2024 COMPETITIVE GIRLS DEVELOPMENT TEAMS
If your daughter does not make a Thunder, Apex, Action, or Air Attack team or does not want to go through the stress of club tryouts, our development teams are a great option. Over 70% of players at our tryouts will be selected for a team (compared to about 10%-15% at club tryouts). In 2023 our 13 teams competed well and won many matches against local club teams at club playdays (at SFU and Douglas College). 2024 Smash development team tryouts will be held Dec 3rd and Dec 9th for 13U, 14U, and 15U girls teams (13U-9:15am-11:00am, 14U-11:15am-1:00pm, 15U-1:15pm-3:00pm). On December 16th and 23rd we will have general training sessions for all selected players. Teams will start training together in late January and our season ends in late April. East Vancouver teams will practice at Vancouver Christian School near Boundary and Grandview. West side teams will practice at Osborne Centre, UBC campus. Registration for tryouts will open on August 23rd, 2023. TRYOUT REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Why try out for Smash competitive development teams?
1. Our coaches are engaged and positive
2. Equal playing time
3. Our fees are significantly lower than ‘clubs’
4. Tournaments are local
5. At least 70% of kids that attend tryouts will make a team vs 10% at ‘club’ tryouts. Other winter weekly programs are available for those not selected (and get a free t-shirt)
6. One practice per week allows multi-sport participation in the winter months.
7. Alignment with the best club in the city, Thunder Volleyball Club (philosophy, tryout process, coordination). Dozens of Smash development team players have gone on to make Thunder teams the following year.
2024 Playday Dates
13U: Early February to late April (exact dates tba)
14U: Early February to late April (exact dates tba)
15U: Early February to late April (exact dates tba)
Teams will practice once per week starting in late January and compete in at least 5 playdays/tournaments. All activities pause for March break.
2024 Fees and Dates:
The program will run from the last week of January 2024 until late April 2024. The fee for the 2024 season will be $775.00 including GST and includes all local tournaments, a Smash uniform to use for the season, and a practice/warmup shirt to keep. Tryout fees will be refunded if your daughter is selected for a Thunder team before her Smash tryout session and she then chooses to not attend a Smash tryout session.
Practice and tournament days are TBC but we have Friday after school and evenings and Sunday afternoons available for once per week practice time slots. Players will be placed on teams based on practice time availability first and friend requests second. Most playdays are Saturday afternoon but there might be some Sunday or weeknight playdays as well. We are planning for12 teams this year (spots for 52 players per age group).
If your daughter does not make a Thunder, Apex, Action, or Air Attack team or does not want to go through the stress of club tryouts, our development teams are a great option. Over 70% of players at our tryouts will be selected for a team (compared to about 10%-15% at club tryouts). In 2023 our 13 teams competed well and won many matches against local club teams at club playdays (at SFU and Douglas College). 2024 Smash development team tryouts will be held Dec 3rd and Dec 9th for 13U, 14U, and 15U girls teams (13U-9:15am-11:00am, 14U-11:15am-1:00pm, 15U-1:15pm-3:00pm). On December 16th and 23rd we will have general training sessions for all selected players. Teams will start training together in late January and our season ends in late April. East Vancouver teams will practice at Vancouver Christian School near Boundary and Grandview. West side teams will practice at Osborne Centre, UBC campus. Registration for tryouts will open on August 23rd, 2023. TRYOUT REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Why try out for Smash competitive development teams?
1. Our coaches are engaged and positive
2. Equal playing time
3. Our fees are significantly lower than ‘clubs’
4. Tournaments are local
5. At least 70% of kids that attend tryouts will make a team vs 10% at ‘club’ tryouts. Other winter weekly programs are available for those not selected (and get a free t-shirt)
6. One practice per week allows multi-sport participation in the winter months.
7. Alignment with the best club in the city, Thunder Volleyball Club (philosophy, tryout process, coordination). Dozens of Smash development team players have gone on to make Thunder teams the following year.
2024 Playday Dates
13U: Early February to late April (exact dates tba)
14U: Early February to late April (exact dates tba)
15U: Early February to late April (exact dates tba)
Teams will practice once per week starting in late January and compete in at least 5 playdays/tournaments. Likely practice times will be Friday after school or evenings, or Sunday afternoons. Parents will be asked for friend requests and practice time availability before we decide on practice times for each player. All activities pause for March break. Most playdays are Saturday afternoon but there might be some Sunday or weeknight playdays as well.
2024 Season Ages:
13U: Birth Months Sept 2010 – December 2011
14U: Birth Months Sept 2009- December 2010
15U: Birth Months Sept 2008 – December 2009
Upcoming Tryout Dates & December Training Sessions:
Dec 3rd (Osborne Centre, UBC): 13U-9:15am-11:00am, 14U-11:15am-1:00pm, 15U-1:15pm-3:00pm
OR
December 9th (Vancouver Christian School, East Van): 13U-9:15am-11:00am, 14U-11:15am-1:00pm, 15U-1:15pm-3:00pm.
Pre-season training sessions for all selected players will be held on December 16th and December 23rd (13U-9:15am-11:00am, 14U-11:15am-1:00pm, 15U-1:15pm-3:00pm).
2024 Selections:
For 2024, all players returning from 2023 teams will be offered a returning player spot but must register for a tryout session. It doesn’t matter which location your child tries out at, we will ask for your friend requests, practice time, and location preferences. In other words, you could try out at VCS but request a spot on a team that practices at UBC and vice versa. New for 2024, only register for one tryout please! We will equally select players from both tryouts.
Other Smash Winter Weekly Programs (for those not selected to teams)
Online Store – TBA
All players will receive a free warm-up shirt to keep and a uniform to use for the season. Below are some examples of possible Smash gear for 2024!

