Playing Time Guidelines

Maverick Volleyball has developed this Playing Time Guideline Chart to help coaches, athletes and parents make choices that support athletic and team development and ensure that each athlete is getting a sufficient quantity and quality of opportunities to improve during practices and competitions. As an organization, we stand behind the autonomy of our coaches to make decisions on what is best for the players and the team while following the Playing Time guidelines below.

Team & Level	Preparation Phase	Competition Phase
17-18U National	70-30% split while trying to provide relevant opportunities to everyone	Performance-based playing time
15-16U National	50-50% split while trying to provide relevant opportunities to everyone. (Note: 15U follow fair play rules in pool play. 16U follows fair play rules in pool play of the trillium division)	70-30% split while trying to provide relevant opportunities to everyone
13-14U National	Fair Play Rules*	Fair Play Rules*
17-18U Provincial	Fair Play Rules*	50-50% split while trying to provide relevant opportunities to everyone
15-16U Provincial	Fair Play Rules*	Fair Play Rules*
13-14U Provincial	Fair Play Rules*	Fair Play Rules*
11U-18U Regional Squads (RTC)	Fair Play Rules*	Fair Play Rules*

*Fair Play Rules: Any player on the starting scoresheet who does not start the first set must start the second set.

This guideline is specific all competitive streams (National- Provincial- and Regional-levels). It recognizes the importance of coaches’ autonomy to make the best decisions for player and team development throughout the season, and also, in the case of provincial and national teams, to make the tough decisions that are intended to propel the team to success at critical competitions, particularly at Ontario and National Championships.

The primary goal of the Maverick Volleyball Club is to help each athlete improve and ultimately develop to his or her full potential. The goal of every team is to perform as best they can as a group. Depending on the seasonal phase and the importance of the competition, a secondary goal might be to provide playing opportunities, or to work on a particular skill in a competitive environment, or to try to obtain the best possible result.

Regardless of the specific goal, playing time is earned through focus and hard work at practice, through the effort displayed during weekly physical training, and in demonstrated ability on the court.

As player roles evolve over the season, all players and parents are expected to remain positive and committed to having each player develop to his or her maximum potential (not just themselves or their child).

#1 - Practice Opportunities

Athletes need sufficient quantity & quality practice opportunities to develop.

Coaches should endeavour to provide equitable practice opportunities for all players. These opportunities should also be of similar quality. Quality varies based on the strength of athletes involved, the challenge and the importance of the playing opportunity. This is of particular importance when dealing with collective drills. Coaches have achieved success when all players are comfortable playing with each other as they have regularly participated in drills together.

Coaches also have the responsibility to prepare athletes to take on roles during matches. Coaches should ensure athletes have practiced in a role before being asked to perform in that role during a match.

#2 - Playing Opportunities

Athletes develop and learn through sufficient quantity and quality playing opportunities.

National- and Provincial-level coaches must identify three tournaments where the goal of player development is the priority. One of the tournaments must be an Ontario Volleyball Association event and one of the tournaments should be ideally in or around the championship phase of the season. These tournaments can be used to:

Provide key playing moments to athletes who don’t regularly have the chance to experience them. For example:
- A player who rarely has the opportunity to serve at match point;
- A middle player who rarely has the chance to execute serve receive under a pressure situation;
- A secondary setter who rarely has a chance to play a set from start to finish with the strongest attackers;
- A middle player who rarely gets a chance to play left side;
- Give athletes who mentally shut down under pressure situations an opportunity to improve.

Establish a technical or tactical element that has been used in practice and needs to be solidified in matches. For example:
- Athletes have learned to jump serve which can become the focus of the tournament;
- Introduction of a new complex offence.

#3 - Good Planning

Good tournament management will maximize player development.

Coaches should develop a competition plan that respects the training-to-competition ratio of Volleyball Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development Model. Competition plans should also be designed to maximize player development using the Playing Time chart included in the Guidelines section above.

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