Stoirm Volleyball was founded in 1999 by Joe Duggan. The goal of the club was to provide an opportunity for athletes to play volleyball year round, thus growing the sport and supporting the development of teams at the local school levels. 

In our 25th year, Stoirm Volleyball provides a quality volleyball experience for local athletes at all skill levels. We strive to ensure that its skilled players are challenged and receive opportunities to play in significant provincial and national events.

Welcome to 2026!

Practices will start on Sunday, January 11th.

Please take the time to read this document.

All Stoírm teams from the 13U-18U age levels are considered Travel Teams. Each team will compete and represent the club at tournaments across the province and at Provincials in Halifax in April. Seeding and Tier placement is determined by the SuperSeries tournaments. The locations for the SuperSeries tourneys are still TBD but we hope to be able to host as we have in previous years. VNS Championships will be held at the Canada Games Centre and CP Allen High School/Bedford Hammonds Plains Community Centre.

• WELCOME DAY & SERVE-A-THON @ DR.JHG: SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2026

• Super Series #1 - 14UG/14UB February 6-8, 2026

• Super Series #1 – 15UG February 13-15, 2026

• Super Series #1 - 16UG/16UB January 30-February 1, 2026

• Super Series #1 – 17UG February 13-15, 2026

• Super Series #1 – 18UG/18UB February 20-22, 2026

• Super Series #2 – 14UG/14UB March 6-8, 2026

• Super Series #2 – 15UG March 27-29, 2026

• Super Series #2 – 16UG/16UB February 27-March 1, 2026

• Super Series #2 – 17UG March 27-29, 2026

• Super Series #2 – 18UG/18UB April 17-19, 2026

• VNS Championships - 13UG/14UG/14UB April 10-12, 2026

• VNS Championships - 15UG/16UG/16UB April 24-26, 2026

• VNS Championships - 17UG/18UG/18UB May 1-3, 2026

Opportunities

Stoirm Buddies: 16U-18U athletes have the opportunity to help coach our younger development athletes (12U) once/week to help develop leadership and coaching skills. 

Athletes will be required to complete both the SafeSport training module (45min) and the Anti-Racism module (45min). This will provide the athletes an NCCP coaching number. As this opportunity develops, we will reach out to the coaches and teams with more information.

Officiating: We have had a surge in the last couple of years with new referees, which is incredibly helpful for us, our neighboring clubs, and VNS with regards to game and tournament organizing. Parents or athletes (who are at least 15 years old) who are interested in becoming officials can reach out to the club and we will provide more information. It’s a great side hustle! The online Level 1 Referee course is offered between September 1 and February 28 each year. Please visit the NS Volleyball Referee page for more information.

Registration

Registration will open on Wednesday, January 7th at 9am and close on Friday, January 30th at 4pm. Please read carefully the information below.

Fees this season for all travel teams at the 13U-18U age categories will be $400. 

Fee Breakdown:
$85 – VNS fee + Volleyball Canada fee paid directly to VNS through SportLomo
$315 – Paid to Stoirm Volleyball through PlayFinder (formerly Sport Hub). This fee will include a personalized club jersey (yours to keep) and will cover the costs of tournaments, Super Series, provincials, gym rentals, coach development/expenses, referee development, equipment, first aid supplies, administrative costs (website hosting, digital media, meeting room fees, etc.).

Sibling fees: $189 for each additional child. (This is a 40% reduced rate of the $315. The VNS/VC fee for each athlete does not change and must be paid in full on the SportLomo site for each athlete).

Instructions:

Registration fees are to be paid across both the PlayFinder and SportLomo platforms:

1. SportLomo: Follow the steps provided in our “Sportlomo Athlete Instructions” document to register and pay your VNS fees. Please note, SportLomo will only take credit card payment for the VNS/VC fees. Fees are due upon registration.
   
   

2. PlayFinder: Follow the steps provided in the PlayFinder “How to Register for Programming” information page. See the “PlayFinder Payment” section below for payment information.

If you are new to either of these sites, please take your time to acquaint yourself with the platforms and payment process. 

If you need assistance with SportLomo, please reach out to stoirmvolleyball@gmail.com.

If you need assistance with PlayFinder registration, please reach out to support@playfinder.ca or stoirmvolleyball@gmail.com.

Financial Support: Jumpstart, KidSport, JaxMac Foundation

PlayFinder Payment

Note that payment is not required until registration status has been confirmed, after registration closes.  You will receive an email and see the status change on your PlayFinder account when you are confirmed. Be sure to keep an eye on your junk mail and mark us as a “safe sender” so future emails are not missed.

All payments must be received within 5 days of your athlete status being confirmed.

Club fees can be paid directly through PlayFinder (preferred) or via e-transfer (stoirmvolleyball@gmail.com). If you pay via e-transfer, please note your athletes full name and team.

When you have received the confirmation email indicating you can now pay, please follow the “Paying Fees” steps if you are paying via the PlayFinder platform. 

If you have any questions please contact stoirmvolleyball@gmail.com and/or support@playfinder.ca 

Teams and Scheduling

Teams will be contacted directly by their coach with season information. 

Note that we have gym times currently booked at Saint Andrew Junior School (SAJS), Antigonish Education Center (AEC), East Antigonish Education Center (EAEC) and École acadienne de Pomquet (POM)

Without the use of each of these locations we would not be able to accommodate the level of interest we see on an annual basis.

Fundraising

Welcome Back Serve-a-Thon: We are currently working on organizing our 4th Annual Serve-a-Thon! This is such a fun Welcome Back event and Fundraiser, so we're doing it again on Saturday, January 24th. More details will follow separately. Save the date!

Sport Nova Scotia’s SportSplit: We are part of Sport Nova Scotia’s SportSplit Monthly 50/50 Draw via Rafflebox (same platform as the provincial Firemen’s 50/50). Please feel free to share on your social media platforms. Thanks for your support!  

Thank you so much for volunteering your time to coach with Antigonish Stoírm!

We have a 20+year history of providing an opportunity for the youth in our community to stay active and healthy throughout the winter, and into the summer with our growing beach program. Our club is open to all athletes from ages 10 through 18 and we provide opporutnites to play both at an introductory/foundational (StoirmKidz) through to Tier 1 and Tier 2 competition levels*.

The following information can also be found here on VNS's website: http://volleyballnovascotia.ca/page.php?page_id=96966

First Steps (due in November each year if applicable):

1. As a coach within the Stoírm club, we require that you have a Child Abuse Register check, as well as a RCMP Vulnerable Sector Check. These need to be renewed every 3 years. 

• The Child Abuse Register Check process info and form can be accessed here: http://novascotia.ca/coms/families/abuse/ChildAbuseRegister.html.
• For your VSC Check through the RCMP, to waive the fee, please contact a board member for a copy of a letter that you can provide to the RCMP to acknowledge your volunteer status with the club.

If new or renewing, please scan and forward of copy of these documents to stoirmvolleyball@gmail.com

If you would prefer to submit a hard copy for us to keep on file, please let us know via email and we can certainly make arrangements.

2. Coaches Association of Canada (CAC) Safe Sport Training:

• Online course around Safe Sport for athletes, coaches, referees, and anyone involved in sport.
• Free to take, 45 minutes to complete prior to your first interaction with youth.
• Access the course at: https://safesport.coach.ca

Once completed please email or scan/send a copy of your certificate.

Next Steps:

There are two websites you have to toggle between as a volleyball coach and therefore have to create/monitor accounts on the following sites:

1. thelocker.coach.ca: The main page that houses all your NCCP info.

• If you are a new coach and need an NCCP#, click “Create one now!” on the main page.
• If you are returning, enter your credentials as noted. If have any questions about your NCCP#, contact Megan Conroy at vnsmegan@sportnovascotia.ca .
• This page is essentially your dashboard for your own Professional Development, upcoming modules, etc.

2. Now, open a new tab, and go to coach.volleyball.ca

Create an account here by clicking on “register”. This will ask for your NCCP # (it’s optional, but add it)

This page is specific for your Volleyball Certifications (this page and the previous “talk” to each other via your NCCP # - you’ll see that there are certain NCCP courses listed on here that you will need/should have, like Making Headway in Sport and Making Ethical Decisions for example).

After you register/login, you should see a page like this:

Other important/required courses:

The following are the basics of what any Head Coach needs at any level, regardless if you are a new or returning coach:  

Foundations of Volleyball (Volleyball Canada site, see above under "Development Coach")

Making Head Way - Generic Version (http://thelocker.coach.ca)

• This is a concussion protocol and awareness online course, which takes about 45 minutes to complete, and is free of charge.

• • • To Register:
      • Go to the National Coaching Certification Program(NCCP) website at the link above, and log into the NCCP Locker using your NCCP.
      • Click on the eLearning tab, and then click on Making Head Way - Generic to register and complete the course.

Making Ethical Decisions - Online Evaluation  (http://thelocker.coach.ca)

For MED, there are two free options right now:

• Online, free courses offered by Coach NS, https://www.coachingns.com/nccp-online-courses
• At home-study (at your own pace). Requires a bit more time but good for those who are unavailable for the online evening courses. https://www.coachingns.com/nccp-home-study

In addition to these, all Head Coaches need the following:

• 16U/15U/14U/13U*
• (All the above) + their Development Coach Workshop in Year 1 (Their 1^st year as Head Coach since 2017). Also known as “Trained Development Coach”)
• Those same coaches need to be Development Coach Certified by the completion of Year 2 since 2017 (Their 2^nd year as a head coach since 2017)). 
• 17U/18U*
• Need the basic courses + Certified Development Coach + Advanced Development Coach Workshop in Year 1(Their 1^st year as Head Coach since 2017). Also known as “Trained Advanced Development Coach”
• Those same coaches need to be Advanced Development Coach Certified by the completion in their Year 1 (Their 2^nd year as a head coach since 2017)

Contact Megan Conroy, vnsmegan@sportnovascotia.ca for more information/clarification.

Ongoing:

1. When in your Locker account, click on the Calendar tab and check out the amazing FREE ONLINE courses that are ongoing throughout the spring. This is a great opportunity for coaching Professional Development that has previously cost $$ and would have required travel to Halifax. Please take advantage of these great learning opportunities!!
2. The Canadian Sports Center Atlantic (CSCA) Professional Development page is updated frequently with new PD opportunities: https://cscatlantic.ca/coaching-programs

• Our YouTube page has majority of the recordings of sessions: https://tinyurl.com/y59948ra
• And you can subscribe to receive CSCA coach updates here! https://tinyurl.com/yxj6fx2u

VIP Program

Vip is a coaching program created through a joint effort between the Canadian Sport Center Atlantic (CSCA), Sport Nova Scotia and Support4Sport. The program goal is to recognize the contribution of coaches in communities across Nova Scotia. Vip is not a certification or requirement, but rather a proactive opportunity for coaches to continue to excel in ethical leadership.

This program is designed to raise the bar for what it means to be a coach in Nova Scotia. Vip participants are supported and part of a broader community who are leading the way, creating a positive impact on the lives of everyone in the provincial and community sport sector. Check out this link and scroll down to see the current list of Nova Scotia VIP coaches and their respective sports! https://cscatlantic.ca/vip-coach-program-application

The following page highlights some details about the program. Many of the requirements you would have already completed as part of your Development/Advanced Development Coach status. For clubs who have 10+ coaches with VIP status, there is an opportunity to have the club logo added to the VIP swag!

To inquire more about the program or to enroll, contact Kirsti Mason, Community Coaching Lead with Canadian Sport Center Atlantic commcoach@cscatlantic.ca .

To officially obtain the vip coaching status, you must meet the following criteria:

• Sign Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) Code of Conduct
• Obtain three Professional Development points within the past 12 months
• Complete Safe Sport Training*:
  • Commit to Kids
  • Respect in Sport
  • Making Ethical Decisions
• Trained or Certified to coach the level of sport indicated in your application
• Submit a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check and Child Abuse Registry*

*Coupon codes will be provided so you can complete the training at NO CHARGE.

Upon acceptance into the vip program you will be rewarded the following:

• Under Armour Kit ($200 value)
• Under Armour Discounts
• Connections with a variety of coaches across Nova Scotia
• Professional Development opportunities and resources
• 50% off the Atlantic Coaches Conference
• Financial support to complete required NCCP courses

Introduction

Welcome to Sport Hub Antigonish! The first time you use the Sport Hub site, there are some additional steps required for set up. See below. Once these steps are complete, future registrations will be quick and easy!

Sport Hub is much more than the registration portal, it is a community wide, collaborative initiative with many long-term goals to improve community sport. As part of Sport Hub, the new website is locally developed and constantly evolving. We are always interested in your feedback. Email us at support@playfinder.ca with any ideas or questions.

Creating an Account

1. Go to https://mysporthub.ca/
   • You may wish to “bookmark” this page on your browser for quick future access
2. On the top right corner of the page, on the menu bar, click “Create an Account”
3. Fill out your details, create a password, and save your information
4. Once successful, you will now be able to log in. Click “Log In” on the menu bar (top right)
5. Fill in your User Name and Password, click “Log In”
   • If on a person device, you may check the "remember me" box so you will be automatically logged in on future visits.

Setting up your Family

1. On the top menu bar to the right, you will now see your “Hub” in yellow (ex. “John Doe’s Hub⇓”). Click this to reveal a dropdown menu of options
2. Under this drop-down menu, select “Family Profile”
3. Click the black button labeled “Edit Family Info”, fill out your information here and submit

Adding Family Members

1. You will first need to add yourself as the “primary adult”. A flashing warning will be visible and you will not be able to take other actions until this step is complete – the warning will disappear once you have added yourself to the family
2. Another flashing warning will let you know you have required reading. Click the black “Required Reading” button to review the Safe Sport information. Confirm you have seen this page by submitting through the button at the bottom of the page. Flashin warning will disappear once you have viewed the required reading
3. Add family members by clicking “Add Family Member” and filling out their profile

Registration

1. Once you have added the registrant as part of your family and completed their profile, you will now see a “Waiver” button beside their name. Click this, review the waiver, and confirm that you have read and understand the waiver by clicking the confirmation button at the bottom of the page. Do the same with the Media Waiver. 
2. Return to your family profile page. Now you will see a “Registration” button by their name in place of the waiver button. Click this to reveal a personalized list of programs based on the participant’s profile
3. For more info on a program, you can click the title to reveal additional details. Select the programs you wish to register for using the checkboxes, and then hit “Submit” to request registration.
4. While your status is still “pending” you can unregister as well using the same process. Once the registration status is confirmed, you would have to contact the organization directly to unregister
5. Follow payment prompts ONLY once your registration status is CONFIRMED by the organization.

Stoírm Beach Volleyball - Summer 2025

Overview

This summer we are excited continue our Beach programming. We are mirroring the format VNS follows in their leagues in the city, and hope that in the coming seasons our program will grow and continue to provide additional opportunities for youth sport in our area.

The season will vary in dates across the two age levels but will start in early July and end mid-late August. 

Junior High Beach (grades 6-8 co-ed)

Sundays, July 6 - August 10, 5-8:30pm
Final Tournament August 17

• Cap of 17 teams (pairs).
• Teams can be f/f, m/f, m/m
• Schedules will be released after registration closes. Athletes can attend for the full evening but will only play during their scheduled time (unless there is an absence that needs to be filled)
• Individual SportHub registration required - please note teammate name in notes.   
• Athletes without partners can register; partners will be assigned if available.  
• $50/athlete
• Payment via Play Finder (formerly Sport Hub) or etransfer to stoirmvolleyball@gmail.com

High School Beach league (Grades 9-12 co-ed; 2 girls or co-ed only)

Mondays, July 7 - August 20, 6-930pm
Final Tournament August 23

• Cap of 14 teams (pairs)
• Teams can be f/f, m/f only
• Schedules will be released after registration closes. Athletes can attend for the full evening but will only play during their scheduled time (unless there is an absence that needs to be filled)
• Individual SportHub registration required - please note teammate name in notes. 
• Athletes without partners can register; partners will be assigned if available.  
• $50/athlete
• Payment via Play Finder (formerly Sport Hub) or etransfer to stoirmvolleyball@gmail.com

Where: 

• Beach volleyball courts, Central Field, Braemore Avenue
• Please note that there will be other sports organizations utilizing the field facilities each evening. Please do not walk through the turf if it is in use.
  *If you are playing music, please make sure it is for all ages.

How to Register:

• All athletes are to register individually. 
• Registration is to be done through Play Finder (formerly Sport Hub).
• Once you have submitted your registration request, you will see your pending request in the “Registrations” chart on your Family page.
• Click the “Notes” button for the registration and use this feature to type in your teammate’s name.
• Save this information and you will now see your notes in the chart.

What will the season look like? 

• Beach volleyball is mainly self-officiated. Rules will be reviewed with athletes at the beginning of the program. A coordinator will be present each night to record scores and provide guidance as necessary.

What if I can’t make it or my teammate has to miss a night? 

• One player from each team must be on the court for your match. If one teammate is absent, a sub from the sidelines is able to fill in for the match. The sub must be a paid member of the beach league. 
• If both teammates are absent, any two players can hop on to play the match so the team in attendance will still get their match. This counts as a forfeit for the absent team.
• We will be recording scores so that at the end of the season we can create a fair tournament schedule. 
• We want the athletes to be focused on playing and having fun and not worrying about standings or subs. 

Additional info

For both leagues, athletes who register after the maximum number have been reached will be notified and placed on a waitlist until registrations have been confirmed/paid.