ew i v e R h t n o 18 M
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eview 18 Month R The Go Spike campaign was created by Volleyball England after it was identified via the Active People Survey (APS) that there had been a decrease in the number of adults participating in volleyball on a regular basis. The campaign began in July 2011 with the aim of getting 10,100 more adults (16+) playing volleyball by the end of March 2013. The number of opportunities to play volleyball in England over this period has increased significantly, helping over 36,000 people get into volleyball and over 5,000 people now playing regularly. The Go Spike campaign has developed and supported a number of initiatives which have helped to raise the profile of the sport and encourage adult participation in volleyball. This has included: • Open recreational club sessions • Team to Club Project • Community Development Coaches (CDCs) open sessions and links to club activity • Six week taster sessions in Leisure Centres • Outdoor volleyball equipment hire to external organisations • Public beach facilities (both permanent and semi permanent) • Come & Try courts at external and internal events • Students creating recreational sessions and festivals at universities through Higher Education Volleyball Officers (HEVOs)
All targeted activity has been promoted via the Go Spike website – www.gospike.net and social media outlets. PR company Promote PR have been used to support press releases on articles in local, regional and national newspapers, magazines, radio stations and TV. Data has been captured on a monthly basis to monitor and evaluate each aspect of the campaign to see how effective each area is in the overall contribution of getting more adults 16+ playing volleyball. This review gives an insight into the campaign and aims to highlight the following areas: • Details on the separate projects that have underpinned the campaign • The number of people that have participated in volleyball across the different projects and what lessons we have learned along the way • Participation feedback from the taster sessions • Impact of London 2012 on the Go Spike campaign • The effect of creating a Go Spike website • Go Spike plans moving forwards • Case Studies of successful projects
Go Spike Headlines The follow data is a summary on the impact of the initiatives within the Go Spike campaign that have been recorded over an 18 month period between July 2011 to December 2012: • 36,000 people (and counting) have given volleyball a go thanks to the Go Spike campaign • 26,955 unique visitors (35,410 total) to the Go Spike website – www.gospike.net • 11,700 taken part at volleyball on come and try courts at events • 9,500 users on the permanent beach courts • 8,000 users on semi permanent beach courts • 5,000 new people are now playing regular volleyball having experienced volleyball through Go Spike • 3,000 new participants in clubs, of which 1,600 are now participating regularly • 2,800 new participants via Community Development Coaches, of which 1,600 are now participating regularly • 2,200 new students participating in volleyball at University with 1,800 now playing regularly through the activation of students in Higher Education Volleyball Officers roles (HEVOs) in universities across the country. (Please Note: All data is up to date as of 1st January 2013)
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5,800 new players have come through Clubs and Community Development coaches activity with 3,200 of them now playing regularly
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Club Involvement A total of 68 clubs have promoted their club open/recreational sessions over the last 18 months both indoors and outdoors for new adult participants. This equates to 26% of Volleyball England’s total number of adult affiliated clubs. Every club whose open sessions are advertised on the Go Spike website (www.gospike.net) received a selection of resources to help promote their activity. This has included Go Spike sail flags (for the first 25 clubs that registered their sessions), volleyball information concertina cards, editable posters, t-shirts, and inflatable beach balls. (See Go Spike Resources on page 21 for description and images). Data on new participants attending club sessions has been collected on a monthly basis since July 2011 to gain an overall view on the number of participants getting involved in club activity as a whole across the country. The data collected identifies new participants to clubs each month distinguishing between those that only came once and those who went regularly.
A number of clubs have not only provided open recreational sessions for beginners to come along to but have also been actively linking with events in their community to help promote the club sessions to the general public. Events have ranged from Olympic Torch relay related events and county shows to village fetes.
Team to Club Project The Team to Club Project ran between July - October 2011 connecting to smaller clubs who had a membership base of less than 25 and who had the desire to increase their membership. The campaign supported the club funding and resources to create a festival and/or open sessions that would encourage more people to join their club. In total 28 clubs were part of the project which resulted in 701 new participants and 177 of these being recruited to the club and becoming regular players.
Figures so far have indicated that there have been 3,000 new participants attending club sessions and of these 1,600 are now participating regularly.
Greater Manchester 6 week Go Spike sessions Greater Manchester was identified as a county that had a high demand of people who expressed an interest in wanting to play volleyball, yet there appeared to be little opportunity for anyone new to the sport to get involved at a recreational level. Go Spike funded 8 different sessions to take place across the county and surrounding areas providing equipment where needed. The Community Development Coaches (CDC) in the area were crucial in identifying suitable venues.
The locations of the sessions were at: • Oldham Sports Centre (Oldham) • Rochdale Leisure Centre (Rochdale) • Altrincham Leisure Centre (Trafford) • Moss Side Leisure Centre (Manchester) • Belle Vue Leisure Centre (Manchester) • Sugden Sports Centre (Manchester-run by Manchester Marvels VC) • Orford Park Sports Hall (Warrington) • Eccles City (Salford) Over 100 people got involved through these sessions. Links with local clubs and Leisure Centres has allowed for many of these sessions to continue running and new participants have had the opportunity to join their local club.
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Club Involvement A number of clubs have also been supported by Community Development Coaches who have been running recreational sessions for their local clubs or creating stand alone sessions near local clubs to provide fresh opportunities for beginners. The activity by Community Development Coaches has varied between: • 6 week taster sessions via Sportivate funding
(continued)
Community Development Coaches locations Northants Sunderland Dorset Newcastle-Under-Lyme Black Country
• Shopping Centre roadshows
Wandsworth *
• Aqua volley 6 week taster sessions
North Devon
• Working with local clubs to run open sessions
Leicestershire
• Volley fit - women’s focus activity
Warrington *
• Linking with local partners including County Sport Partnerships, Local Authorities and Leisure Centres to create volleyball come and try courts at events.
Tower Hamlets
Figures so far have indicated that there have been 2,800 new adult participants as a result of the work of the Community Development Coaches and of these 1,600 are now participating regularly.
Tendring *
Brentwood & Chelmsford Tottenham Middlesbrough Wigan Tameside * * CDC no longer in position
What have we learnt? Clubs who have had the greatest response from new participants, and more importantly been able to sustain their interest so that they participate regularly were those that: • Used a ‘Pay to Play’ system where the individual does not have to commit to an annual membership • Focused on game play rather than sessions that concentrate heavily on the technical aspects of the game • Gained a balance between competitive game play, getting fit and having FUN! • Identified the different levels of development of new players and provided further opportunities for more structured sessions within the club for those desiring a more competitive outlet (i.e. linking with a local or regional training session) • Distributed posters in the local area - both electronically and hard copies in high footfall areas • Generated interest off the back of attendance at local events • Had an up to date website that clearly promoted when and where people can play volleyball • Gained funding from local partners to run taster sessions • Regularly communicated with new members to remind them of up and coming sessions • Consistently used of social media sites to promote the clubs activity (Facebook and Twitter)
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17,500 people have so far played on the semi-permanent and permanent beach courts
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Semi Permanent Beach Facilities A key area of the Go Spike campaign has been the development of semi permanent beach facilities. As a result of this campaign 22 courts are available at 12 different locations around the country for the outdoor season between April and October. The beach equipment has been loaned to Local Authorities and beach owners to install in high footfall locations across their beach front. The courts are free to use by the general public who want to have a go at volleyball and support from local clubs is used to create a regular open session for anyone new to the sport to join in. The beach equipment was successfully installed in 2012 and used throughout the summer period. Records from the first year show that the courts were used by over 8,000 people.
• Great Yarmouth (Norfolk) • Center Parcs (Nottinghamshire) • Studland (Dorset) • South Tyneside (Tyne & Wear) • Redcar (Tees Valley) • Bridlington (Yorkshire) • Perranporth (Cornwall) • Clacton (Essex) • Skegness (Lincolnshire) • Weymouth (Dorset)
We are in the process of collating feedback from each location with the view to continue to provide the equipment into 2013.
• Polzeath (Cornwall)
Each site will also be running an event at the beginning of the outdoor season to kick start the summer and promote the courts as part of The Go Spike Big Weekend (more details on this event can be found on page 23).
All beach courts are operational between April – October 2013.
Look out for the Go Spike Information Boards! All semi permanent and permanent beach facilities have been equipped with Go Spike information boards. The boards give anyone who is unfamiliar with volleyball the chance to read and understand the basic terminology and rules to get a game going. The A4 editable area allows each site to add their own details that are specific to the activity on their courts. (see photo below)’
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Semi Permanent Beach Court Locations
• Weston - Super - Mare (Somerset)
Permanent Beach Facilities The permanent beach facilities are a result of the beach volleyball capital investment initiative. Volleyball England launched the new initiative to increase numbers of participants and spectators in beach sports. This initiative is in line with Volleyball England’s strategic plan, which aims to increase the number of players and non-players participating in and having high quality experiences of beach volleyball. Volleyball England has produced “Development of Beach Volleyball Courts”, a document which details conversion and modification methods of under-used public areas into sand courts in effective, economical and sustainable ways. Records from the first year show that the courts were used by over 9,500 people. Partner funded, local permanent beach development projects are part of an important legacy programme for the sport, aiming to: • Expose more people to beach sports as both spectators and participants, particularly at inland venues • Provide opportunities for more people to follow up their initial experience and play beach volleyball regularly • Significantly improve the experience for those already playing regularly by enhancing services and reducing travel
Test Event sand creates 3 new sites in London! The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) donated 2,274 tonnes of sand from the Olympic test event (the Visa FIVB Beach Volleyball International, part of the London Prepares Series) in August 2011, to sports venues across London in a bid to increase interest and participation in the sport. Three sites were selected to use the sand for seven new courts, ready for an influx of new players inspired by the test event and the Go Spike campaign aimed at getting more people into the sport. The three locations were:
Crystal Palace Leisure Centre (Crystal Palace, London) Crystal Palace Beach Sports has been funded through a partnership between charitable Social Enterprise GLL, which operates Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, and Volleyball England. The sand has been donated by the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG).
Westminster Academy (Westminster, London) Westminster Council made a bid for the new court to London’s Olympic Organising Committee (LOCOG) as part of an increase drive to promote Olympic sport within the borough, ahead of the 2012 Games. Councillor Steve Summers, the council’s deputy head of sports and leisure, said: “Having world-class athletes train here shows just how superb this facility is. This new facility not only serves to benefit professional players but the whole community and it is another example of our commitment to diversifying sport in the city.”
The Score Sports Centre, Leyton (Waltham Forest, London) Built with a grant from Sport England via Volleyball England and applied for by the London Borough of Waltham Forest, the courts took just one week to complete. The sand courts are part of the Boroughs desire to offer beach sports to increase participation in sport and physical activity and to build on the legacy as a host borough for London 2012. The courts are managed by Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme (LOCSP) who will take bookings and ensure the courts are ready for use.
Further sites have been developed outside of London which include: • Worthing (East Sussex)
• Loughborough University (Loughborough, Leicestershire)
• National Volleyball Centre (Kettering, Northamptonshire)
• Oakmead College (Bournemouth, Dorset)
• Margate (Kent)
(The beach facilities at Oakmead College are the only indoor beach facilities in England!)
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Permanent Beach Facilities (continued)
Comments from those involved in the process: Debbie Jevans, LOCOG Director of Sport, said: “We want to leave a legacy for sport after the Games in a variety of ways, so it is great that the sand from our test event can be distributed to venues in this way, so legacy can start to happen before the Games have even begun. We hope that having these courts at different locations in London will inspire more young people to get involved in an exciting sport.” Lisa Wainwright, Chief Executive of Volleyball England said: “Through an innovative partnership between LOCOG, Sport England, and Volleyball England we are delighted to announce these new facilities. This will be the first set of legacy facilities operational in London before the Games, all based within 10 miles of Horse Guards Parade. This is a fabulous opportunity for Londoners to come along to a local facility and give Beach Volleyball a go, make new friends, get healthier and maybe start a new sport for life.” Richard Callicott, President of Volleyball England said: “Beach Volleyball is a sport everybody can play and these new facilities will give everyone a chance to get involved with this great sport. I would like to thank LOCOG and Sport England for our partnership and working together to create a great legacy for Volleyball. To be able to say that we are putting in our legacy one year before the 2012 Games means we will be able to enthuse young people and run coaching clinics and teach people about Beach volleyball so that they can enjoy the Games even more.”
The sites not only created a legacy to the local community prior to the Games but were also used by the British, Brazilian and American Olympic beach volleyball teams as a training venue prior to the Olympic Beach Volleyball competition at Horse Guards Parade, London.
2012 developments: Olympic Beach volleyball stays in London The courts created in 2012 have been made possible by a unique partnership between Volleyball England, The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) and Sport England. LOCOG has donated over 4,000 tonnes of sand from Horse Guards Parade Beach Volleyball venue and the training courts in St James’ Park. The project has been funded by Sport England with almost half a million pounds worth of funding being secured through local partnerships. The London 2012 Olympic Games has introduced a new fan base to the sport of beach volleyball in England. It is hoped that the Go Spike facilities will help to create a lasting legacy for volleyball and encourage young people in London and surrounding areas to adopt healthier, more active lifestyles, creating a sporting habit for life. The six successful venues are: • Loxford Park (Redbridge, London) • Barn Elms Sports Centre (Wandsworth, London) • Samuel Montagu Youth Centre - Kidbrooke (Greenwich, London) • Wimbledon Park (Merton, London) • Verulamium Park (St Albans, Hertfordshire) • Brentwood Leisure Centre (Brentwood, Essex) The permanent beach facilities, supported by Volleyball England will be open throughout the year and are run by local authorities,Trusts and Leisure Centres, which vary by location.
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Charles Johnston, Property Director at Sport England commented: “Thousands of Londoners will be able to discover the fun of playing beach volleyball in their local community thanks to this great project. The Olympics has put sports like volleyball in the spotlight like never before so it’s important we make the most of the opportunity to encourage more people to get involved. What could be better than using the actual sand from Horse Guards Parade to connect people to the sport they’ve seen on TV. This is the result of a strong partnership between LOCOG, Sport England, and Volleyball England and we are delighted to support the scheme with National Lottery funding.”
The venues have so far been used in numerous ways which have included: • Free weekly Go Spike beginners’ sessions through the summer period • Volleyball Clubs using the facilities to run regular sessions • Tournaments for mixed ranges of abilities – which has included the first All Nations beach tournament • Open court hire option for the general public to use on an hourly basis booking system • Local schools booking slots to run activities with school children • Linking with Sportivate to run open sessions for beginners
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11,700 participants (16+) have played volleyball at a total of 150 events
Events Come & Try volleyball courts have appeared at 150 events across the country since July 2011 resulting in 11,700 people (16+) having a go at volleyball. This figure does not take into account under 16s, which would more than double the total above if combining the two together. The external events combines activities that have taken place across other parts of the Go Spike Campaign including Team to Club, HEVOs and club activity. Events have ranged from attending County Shows, Race for Life, other sporting events and creating stand alone Go Spike events in landmark high footfall locations. A key event for the campaign in 2011 was at the Beach Test Event at Horse Guards Parade where one of the days was spent in the middle of Trafalgar Square encouraging passers by to have a go at volleyball via an outdoor court and the ‘Go Spike O Metre’ speed cage. The event was supported by the London Greater Authority and members of the GB Women’s Indoor squad who joined in some friendly matches with the general public. 1,500 people had a go at volleyball during the day and coverage of the event was broadcast on BBC London that evening. In 2012 the showcase event was at BT London Live during the Olympics Games which saw over 12,000 people play volleyball in Hyde & Victoria Park, and Trafalgar Square for the Paralympics (see page 23 for the full event details).
Volleyball England Beach Tour Come & Try courts were also set up alongside the Volleyball England Beach Tour (VEBT) venues in 2011 and 2012 at Skegness, Great Yarmouth, Weston-Super-Mare, Margate and Bournemouth. This has allowed the general public to not only watch beach volleyball but also to have a go for themselves. Almost 900 people have had a go at volleyball as a result of the courts being linked to the event.
Why did we target events? The key reason to take volleyball to external events was to increase the exposure of volleyball at high footfall locations. The Come & Try courts allowed people, who would not necessarily have thought about trying volleyball to have a go and find out for themselves how fun it can be. A key factor that was also considered was to make sure that participants knew where their nearest opportunity to play volleyball was, in order to encourage regular participation as a result of the experience of volleyball at an event.
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Events
(continued)
Enhancing events with the Go Spike Speed Cage
What have we learnt?
In August 2011 Volleyball England purchased a Speed Cage radar system – ‘The Spike O Metre’ which measures how fast someone spikes the ball. It was used at a number of events, the first being in Trafalgar Square in 2011 and has continued to be a magnet to attract people into playing volleyball.
The first point to note is that it is not enough to just create a volleyball court at an event and expect people to join in. There were a number of elements that helped make sure people were encouraged to have a go and enjoy the experience which included:
The speed cage is available to hire with discounted rates available to affiliated clubs and Corporate Events. For information on how to book the speed cage see the flyer below.
• Using social media to advertise the Come & Try courts helped spread awareness on a national scale • Distributing flyers around the event and surrounding area promoting the free court(s) and where they were located. So even if people did not want to have a go on the day they had the relevant information to take away with them on volleyball opportunities in their local area • Providing two separate courts to split younger junior players with adults allowed individuals to experience playing volleyball amongst their peers in a more suitable environment • Adapting the activity depending on demand between come & try opportunities, mini competitions and exhibition matches to get players engaged in the activity for longer • Having volunteers who were not afraid to approach people to join in and were enthusiastic and motivational towards those that were new to volleyball was invaluable in encouraging people to have a go • Identifying the difference between the players who just wanted to play and those who wanted coaching to learn specific skills meant the players needs were met resulting in a positive overall experience • Creating a booking system during busy periods for groups of people to return at a certain time allowed for a constant flow of people which resulted in a higher number of participants.
Outdoor nets loaned out to external partners A number of outdoor nets have been loaned out to organisations who ran events and Come & Try volleyball opportunities. This has included: • West Yorkshire Sport • Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership • National Trust (Worksop & Dorset) • Aylesbury Vale District Council • Link 4 Life –Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust • Go Mammoth (London) • Sport Cheshire Over 1,000 have experienced volleyball as a result of these partnerships.
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The top three reasons why participants wanted to play volleyball was to have fun (28.7%), to get fit/improve fitness (16.4%) and try a new sport (15.8%)
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Taster Sessions A successful way to get new participants playing volleyball has been shown to work through six/eight week block beginners taster sessions. This has provided people who want to try volleyball the chance to do so under qualified coaching provisions on a discounted pay to play basis, without making long term financial commitments. The block sessions give the participants enough time to grasp the fundamental skills of volleyball and basic rules of how a game should be played. The sessions attract a variety of different adults from those who have only played on holiday or during their time at school to those who simply want to try a completely new team sport. The taster sessions are arranged close to existing clubs to encourage participants to continue with regular activity. In some instances the taster sessions are organised directly through clubs themselves or as a result of a successful Sportivate bid run by Sport England through County Sports Partnerships (CSPs).
What have we learnt? The sessions that have been the most successful are those where:
Who do the taster sessions appeal to? We are continuing to look into ways to make people’s first impressions of volleyball more memorable and to find the profile of players that attend the sessions. Feedback forms are filled in by all participants after the sessions have finished which give us insight into their lifestyle and thoughts on volleyball. We are using this feedback to make a more targeted approach to the profile of volleyball participants and their needs. A copy of the participants feedback can be found on the next page.
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• A clear planning and promotion timeline is created in advance allowing time for the message to spread to as many people as possible • Early bird sign up offering discounted prices not only encouraged people to sign up in advance but also allowed us to get an idea on the number of people to expect at the first sessions • The inclusion of free vouchers in local papers and promoting this via social media was a good way of reaching local people • Consistent communication with participants between sessions to keep them engaged and interested meant players remained committed to the six/eight week taster sessions.
Participation Feedback Capturing feedback from participants has been a key part of the campaign so that activity is targeted through the right channels to reach the right people who want to play volleyball. Below is the feedback that has been captured from the participants who have attended some of these sessions. Person specific:
Session feedback:
• Average age of the participants is 25 • 46% male and 54% women
• Participants were prepared to travel up to 31 minutes to attend volleyball sessions
• 32% of participants had never played volleyball before this opportunity arose
• 97% said that they would attend another 6/8 week course if one was put on
• The top three reasons why the participants wanted to play volleyball was to have fun (28.7%), to get fit/improve fitness (16.4%) and the want to try a new sport (15.8%)
• All participants deemed the cost to attend the sessions value for money (cost varied across different sessions between £1- £5 per session)
• 44% of participants heard about the volleyball sessions through a family member or friend, this also included work colleagues
• 67% said that the length of the sessions were long enough (The 33% who did not agree were from those that attended one hour long sessions who wanted them to be longer)
Lifestyle of participants:
• After the last session 63% said they would join a volleyball club, of this over half knew exactly which club to join
• 83% of participants take part in at least one other form of sport, with gym/exercise classes (24%), football (11%) and swimming (10%) being the top 3 sports • Socialising with friends (22%), spending time with family (22%) and attending sports clubs/activity (14%) were the top 3 activities participants spent doing with their spare time
• 88% who tried indoor volleyball said they would be interested in trying another form of the sport (37% wanting to try beach volleyball, 30% outdoor/grass volleyball, 22% water and 11% sitting) • 62% of participants have given their contact details to find out more information on volleyball
Who is the Insight Useful to? The Go Spike campaign - to continue to make decisions based on the feedback on the people we know want to and are starting to play volleyball Volleyball Clubs - who want to increase their membership base by introducing a new session for beginners to get into volleyball Leisure Centres - trialling volleyball at their centre for a block period to see if it can be used as a long term activity Independent Coach - who wants to run a six week taster course linking to a club or Leisure Centre provider
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2,200 more students are playing volleyball with 1,800 of these playing regularly
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University Activity Volleyball England’s 64 Higher Education Volunteer Officers (HEVOs) are based across 56 different University’s in England and have played a crucial role in promoting volleyball to the student population. The HEVO is a voluntary role for a student who helps support and develop volleyball within a higher education institution, looking to increase student participation within volleyball and to improve the quality of competitions and teams. There are currently 2,200 new students participating in volleyball with 1,800 playing regularly. The HEVO programme has provided the University clubs with structured guidance on how the club can develop as well as empowering the students to take the initiative in creating the change. Three new volleyball clubs have been created within three Higher Education institutions where little or no volleyball activity was previously offered due to the appointment of a HEVO at that institution, which have each gained a strong membership and full support off their university. A number of HEVOs have already held successful volleyball festivals. A major success was the alignment of Falmouth Beach Volleyball festival alongside the National BUCS Surf Championships held annually in Newquay. The three day event was complimented perfectly by the opportunity to try out some beach volleyball and the partnership has already gained praise, with both BUCS and Volleyball England keen to support this partnership further to ensure this event (and other similar events) continue to flourish. From within the HEVO network there have been a number of friendlies organised which have increased the level of competitive opportunities for recreational players. Some have been incorporated into volleyball festivals, an example is the annual 8th Warwick Uni Mixed Volleyball Tournament held in November 2012. Twelve teams and over 100 players were involved in the event which included representatives from Warwick, Bath, Cardiff, Gloucestershire and both Sheffield Universities. A number of HEVOs have run sitting volleyball sessions with one HEVO running a successful festival with over 30 students involved in sitting volleyball with a further festival planned for 2013 involving local HEVO universities and community clubs. Volleyball courses are being planned for 2013 with the focus being to ensure that all 64 HEVOs have the chance to achieve a coaching or referee qualification as part of the HEVO programme.
HEVO Universities • Leeds Met University
• University of Surrey
• Coventry University
• University of Leicester
• University of Sussex
• University of Derby
• University of Liverpool
• UCLAN
• Durham University
• Loughborough University
• University of Warwick
• University of East London
• Middlesex University
• University of Wolverhampton
• Edge Hill University
• MMU Cheshire
• University of Worcester
• University of Essex
• Newcastle University
• University of York
• University of Exeter
• Northumbria University
• York St Johns
• University of Falmouth
• University of Nottingham
• University of Bath
• University of Gloucestershire
• Nottingham Trent University
• University of Bedfordshire
• Goldsmiths University of London
• University of Plymouth
• Bournemouth University
• University of Hull
• Queen Mary University of London
• University of Bradford
• Imperial College London
• Roehampton University
• University of Bristol
• Keele University
• Royal Agricultural College -Cirencester
• Brighton University (Brighton
• University of Kent
• Royal Hollway University of London
& Eastbourne)
• Kings College London
• University of Sheffield
• Brunel University
• University of Leeds
• Sheffield Hallam University
• Bucks New University
• University of Chester
• University of Southampton
• University of Cambridge
• Southampton Solent
• University of Chichester
• University of Sunderland
• Cranfield University
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Go Spike website facts The Go Spike website was launched in July 2011 with the aim of attracting new people to the sport by providing them with up to date information on all volleyball opportunities available for adult beginners in England. There have been 26,955 unique visitors (total of 35,410 visitors) to the website so far. Promotion of the website appears on all resources including beach post protectors on the permanent and semi permanent beach court facilities to fully maximise exposure of the website which is also promoted more widely via social media. Google Analytics has been used to monitor the number of hits to the website and identify any trends that have appeared through high profile promotion and events.
The top ten locations from hits to the website are: 1. London 2. Loughborough 3. Poplar 4. Manchester 5. Leicester 6. Birmingham 7. Kensington 8. Leeds 9. Bristol 10. Nottingham
Visits to the website The graph below highlights the hits to the website over the last 18 months. There are four key peaks during this time. The reasons for these peaks are highlighted below: A - Paid Digital Media Campaign
B - Coverage on BBC Breakfast with Mike Bushell
C - London 2012 period
D - Stay Inspire Newsletter sent by LOCOG
B
D C
A
Data Capture via the registration page The registration page asks individuals to fill in information to register for the Go Spike E-News. From this information we are able to get a clear idea on the type of person who is visiting the website and make sure they get the necessary information according to where they live and their level of experience in volleyball.
How often do YOU play volleyball?
How DID YOU HEAR ABOUT GO SPIKE?
24.7%
Have never played volleyball before
46.5% Internet
31.3%
Used to play at School but not anymore
14.1% Through Volleyball Club
8.8%
Only play when on holiday
9.4% Friend/Family member
5.3%
Play a couple of times a year
8.2% At an event
4.1%
Play at least once a month
6.5% Olympics
4.4%
Play at least once a week
4.1% At local facility (beach courts/Leisure Centre)
21.6%
Belong to a club and play regularly
2.4% Through university
This shows that the website is targeting the right people – with 75% of those that have registered not currently playing regularly
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1.2% Volleyball England website 5.9% Other
Go Spike Resources The Go Spike Ball
Go Spike T-Shirts
This has been a key development to the campaign. The branded ball is suitable for beginners and can be used both indoors and outdoors. The softer texture means it is ideal for anyone who is trying volleyball for the first time. The ball is now available to purchase via the Volleyball England website - www.volleyballengland.org
The t-shirts have been given to members of clubs who are involved in events or sessions to help promote around their local area. It also makes it easier for passers-by to identify the person they need to speak to if they turn up at an event or a club session and want to get involved.
A4/A5 Go Spike editable posters
Go Spike ‘Game in a Bag’
These have been created to promote regular sessions or one off tournaments. An editable space has been left at the bottom of the poster to add in specific details regarding time, location and contact details etc. These have shown to be useful, not only as hard copies but also electronic versions to grab the attention and get people wanting to find out more.
The Game in a Bag contains a beach ball and ribbon that can be used as a net to allow a people to start playing volleyball from the place of work, to the back garden to almost anywhere. The bags have been used as a promotional item to clubs and at events to highlight just how easy it can be to get a game of volleyball going. These are now available to purchase on the Volleyball England website.
Go Spike Concertina Cards The concertina card was created to give new people to the sport relevant information to understand volleyball terminology, simple rules involved to be able to get a game going, links to find out where you can play and some interesting volleyball facts.
Go Spike Sign up Board
Go Spike Sail Flags These have been used alongside courts to make the court more visible to grab peoples attention – the height of the flag has meant passers-by have spotted the volleyball courts from far away and are drawn towards the activity.
These white boards were created predominantly for clubs and events to help promote the activity to passers by to either: • Promote a free session • Sign up slots if people want to come back at a specific time • Use to keep score • Use to display a poster • Advertise the next session
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t e n . e k i p s o g @ o f n i • t ne . e k i p s o g . www Go_Spike @ ll lleyba o V o t n I t e o Spike-G
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The impact of London 2012 The main Go Spike event focus during the Olympics was the attendance at the BT London Live event at Victoria and Hyde Park, and Trafalgar Square during the Paralympics. The main aim of attending the event was to give people an opportunity to experience volleyball and to inspire them to participate in the sport post London 2012. This was created by constructing Come & Try courts on a make shift sports area that was free to use for 250,000+ visitors that attended the event over the Olympic period. During the event participants were given information to find out more about volleyball via leaflets, concertina cards, 3Touch magazines and inflatable beach balls. Over a nine day period, 3,834 people over 30 hours had a go at volleyball, (Includes both children and adults) with 822 email addresses collected from people aged 16 and over. The speed cage remained at Hyde Park during the duration of the event and 8,492 people had a go over the 70 hours of the speed cage being in operation.
London 2012 impact on clubs London 2012 has had a huge impact on volleyball so far with affiliated clubs reporting around 7,300 new enquiries and 3,800 of those new enquires attending a club session. Some clubs were so overwhelmed by the response they created new recreational sessions to cater for the increased demand. The Games effect has not only seen people try volleyball for the first time but those who have not played in years have been inspired to get back into it. Brendan Osborne of Brentwood Volleyball Club reported a considerable rise in email enquiries from people wanting to give volleyball a go and new members joining both the junior and adult sessions, he commented “We’re so pleased in the new interest our club has received; we have had to put on extra sessions to train the beginners.” Lisa Wainwright, Chief Executive of Volleyball England said, “These Games have surpassed expectation. The response to our sport has been incredible. The athletes are inspiring a generation and together with work we have done in schools, colleges, Universities and clubs we hope more people will play volleyball and build a sporting habit for life.”
London 2012 impact on volleyball websites During the Olympic period there were 7,777 visitors to the Go Spike website with 6,751 of those being unique visitors. This created a massive peak in comparison to the average visits over the last 18 months. (See Page 20 for further details). The hits to the Volleyball England website were up by more than 850% with most people visiting the ‘club finder’ and ‘get into volleyball’ pages - while Facebook and twitter followers also saw a significant increase.
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Plans moving forward The focus of the Go Spike campaign will continue to encourage adults (16+) into participating in volleyball on a regular basis. How and where this happens may change as a result of the new Whole Sport Plan and funding allocation which will come into play from 1st April 2013. However, there are a number of areas to the programme that we can confirm will take place which are as follows:
• Clubs and Commercial providers Expanding the Go Spike programme to help local clubs and commercial offers provide more recreational opportunities as well as promoting the beach facilities supported by previous Sport England investment. Specific hotspot areas will be identified to focus this activity on.
• The Go Spike Big weekend: 25 – 27 May 2013 This weekend will officially launch the start of the summer and outdoor volleyball season in England. The mass participation weekend will centrally promote to the nation where they can have a go at volleyball through summer via beach facilities, open club sessions, Leisure centre providers and Universities. The exact time and length of the event on the weekend of the 25-27 May 2013 is at the discretion of each event organiser. All arranged activity on this weekend will be promoted on a national scale with the support of a PR Company. More details will follow later in 2013.
• Linking with Join In UK – www.joininuk.org Join In will be happening again in 2013 and Go Spike will be linking with the organisation to help create opportunities in volleyball both for participants and volunteers. More information on dates and how people can get involved will be confirmed later in 2013.
• Go Spike Toolkit The toolkit will be designed to help assist clubs, volunteers, coaches and external partners in promoting volleyball to new participants and sustaining them into playing regularly. This will include information on how to successfully use social media, creating press releases and how best to run a session for beginners to volleyball.
t e n . e k i p s o g @ o f n i • t ne . e k i p s o g . www Go_Spike @ ll lleyba o V o t n I t e o Spike-G
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Case Study 1: Taster Sessions Taster sessions: Hermitage Volleyball Club Hermitage VC supported Volleyball England’s Go Spike campaign in Leicestershire to deliver six weeks of taster sessions for beginners. Gerard Van Zwieten, Community Development Coach for the area led the sessions which were supported by Hermitage’s Head Coach and Club Chairman Ed Watson. Gerard commented: “We try in the six weeks to explain the basics of volleyball to allow for all participants to be competent to take part in small side games. The participants appeared to enjoy it as there are a lot of fun elements in the sessions.” The two hour sessions were held on Monday evenings and catered for a diverse age range of 21-50 and varying levels of ability; from total beginners to players who were returning to the sport after a long period away from the game. The sessions were designed to meet all of the player’s needs and were based on having fun, being sociable and getting to know more about volleyball. A typical session would begin with an inclusive warm-up and skill specific drills followed by informal match-play. It proved to be a big success with 75% of the participants now continuing to play volleyball on a regular basis.
Ed Watson commented: “ The Go Spike taster sessions have been a breath of fresh air to us. Having played for many years you sometimes forget how much you enjoyed learning to play the game. Seeing the beginners at these sessions, full of enthusiasm and taking onboard everything that the coach said, really rubbed off on the Hermitage club members that helped out. “The sessions were so popular, that we’ve since set up a separate permanent recreational session, with the aim of bringing on beginners to a level where they feel they want to step up to Hermitage VC club nights and play competitive volleyball, or those who simply want to play volleyball in a recreational session to keep fit and have fun. “Out of 15 participants on the six-week taster course, 12 of them have continued to play, and we’ve also picked up four more players for the recreational sessions. This has taken our overall membership from around 25 to nearer 40 and 15 of them weren’t playing any volleyball before taking part in these sessions. “We’d hoped to set up a recreational session before, having 12 enthusiastic participants who’d all had 12 hours of quality coaching, made it a complete no brainer. The plans of introducing a club night with emphasis on competitive volleyball alongside a recreational night, will help the sustainability, with two way traffic between the sessions and new players directed to the appropriate session.”
Hear what the new volleyball recruits had to say: “I feel like I am now competent to play a game of volleyball! It’s brilliant, really enjoyable.” “I think these sessions are very good I like the balance between the physical exercise emphasis and the fun in playing games. I intend on continuing to play after the six sessions at the club night.” “Volleyball is fantastic sport, it is very sociable and anyone can give it go.”
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Case Study 2: HEVOs This year’s group of Higher Education Volleyball Officers (HEVOs) have been busy in the past couple of months, with 64 HEVOs in place at 56 Universities.
Derby University Derby University has been able to start a volleyball club completely from scratch and now has two teams (men and women) competing in BUCS this year. Through the HEVO role the club has forged a strong relationship with local clubs allowing club members to be involved in the East Midlands Volleyball League as well as the club gaining valuable support and recognition from the University. A ‘staff v students’ match was also arranged due to the high demand from both parties on the campus. The volleyball club is quickly becoming a major sport for the University with a growing profile on campus after only three months running.
Durham University The HEVO at Durham University was thinking to himself, how do you make students try out Volleyball? Apparently the answer is to offer them free mince pies! On the last Sunday of term, Durham University Gym was taken over by the Volleyball club to run the Durham Christmas Volleyball Tournament. To the dulcet tones of Nat King Cole, 60 students braved the cold to come play volleyball and eat mince pies. The promise of a prize for best fancy dress had students rummaging through their draws for Santa hats and tinsel, and that quintessential Christmas costume; Mario. This was a fun tournament – with over 50% of the participants being new to volleyball, the focus was on enjoyment and participation, which has been a great success, as students have gone home and decided to start their own teams! So in the New Year there will be a record 12 teams competing in the Durham University Intra Mural Volleyball League and maybe more to follow! And all down to the hard work and initiative of the HEVO in place at Durham.
Royal Agricultural College The Volleyball Club at the Royal Agricultural College was established in the summer of 2012. The London Olympics has unquestionably been the catalyst to the successful start-up of the club. The HEVO programme has provided the club with structured guidance on how the club can develop, and hopefully this will allow the club to grow and with increasing membership aims to soon be entering men’s and women’s teams into BUCS.
University College Falmouth Between the 18th – 21st October 2012 in Newquay BUCS held their Surf Championships, one of their showcase events in the year where over 1,000 competitors and spectators flock to the Cornwall coast line for a fun weekend of surfing and socialising with evening entertainment and accommodation packages aimed at making the experience one to remember. 2012 was the first year that beach volleyball was part of the daily entertainment for those enjoying the beach. The beach courts were run and managed by willing helpers who organised and manned three days of volleyball competition which included ‘give it a go’ sessions as well as a beach tournament open to all with awards for King and Queen of the court. They were able to give support and coaching to newcomers, some even going back to their respective universities to join their volleyball clubs. The courts were open for anyone to get involved and it is with great thanks to Falmouth and their HEVO for helping engage so many participants over the three days, BUCS themselves have also congratulated the University club and with the strong foundation built in 2012 it is expected that Falmouth’s beach festival can continue to go from strength to strength with the partnership with the BUCS Surf Championships.
t e n . e k i p s o g @ o f n i • t ne . e k i p s o g . www Go_Spike @ ll lleyba o V o t n I t e o Spike-G
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Partners Funding support:
County Sports Partnerships:
• Sport England
• Leicester-Shire Rutland Sport
• London Organising Committee for the Olympic & Paralympic Games (LOCOG)
• Greater Manchester Sport
• FIVB
• Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership
Semi Permanent Beach Courts:
• West Yorkshire Sport
• East Lindsey District Council • Sherwood Forest Center Parcs • National Trust • Cornwall Council • Tendring District Council • Weymouth & Portland Council
• Pro-Active London
• Lincolnshire Sports Partnership • Sport Nottinghamshire • Active Devon • Wiltshire & Swindon Sport • Active Essex • Sport Cheshire
• North Somerset District Council
Marketing & Promotion:
• Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council
• Promote PR
• South Tyneside Council
• Agenda 21
• Great Yarmouth Borough Council
• b-focused
• East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Permanent Beach Courts:
Suppliers: • SportSet
• Loughborough University
• Active Leisure Contracts
• Kettering Conference Centre
• Maroon Print
• Samuel Montagu Youth Centre (SMYC)
• Automedia
• Thanet District Council • Leaf Academy and Oakmead College of Technology
Universities & Colleges:
• Vision- Redbridge Culture & Leisure
• All 56 listed on page 19
• St Albans City and District Council
External Event Organisers:
• Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme • Westminster City Council • Merton Council • Worthing Borough Council • Barn Elms Sports Centre
• Join In UK • Total Swimming—Big Dip • Skills Active • BT London Live
• Brentwood Leisure Trust
Volleyball Community:
• Greenwich Leisure Limited
• Volunteers • Affiliated Clubs • Community Development Coaches • Registered Coaches • Regional and County Volleyball Associations • GO Mammoth
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Notes
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SportPark Loughborough University 3 Oakwood Drive Loughborough LE11 3QF Tel: 01509 227722
www.gospike.net www.volleyballengland.org