Club volleyball starts at 12U (Grade 6) for girls and boys. The 12U boys will typically compete in 13U boys events.

*Players younger than 12U (Grade 5) may also tryout

Tryouts dates/times have been posted. Please refer to the Tryouts page.

While we recognize that families may face unexpected, or an extenuating circumstance, attendance at tryouts is mandatory for athletes wanting to play for KVC.  In the rare case that it is not possible to attend a tryout, an exemption must be requested by emailing gokvc@shaw.ca. Athletes will need to request an exemption, and send a write-up and/or athletic resume highlighting their volleyball playing experience and achievements. Athletes are also required to provide either game film and/or a reference letter from a previous coach to provide support when requesting a tryout exemption.  

Athletes may also request to attend a different tryout other than their own age group, as long as the requested tryout is on the same day as their official age level or before, and the tryout they are attending is similar in age and ability to their official age level. There may also be a camp/clinic offered in the area where an athlete may be evaluated.

On the day of tryouts, athletes are required to check in prior (an email will be sent to confirm) to their tryout session and will be assigned a number. Following a brief introduction of expectations and selection criteria, our experienced coaching staff will run the athletes through various drills. Athletes will be evaluated on skills such as passing, setting, serving, blocking, defending and attacking. Tactical and behavioral skills will also be evaluated.  Athletes 15U and older, will also be assessed position specifically (setters, middles, liberos (when applicable) and outside attackers). Our assessment system then ranks players based on all graded elements. The Selection Committee reviews each athlete to determine athlete ranking and placement on a team.

The Kelowna Volleyball Club has delegated the Selection Committee the authority for all decision making during the tryout process.

Selection Process:

1. The Selection Committee will oversee all tryout procedures and determine at its sole discretion the recipient(s) who will be offered a position in the program.

2. In the event that an athlete decides not to accept a spot in the program, the Selection Committee will select the next athlete on the waitlist based on ranking and/or positional ranking when applicable.

3. Members of the Selection Committee will be removed from any discussions, ranking and selections should there be a conflict of interest.

4. The Selection Committee will consist of the Head Coach of each team in that specific age group, the tryout Lead Coach, Technical Director and 2 Executive Members.

5. Athletes that are selected may be personally contacted during tryouts and/or phoned/emailed within 72 hours after the last tryout date to commit to a placement on the team.

At Kelowna Volleyball Club, we aim to place athletes with others of comparable skill levels as early in the tryout process as possible. This approach not only allows players to compete and improve alongside peers at a similar level, but it also enables our coaches and assessors to make more accurate evaluations. Most importantly, by grouping players this way, our selection committee is better able to provide coaching and guidance, ensuring each player receives the support and direction they need to have a better tryout experience.

Athletes will be offered a position after tryouts via email within 48-72 hours. At this point, coaches will email athletes and parents provide specific information about training schedules, payment, tournament schedules, etc. Team lists will also be posted on the KVC homepage as soon as teams are finalized.

Delays in confirming teams are a result of having to wait for athletes commitment and signing dates, there is often movement with athlete placement and it allows the selection committee some flexibility when selecting athletes.

The number of positions available on each team will vary between age groups and competition levels.  Exact details will be provided at the tryout. Exact allocations will not be known until all tryouts have been completed.  Each KVC team will carry between 10-14 athletes

No, you may accept right away, but you don’t have to. If you need time to make some determinations, talk things through, then take that time. VBC rules indicate that you have until the end of the Signing Period to accept your position. All athletes can formally accept a position with a club on or after the “Signing Dates” identified below:

12U/13U/14U - November 24, 2025
15U – December 1, 2025
16/17U/18U – December 8, 2025

Yes, athletes may “play up” an age level. In order to “play up”, athletes must register, pay and attend both tryouts (correct age level and higher age level). It is essential for athletes to attend both tryouts in order to ensure athletes are appropriately evaluated, as well as to provide athletes greater opportunity to be placed on a team.  Please email gokvc@shaw.ca to communicate with the Selection Committee about your desire to “play up”.

**As a general rule though, we do recommend athletes tryout in their grade group as a priority.

Yes,  athletes born September 1 – December 31 of the previous year are permitted to “play down” one age category. Athletes that “play down” may only compete at one Regional Championship, Provincial Championship, and National Championship (all in the same age category). In order to “play down”, athletes must register, pay and attend both tryouts (correct age level and lower age level). It is essential for athletes to attend both tryouts in order to ensure athletes are appropriately evaluated, as well as to provide athletes greater opportunity to be placed on a team.  Please email gokvc@shaw.ca to communicate with the Selection Committee about your desire to “play down”.

KVC teams are NOT pre-selected! Our coaches have been watching players and making lists of players who they think have potential to play for KVC. Our selection process is transparent, and provides all athletes an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. Until we know who actually tried out for KVC, and if offered, who chooses to play for KVC, we don’t know which players are on teams. All athletes will receive an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities, to be selected to a KVC team.

EARLY SIGNING | The Early Signing Period is used for 15U - 18U, for both make and female teams. Clubs are allowed to offer athlete, who were members of the club the previous season, placement into the club, and/or a specific team, prior to tryouts. Athletes who are early signed are not guaranteed to be placed on a specific team (unless specifically designated by the KVC Executive). By accepting an early sign offer, athletes are committing to KVC, and are guaranteed to be placed on a KVC team for the 2026 season. Early signed athletes are expected to attend tryouts to be identified to a specific team of their level. Tryouts are essential to provide equitable opportunities for new athletes to join the club as we as for previous athletes to demonstrate their skill and abilities, and be accurately identified to a team.

The number of athletes that will be early signed will vary by age group, and will be based on various factors, including gym availability, coaches, athletes ability level, and number of teams being offered, however, KVC will look to early sign between 40-50% of our athletes from the previous season in applicable age groups. For example, if KVC only capacity to run 2 teams at an age group, we may look to early sign 12 athletes out of 24 spots. This allows the opportunity for new athletes to join the club, while fostering loyalty with our previous athletes. The Tryout Period will be used to identify remaining athletes, as well as place athletes on specific teams.

OPEN TRYOUTS | The Tryout Period will be used for all age levels this season, for both male and female teams. 12U - 18U athletes that are not signed early, as well as athletes who are interested from other clubs, and the community, are encouraged to attend tryouts. Tryouts are essential to provide equitable opportunities for new athletes to join the club as well as for previous athletes to demonstrate their skill and abilities, and be identified accurately to a team.

Key Points:

-Information regarding early signing offers, dates, and teams offered for 2026 are listed. See our Tryout page.
-Clubs may pre-sign up to 12 athletes per team | Clubs may only sign athletes that were a part of their club for the 2025 season.
-Athletes may still receive an early signing invitation later in the early signing period if another athlete declines their offer. Please be patient through this time frame.
-Athletes that early sign are not guaranteed playing time or specific team placement (unless specifically designated by the KVC Executive), KVC will hold tryouts to determine final athlete placement on teams.
-Athletes that are not early signed are strongly encouraged to attend KVC tryouts. Things can change over time, we may be able to add more teams, more coaches, and/or more spots may become available for various reasons.

Club season doesn’t officially kick off until January, with evaluations taking place mid-November through to the start of December. If you can’t see the schedule yet, it means that our club is still working on it, so hang tight!

KVC players train throughout the city of Kelowna/West Kelowna. We train in elementary, middle, high school, and private gyms.

Exact times and locations vary based on the coaches’ availability on the team you are placed on. Times are not finalized at this time. Times will be available by December.

There is no structured league play in volleyball. The KVC season schedule is tournament based and the schedule will be set by each coach. The season of play is January to early May.

That’s a difficult one to answer, as it varies from team to team. We have included a range of approximate fees under Club Teams > Approximate Season Costs for each category we offer.

The younger teams who travel less, have lower fees. The older teams, who travel more, have higher fees. The HP (high performance) teams, not something offered for all age groups, have additional tournaments and have a longer season, so they have higher fees. KVC does not, in any way, profit off your fees. As a not-for-profit organization, it is a “money in, money out” situation. VBC sets the fees for tournaments. The KVC swag is also included in your athlete’s fees, that includes t-shirts, socks, hoodie, jersey and backpack. Every year the gear pack changes a little bit, so don’t quote us on exact goodies in the goodie bag, but gear is included in the fees. The number of players on the roster and number of coaches on the team directly impacts the season fees as well.