanda Siksna, ON
Maya Cerantola, ON
Katerina Georgiadis, ON
Jenna Pollock, ON
Presly Austin, AB
2018 Program
Athletes: 2000 or later
Number of athletes: 28 athletes (Two teams)
Selection process (see detailed outline below)
- Step 1: Provincial/Territorial Associations will submit athlete ID list based on selection criteria.
- Step 2: Provincial & National Championships - Athletes will be identified and selected at National Championships. Selection committee members may be present at Provincial Championships.
Program dates:
- July 14 - July 29, 2018
Training: Brock University
Program fee: Pending Funding Allocations. Estimated between $3200-$3500
Main competition(s): US HP Championships
Coaching staff:
Gina Schmidt, Dale Melnick
Dan Huzar, Monette Boudreau-Carroll, Tania Harrison, Jimmy El-Turk
Identification process
Step 1
Provincial Territorial Athlete identification support:
- Each PTA submits to Volleyball Canada a list of athletes for the VC selection committee to consider at during the final selection process at National Championships
Step 2
Provincial & National Championships (Identification and selection):
- The selection committee will attend provincial championships, where feasible, as well as National Championships (Edmonton 2018)
- Direct invites to Team Canada athletes will be communicated to each individual athletes by May 25, 2018.
Selection process
The final selection committee will be composed of the Head Coaches (2) of the program, Volleyball Canada Representation (TBA) and 1-2 additionally appointed members (TBA).
Financial considerations and benefits
All athletes selected to the Program will be required to pay a program fee. In 2018, Volleyball Canada does not have a fee associated with identification. Athletes are responsible for any fees associated with their provincial association.
The program fee will be determined once funding allocations and program details are in place. This will be announced prior to selection but is expected to be approx. $3200-$3500. The program fee will include all food, accommodation, administration, coaching, and flight costs to HP Championships. This fee does not include travel to training location.
Selected athletes will be strongly encouraged to participate in the REP program (or VC approved program) in the coming season(s). Selected athletes may receive subsidies toward the program. The extent of support is to be confirmed.
Selection process and criteria
Contact info
For additional information please contact:
Dawna Sales, Program Manager
E-Mail: dsales@volleyball.ca
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out about my PTA’s plans for the summer of 2018?
It is important that you check with your region to ensure you are aware of the selection process for their elite programs. Information is available through your Provincial/Territorial Volleyball Association's website or contact pages.
How will the Provinces and Territories identify athletes?
The PTA’s will provide selection process information to all interested athletes. Through ongoing processes’, the PTA’s will provide VC with a list of athletes to observe at National Championships. VC is not restricted to this in the selection of athletes but it will formulate the majority of the ID process. Volleyball Canada will provide PTA’s with specific selection criteria, including physical
testing guidelines for athletes.
My club team is limited by positions and I believe that I may have greater success in another position but I am unable to showcase that at Provincials/Nationals. How will the selection criteria reflect this situation?
The selection committee will work very closely with the PTA’s to ensure athletes are able to be evaluated in various situations. The selection committee will prioritize the physical and mental capacities of the athlete throughout the selection process.
What if my club team is not planning to participate in VC Club Championships?
The club championships are a critical piece of the season plan for our next generation of high performance athletes so it is the expectation that athletes will be in attendance. It would be important to communicate early with Volleyball Canada if your team is unable to attend. It is assumed that athletes would be attending their respective provincial championships, and the coaching staff will make every effort to ensure a member of the selection committee is able to evaluate athletes.
I am injured and unable to attend VC Championships, what should I do?
Depending on the injury, it is important that athletes are healthy and prepared for training and competition in the month of July. Our first priority is to ensure long term athlete development. If you are unable to participate during nationals, you would be responsible to communicate with your healthcare provider, coach, and program manager well in advance of the final selection.
The group is not divided by age group. How will you determine how many athletes in each age group will be selected?
There is no set format for an age breakdown. The YNT/JNT objective is to identify athletes with future Senior National Team. Selection criteria will outline physical characteristics & capacities, including skills, athletic abilities, and mental capacity for a long term high performance athlete pathway.
Why is the JNT (Junior) not scheduled to compete at the 20U NORCECA Championship?
The 20U NORCECA Championship is currently schedule for mid-June in Honduras. As our athletes will be in the process of graduation, exams, and end of school year, it is not feasible for our athletes to participate. The cost associated with travel and competition to Honduras is significant and the NORCECA competition calendar does not allow for this specific competition (20U) to be held in late July and August