The North Bay Youth Volleyball Club (NBYVC) provides an athlete-centered environment, focused on developing capable athletes that understand the technical and tactical aspects of volleyball.
Established in 2006 as a non-profit volunteer organization, our mandate is to encourage each athlete’s appreciation of volleyball and to provide our athletes with opportunities to develop their skills through practice and competition. As a member of the Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) Region 2, the NBYVC prepares our athletes for competitive team play at the regional and provincial levels as well as for post secondary school competition.
The OVA is the province's main athlete development program for volleyball. Depending on the age group, the team will compete in at least four, one day (Saturday) tournaments throughout the season. The OVA season finishes with a 3 day Provincial Championship at RIM (Research in Motion) Park, Waterloo in April. The season allows our athletes opportunities to develop their skills against the best competition in the province.
The name change from the "Blizzards" to the "Lakers" occurred in 2011. The NBYVC adopted the "Lakers" name and logo to reinforce our relationship with Nipissing University. As a club, our players volunteer and provide a "3 ball" service for Nipissing University for Lakers home volleyball matches. Each season, the NBYVC works to bring programs online in such areas as sports psychology and weight training and conditioning to augment the volleyball season. For information on Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) click here.
At the annual awards banquet on May 8th, 2012, Lauren Kuehni was the first recipient to be awarded the Mona Lessard Award. The Mona Lessard award was introduced for the first time May 2012 and will be presented annually to a graduating club athlete who shows sportsmanship, leadership and dedication to the sport of volleyball. Mona Lessard has been a driving force in volleyball for many years in North Bay and area and was the original founder of the North Bay Youth Volleyball Club. She has served as a coach and a treasurer in the clubs early years. In addition to the NBYVC, Mona was involved with elementary and high school teams, the North Bay Ladies Volleyball League, and the Ontario Volleyball Association with Region 2. All of these groups have benefited from her time and experience. As a player, coach, referee and an executive, she continually gave her time so that others could experience the sport she clearly loves. In 2009 at the OVA Annual Awards ceremony, Mona was awarded the Recognition Award for her years of service. The North Bay Youth Volleyball Club is pleased to create this award in appreciation of her efforts on behalf of the volleyball community.
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