REP PROGRAM

Joining a rep team and making the leap to a competitive stream is a big commitment, both in time & expense for athletes and their families. The expectation when you join a rep team is that you will attend all practices and OVA-sanctioned events including the 3-day Ontario Championships. Given the sport has grown exponentially in the province, there may be competitions scheduled by the OVA on a school day therefore it is encouraged that families review the OVA Competition Calendar amongst their personal calendar and commitments to plan the season.

We encourage athletes to ask as many questions and do their research to find a club that is their best fit. We recommend you read through our FAQs, what to expect at tryouts & how to prepare for tryouts.

All families should review and understand the OVA Tryout Policy and Athlete Bill of Rights (scroll below) and OVA's 'What's New' document for 2025/2026.

We have completed our tryouts for 2025/2026 and teams are set. Please view our 'Programs' page to view our other opportunities in volleyball.

AGE DIVISIONS

HOW DO I DETERMINE MY AGE CATEGORY?

Athlete age eligibility is determined by an athlete's year and, in some cases, month of birth. If your athlete is born between September 1 and December 31 of a given year, they are eligible to play at their Chronological Age Category as well as the age category younger. The latter is called the "Extended Age Class".

Step 1: Determine your athlete's "Chronological Age Class" based on their Year of Birth

Step 2: If your athlete is born between September 1 and December 31, they are additionally eligible to compete at the younger age category as per the Extended Age Class. (Athletes born between January 1 and August 31 are ONLY eligible to compete at their Chronological Age Class.)

For example, an athlete born October 1, 2010 is eligible to play at their chronological age category of 16U OR, at the younger age category of 15U. However, an athlete born August 15, 2010 is only able to play at their chronological age category of 16U.

*Athletes born in 2007 are eligible to compete in 18U OVA tournaments including the Ontario Championships provided they are not a part of any OCAA, OUA, USports, or CCAA Volleyball team for the 2025-2026 season. Red shirt athletes are permitted to play in the OVA.

ECI is a set of rules designed to help entry-level players identify the appropriate starting point whether 4v4, 6v6, or TLS, within the OVA’s competition pathway. This flexible structure offers developmentally appropriate competition opportunities for younger athletes, enhancing their experience and supporting long-term retention and success in the sport.

Description	Age Category	OVA Competition Stream	Chronological Age Class	Extended Age Class
Early Contact Initiative (ECI)	11U	4v4	2015	Born between September 1st 2014 and December 31st 2014
Early Contact Initiative (ECI)	12U	4v4	2014	Born between September 1st 2013 and December 31st 2013
Early Contact Initiative (ECI)	13U	6v6 and TLS (depending on skill level of player)	2013	Born between September 1st 2012 and December 31st 2012
Early Contact Initiative (ECI)	14U	TLS	2012	Born between September 1st 2011 and December 31st 2011
Traditional Youth Competition	15U	15U	2011	Born between September 1st 2010 and December 31st 2010
Traditional Youth Competition	16U	16U	2010	Born between September 1st 2009 and December 31st 2009
Traditional Youth Competition	17U	17U	2009	Born between September 1st 2008 and December 31st 2008
Traditional Youth Competition	18U	18U	2008	Born between January 1st 2007 and December 31st 2007

STEP 1

Pre-register for tryouts to save you time at check-in and make sure your registration includes a valid email address as this will be our primary form of communication with you. Add info.thundercatsvball@gmail.com to your contact list to avoid our emails from being marked as spam or junk.

Athletes who have registered and paid before 11:59 PM on September 1, 2025 will receive a tryout number via email 24 hours before their tryout. All others, will receive a tryout # at the door.

Due to capacity and high attendance for some age divisions, we may be forced to turn players away if they have not pre-registered.

STEP 2

*Do not do this before September 1, 2025*

All athletes are required to obtain OVA membership (FREE, Tryout Player $0). Note: When filling out the form, we are Region 5. Take a photo or screenshot of the verification screen and have it ready to show at the registration desk to speed up your check-in process. Athletes will not be allowed on the court if proof is not provided. This is an OVA mandate and is required at all club tryouts in Ontario. We will send an email to all tryout registrants with instructions.

STEP 3

Arrive at least 15 min early to check-in. DO NOT BYPASS THE LINE.

Your tryout number should be written big on your arm, calf or thigh (make sure your knee pads don't cover the number) so that coaches can identify you. Staff will be verifying your tryout # at check-in. We will have markers handy.

STEP 4

If the court is available, athletes are allowed to warm-up. Otherwise, wait for coaches to call out your age group.

STEP 5

Show us what you got. Good luck!

POST-TRYOUT & CALLBACKS

Athletes will be asked to stay for a short de-brief where coaches will outline next steps.

Coaches need time, collectively, to discuss and go over their notes. You will receive an email from the club regarding the decision and/or next steps. Callbacks are invitation only and free of charge.

Coaches may request to speak privately to an athlete and their parents and be given an offer on the spot.

We have multiple teams for age divisions so this takes time for all coaches involved to make decisions on the best fit for each athlete. If you do not receive a call back or offer same day, do not be discouraged. Please wait for communication from our club. YOU WILL HEAR FROM US.

Get a good nights rest & stay hydrated. There will be hundreds of players attending tryouts. Focus on you, your skills and what you can bring to the team.

The first part of your tryout will have different drills that you will progress through. With lots of players, and spectators, there will be a lot of noise. If you are unclear on the drill or what is expected of you, please ask a coach. We like to see players take initiative and ask questions.

As the tryout progresses, game play will be introduced and athletes may be divided into smaller groups on different courts.

Athletes in older age divisions may be put through a series of tests and measurements of physical attributes and abilities; height, standing reach, spike touch, block touch, speed and agility tests.

Coaches may approach a player with an offer after their first tryout. If you are not approached that does not mean you will not get one.

We have multiple teams for age divisions so this takes time for all coaches involved to make decisions on the best fit for each athlete. Coaches will continue to email offers after completion of all assessment tryouts for that age group and will hold that position for the time period set outlined in the OVA Tryout Policy before offering the position to another players.

An acceptances must be accompanied by deposit towards team fees. If you know you will not be accepting, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can offer the opportunity to another athlete.

Teams can build rosters until February 1.

WHAT AGE CAN MY CHILD JOIN A REP/ CLUB TEAM? HOW YOUNG CAN THEY START?

Club volleyball can start as early as 11 years old and end at 18 years old.

WHEN ARE TRYOUTS?

The governing body of volleyball in Ontario, Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA), sets the time period when clubs can hold tryouts. Typically, these are held the first two weeks of September and teams are able to add players to their roster until February 1.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPEN GYM & TRYOUTS?

Open gyms allow athletes to get more touches in the off season and it is an opportunity to meet the coaches, ask questions, gauge skill level among other levels, etc.
Tryouts are busy and overwhelming and players who attend open gyms have a slight advantage because coaches have seen them play in a smaller group setting (FYI we could get 50-100 players trying out for an age division in a two-hour period).

Clubs can use their open gyms to recruit and offer commitments to teams. This process is new this season, and outlined in the 2025 OVA Club Window Tryout Policy.

WHAT IF I CAN'T GO TO THE TRYOUT WEEKEND BUT STILL WANT TO BE LOOKED AT BY YOUR COACHES?

Shoot us an email as to why you can't attend our tryouts and if possible, we can try to get you out another date. Tryout fee will still apply.

I RECEIVED A CALL BACK, DO I HAVE TO PAY AGAIN?

You can attend callbacks at no extra charge.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON A TEAM?

Teams typically have 10-12 players on their team and can take up to 14 players.

WHAT IF I DON'T MAKE A TEAM?

If you don't make our club teams, don't be discouraged. Clubs can add players to their roster until February 1. We may offer other programs or suggest other clubs to contact.

HOW LONG IS THE SEASON?

Tryouts are held in September and teams will begin practices late September until April (Ontario Championships) or May (Volleyball Canada Nationals). The club does not hold practices on statutory holidays, December holidays or March Break. Teams can elect to rent court time should they wish to continue during our breaks.

WHERE ARE THE PRACTICES?

Practices will be held at GTA Sportsplex or Toronto Montessori School in Richmond Hill.

WHERE ARE THE TOURNAMENTS? IS THERE TRAVEL INVOLVED?

The OVA sets the tournaments and all the information can be found on their website. Typically, tournament locations are announced at least 2 weeks prior to the tournament.

To create a competition stream that provides competitively balanced matches along with serving the entire province of Ontario, travel is required for events.

All teams across the province should expect to make at least TWO 400+km (one-way) trip for a regular season event whether you are a Trillium or Premier team at each age group you are participating in. This means if you are a 15UB team playing in the 15UB and 16UB age groups, you can expect to make a big trip at 15UB and 16UB as each age group is treated separately. Greater Toronto Area (GTA) teams typically do not see more than one of these larger regular season trips per season in each age group. The OVA can take turns between GTA teams (when possible) filling in these satellite tournament locations due to KM tracking.

WHAT IS THE COMMITMENT?

We support our junior athletes (ages 14 & under) in pursuing multiple sports. We believe that engaging in various activities at a young age helps develop a diverse skill set and a passion for sports.

As athletes transition into our senior teams (ages 15-18), we expect a 100% level of commitment to the club’s programs. Senior athletes are expected to prioritize their time and make the club a key focus in their schedule, committing fully to training, practices, and competitions. With proper time management, they can balance both their academic and athletic pursuits. The only exceptions to this commitment are family obligations, illness or injuries, and school-related events.

DO PARENTS HAVE TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME?

During competitions, parents are required to volunteer to do scorekeeping and/or lines.

IS THERE FAIR PLAY?

Thundercats Volleyball follows OVA and Volleyball Canada "Fair Play' regulations for teams 14U and younger. Fair play with our senior teams are at the discretion of the teams coaching staff.

WHAT ARE THE FEES?

Fees for the 2025/2026 are still in development as we negotiate facility contracts and coaches stipends. Fees are dependent on how many tournaments a team enters and if they travel to the US. Expect base fees to be in the $3,300 - $3,700 range, exclusive of travel costs and uniforms. Base fees will include OVA membership, 4 OVA single-day tournaments in your age division, 2 OVA play-up tournaments, entry to 3-day Ontario Championships, 2x practices a week, one (1) warm-up tee and one (1) warm-up jacket or zip or hoodie (style TBD).

Extra team practices, entry to exhibition, invitationals, 2-day tournaments, Nationals or USA tournaments are an additional charge. Teams are also required to pay into slush fund; These funds are managed by the team parent manager or team treasurer and are used to cover coaches tournament expenses and per diems, team bonding experiences, etc.

DO YOU OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE?

Donations from sponsors are set aside to help some athletes with their club fees. The amount of funding available can change year to year.

We encourage players to apply for our internal Taso Ballis Real Estate bursary and grants through:

DO TEAMS FUNDRAISE?

Teams can elect to fundraise to offset costs. How they choose to do so is up to the team.

GETTING READY FOR SEPTEMBER TRYOUTS? HERE'S HOW TO PREPARE YOUR ATHLETE:

Keep building skills whether through organized training sessions or casual, fun games, consistent practice makes a difference!
Stay in the loop - tryout dates and updates will be posted on our website, so check back regularly.
Support your athlete in enjoying the journey.
Do your homework about the club and coaches - ask questions!

ID CLINICS & OPEN GYMS are perfect for athletes looking to make an early impression. It will allow you to:

Train and play alongside current team athletes
Connect with coaches ahead of the September tryouts

You can find more information on our ID Clinics and Open Gyms here.

PRE-SEASON CLINICS are a great opportunity for athletes to 'shake the rust' and get back into the swing of things. Information and registration will be posted soon!