Divisions/Eligibility
15U Men (32 teams max.) Born in 1993 or later 15U Women Div 1 (32 teams max.) Born in 1993 or later 15U Women Div 2 (32 teams max.) Born in 1993 or later 15U Women Div 3 (16 teams max.) Born in 1993 or later 16U Men Div 1 (32 teams max.) Born in 1992 or later 16U Men Div 2 (16 teams max.) Born in 1992 or later 16U Women Div 1 (32 teams max.) Born in 1992 or later 16U Women Div 2 (32 teams max.) Born in 1992 or later 16U Women Div 3 (40 teams max.) Born in 1992 or later

Registration
Registration is to be done online at www.volleyball.ca. Registration begins: January 15, 2008. Deadline : April 21, 2008. **This championship will fill up fast! Register early to ensure a spot.** Registration fees : $750, including all service fees and taxes. ** No need to enter your team roster. It will be automatically transfered from PTAs to VC after the respective registration deadlines. (Exception : Teams from PTAs that do not currently have an online registration system will have to enter contact information for all team members). Important registration information! Please register early as this event will fill up very quickly. Please enter your team on the waiting list even if the category is full.

Divisions of play
15 U - Men/Masculin Div. 1 (32 teams. max) 15 U - Women/Feminin Div. 1 (32 teams max.) 15 U - Women/Feminin Div. 2 (32 teams max.) 15 U - Women/Feminin Div. 3 (16 teams max.) 16 U - Men/Masculin Div. 1 (32 teams max.) 16 U - Men/Masculin Div. 2 (16 teams max.) 16 U - Women/Feminin Div. 1 (32 teams max.) 16 U - Women/Feminin Div. 2 (32 teams max.) 16 U - Women/Feminin Div. 3 (40 teams max.) The max number of teams in each division may be adjusted depending on registrations. Rules and details regarding divisional play & seeding are outlined in the Indoor Competition Guide 2007-2008, to be downloaded from the Registration Information page.

Eligibility
All teams must: 1) Be registered and in good standing within their own region (P/TA) and with Volleyball Canada. Out of country teams must also be registered and in good standing within their own National Federation. 2) Participate in the Provincial Championship (any Tier) held in their own Province or Territory, if one exists (team roster must be the same at provincials and nationals). 3) Meet all registration requirements

Eligibility of players
15U : Athletes must be born in 1993 or later (no exception). 16U : Athletes must be born in 1992 or later (no exception).

Roster
The team roster may consist of a maximum of 15 players and 4 coaching staff (Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Manager,Team Contact). Only 12 of those 15 players can be registered on the scoresheet during the competition and will be permitted to play any given match. These 12 athletes may vary from one match to another. Rosters will be transfered from P/TAs to VC after each P/TA registration deadline. (Excepted in P/TAs not using online registration. Users will have to manually enter all information for each team member)

Withdrawal
Refunds will be given (less a $100 administrative fee) on withdrawals made up the entry deadline (April 21st, 2008) of the event. After this time, no refunds will be given.

Technical Matters
The Official Volleyball Canada 2007-2008 Indoor Rule Book shall govern play at the National Championships. Indoor Competition Guide 2007-2008 Competition rules are outlined in the Indoor Competition Guide 2007-2008. All coaches and team contacts should be aware of its content. It is available to be downloaded under the Registration Information page.

Team Check-In
Team check-in will take place on Friday, May 16 at the Olympic Oval between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. At check-in, coaches will be asked to verify their team roster, pick up player/coaches packages and other event information. Teams will not be permitted to begin play without having verified their roster.

Coaches Meeting
There will be a mandatory coaches meeting on Friday, May 16 at the Foothills Baseball Stadium immediately following the Opening Ceremonies. The meeting will be held in the stadium seats along the first base line. A team representative must attend this meeting in order to receive the draw and any last minute schedule adjustments or concerns will be dealt with at this time. ** Please note that in case of bad weather, the Opening Ceremonies will be cancelled and the Coaches' Meeting will be held at 8:00pm in the Olympic Oval.

Coaches Certification
Coaches are requested to present proof of coaching certification to scorekeepers at the beginning if each match, along with their team roster. If coaching certification is not presented, officials will make a note on the scoresheet for the tournament committee to take action.

Scheduling
No schedule will be distributed until the coaches meeting. The final match on Monday will be scheduled no later than 4:30 pm. We do our best to run on schedule, however unforseen events may cause the tournament to run later than expected.

Practices
Practice times in the Olympic Oval will be available from 10 am to 6 pm on Friday, May 16. Teams will be allowed to book one hour of practice time on a first come first served basis (deadline May 4/08). Final practice times will be posted approximately two weeks prior to the championship on the Open website. To book practice times: E-mail [email protected] with your practice time request. Please indicate your team name and if your team is a men’s or women’s team.

Warm-Up
A minimum of 10 minutes (5-5 hitting warm-up) will be available for warm-up prior to the start of each match. Teams will be able to warm up with volleyballs in designated ball warm-up areas before each match.

Officials
Volleyball Canada certified officials will be assigned to each match. Official's coordination will be done through consultation with the Province or Territory Officials Chairs and the National Officials Chair.

Minor Officials
Teams will be required to provide one linesperson and one scorekeeper for each one of their matches. For more information on scorekeeping, please go to the Scorekeepers Guidelines link in the registration downloads area on the Registration Information page.

Referee Meeting
All certified officials are requested to attend a mandatory referee technical meeting, chaired by the Referee Supervisor. Date & time: Friday, May 16 - Time TBA Location : TBA

Medical Services
There will be medical attention provided for the athletes by Emergency Medical Services personnel. There will also be a team of athletic therapists located in the Athletic Therapy room for taping, ice, and other requirements. Courtesy of the Foothills College of Massage Therapy, a massage service will also be provided free of charge for all participants in the Olympic Oval.

Opening Ceremonies
The opening ceremonies for the 2008 Canadian West Open will be held at the Foothills Baseball Stadium on Friday May 16, 2008. The ceremonies will consist of a march-on by all participating teams under their provincial flags and will feature a few notable speakers. Staging for the event will begin at 6:30pm at the Foothills Soccer Fields near the stadium. All teams must be at the staging by 6:30pm. The ceremonies will begin at 7:00pm. ** Please note that in case of bad weather, the Opening Ceremonies will be cancelled and the Coaches' Meeting will be held at 8:00pm in the Olympic Oval.

Accomodation
The Alberta Volleyball Association has teamed up with Anderson Tours to provide you with the best hotel rates. Anderson Tours is the 'official travel wholesale' for Alberta Volleyball. Please contact Anderson Tours for your accomodation bookings. Anderson Tours and Charters Phone: (1-866) 814-7378 or Calgary local 403-245-6200. www.andersonvacations.ca Another option is to stay in a University of Calgary Residence. Rooms still available! Please inquire ASAP. University of Calgary Residence Next to the Olympic Oval 2500 University Drive N.W. Phone: (403) 220-3203 Toll free: 1-877-498-3203

Boutique
There will be a Volleyball Canada and Alberta Volleyball Boutique on site. A variety of tournament souveniers will be available. The Alberta Volleyball Boutique will be open during the following hours: Friday 10:00am to 6:00pm Saturday to Monday 9:00am to 6:00pm There will be a limited amount of tournament clothing available. Be sure to come early to ensure full selection!

Transportation
Teams are responsible for arranging their own transportation to, from and during the championships.

Tournament Jury
The tournament jury is composed of a Volleyball Canada/Domestic Competition Committee (DCC) representative, Host committee representative, and the Referee Supervisor. For more information on the Jury's powers and duties, please consult the Indoor Competition Guide 2007-2008.

Performance Bond
The $400.00 team performance bond remains the responsibility of each Provincial/Territorial Association. Ultimately, teams will be required to forward the bonds amount in the event of any infraction which affect: 1) VC Code of conduct violation 2) Accommodation/facility damages 3) Uniform regulation 4) Coaches fail to meet coaching certification requirements 5) If a team does not fulfill its competitive obligations to an event. For more information on Performance Bonds, please consult the Indoor Competition Guide 2007-2008.

Scouting and Recruiting
The recruiting of young athletes by coaches as well as scouting services is becoming increasingly aggressive and intense in Canada. Thus, Volleyball Canada has put together a policy on this matter, as well as developed some guidlines and ideas to help athletes, coaches, parents and tournament organizers deal with this situation. At events (The Canadian West Open): Policies for Recruiters: - Recruiters are not allowed to contact athletes while the athlete's team is still participating in the competition. -Recruiters must introduce themselves and the institution which they represent to the tournament organizers, follow any additional event regulations regarding recruiters, and when possible wear clothing which identifies them as representing their institution or group. Recruiters should identify themselves to coaches and/or parents when interested in a particular athlete and/or team. - Recruiters must conduct their activities in an open environment away from the competition venue. - Recruiters must have coaches' consent and/or knowledge when approaching athletes. Policies for Coaches: - All coaches are obligated to report to the event organizers any recruiting practices that they feel do not meet the above regulations for recruiters. - Coaches must restrict recruiters from approaching their athletes while their team is still participating in the competition, as recruiters are not allowed to approach athletes during this period. Policies for Athletes: - Should a recruiter contact an athlete, the athlete is responsible for informing his/her coach and/or parents. Policies for Parents: - Parents are responsible for informing their child's coach of any contact made by a recruiter. Policies for the Event Organizers: - Event organizers shall give or sell the coach/recruiter or scouting agency representative a program of the tournament (if available). - Event organizers have the right to ask a recruiter to leave the gymnasium if the previously defined recruiting practices are not respected. If this should occur, event organizers are responsible for reporting infractions to P/TA. The repercussions of violating these rules, or the spirit of these rules, may result in the sanctioning of a recruiter, coach, athlete or parent. Additonal scouting and recruiting information is available from Volleyball Canada.

Your Feedback is Needed !
VC in partnership with the Host Organization, consistently seeks to provide better services to the participants. After completion of your event, please invite athletes, parents, coaches and volunteers to visit Volleyball Canada's webiste (www.volleyball.ca) and fill out the Online Evaluation Survey of the 2008 National Championships. It only takes a few minutes of your time and helps VC serve you better.