Secondary School Indoor Volleyball 2026
Volley South is proud to deliver Secondary School Indoor Volleyball, providing opportunities for players and schools to enjoy quality competition and clear pathways from beginner to representative level.
Our goal is to support schools, coaches, and players through competitions, tournaments, training, and development, helping to elevate the level of volleyball across the Southland and Queenstown Lakes region.
Weekly comp - refer to new travel team rules below
Entries open: 6 December 2025
Entries due in Sporty: 10 February 2026
Week 1: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Week 2: Wednesday, 25 February 2026 (Travel teams in – minus 40-minute travel teams)
Week3: Wednesday, 4 March 2026 (Travel teams in)
Week 4: Wednesday, 11 March 2026 (Travel teams in)
Week 5: Wednesday, 18 March 2026 (Travel teams in)
no volleyball tournament week
Week 6: Wednesday 1st April 2026 (Travel teams in – Finals Night)
Seeding Event: Sunday, 15 February 2026 (TBC)
Cost $200 plus gst
Entries open: 6 December 2025
Entries due in Sporty: Wednesday, 9 February 2026
Closed entry; this means school teams can only enter once they show proof of entry to the following events Mainland/Nationals/Satellite entry required
Manlands info here https://www.canterburyvolleyball.org/indoor-volleyball-1/mainland-senior-school-champs-1
VNZ info here https://www.volleyballnz.org.nz/indoor/secondary-school-events/secondary-school-championships
Regional Senior Championships: Sunday, 15 March 2026 TBC
Cost $200 plus gst
Entries open: 11 Feb 2025
Entries due in Sporty: 4 March 2026
This is for all schools in our region for year 11-13 only.
Work-for-Fees will not be available in Term 1, 2026.
If a school team does not show up and a fine is issued, Volley South may need to staff the court to keep the competition running. In these situations, we will request support from representative school players, coaches, or team managers who are already onsite, if required.
Our strong hope is that this will not be necessary.The new fine system is designed to encourage teams to meet their duty obligations and avoid disruptions to the competition.
The third biggest topic identified in the October 2025 School Volleyball Survey, with 71.25% of respondents, was concern that Division 1 and Year 9/10 Competitive teams were receiving more court time than Social, Division 2, and lower-grade teams. Many respondents felt this created an imbalance, and a large number offered suggestions for making court allocations and game lengths more equitable.
After reviewing all feedback, Volley South has chosen the most popular solution proposed by schools.
Introducing a Tiered Registration Fee Structure
Due to overwhelming survey responses, we are introducing a tiered registration fee structure for the 2026 season. This change promotes fairness by recognising that competitive 60-minute and 80-minute games require significantly more court space and time than social 40-minute matches.
New Indoor Registration Fees – Aligned to Match Length
40-minute games: $42 per player (no change to most grades except the below)
60-minute games: $52 per player- competitive y9/10 only
80-minute games: $62 per player - competitive Div 1 only
This updated structure directly reflects the higher operational and venue costs associated with longer-format matches and ensures equity across all grades.
Approved by the Volley South Board – 29 November 2025
Volley South Board approved 29 Nov 2025
The second biggest topic raised in the October 2025 School Volleyball Survey was the impact of travel teams on both competitive and social grades.
72.5% of respondents expressed concern that some travel teams were only attending three out of the six rounds, which affected draw balance, fairness, and the overall competition experience.
Originally, this system was introduced to reduce travel costs for out-of-town schools while ensuring they received the same number of games as Invercargill-based teams.However, with the rapid growth of volleyball in the region, this arrangement is now having a significant impact on town teams, travel logistics, and Volley South operations — and has become unsustainable.
We also spoke with several schools courtside during the 2025 season, and their feedback supported the need for change.
Updated Travel Requirements – Effective 2026
To ensure fairness, stability, and competitive integrity, the following requirements will apply:
40-minute social games:
Travel teams must now attend 4 out of 6 competition nights.
60-minute and 80-minute competitive games (Years 9/10 Competitive, Division 1 and equivalent):
Travel teams must attend a minimum of 5 out of 6 rounds.
Playing only 2–3 long-format games is not sustainable for the competition, the draw, or other teams.
These changes ensure that all schools receive a meaningful number of games, competitive grades remain structurally sound, and the scheduling workload remains manageable.
The number one issue identified in the October 2025 School Volleyball Survey was teams missing their duties or not turning up to games. This caused significant frustration, with over 80% of respondents reporting that they were upset or negatively impacted by these situations.
Respondents also offered suggestions, and the strongest and most frequent recommendation was the introduction of a deterrent — a fine system — to ensure fairness and accountability.
To explore this further, we consulted with Otago Volleyball, who operate a successful fine system, and we reviewed Netball’s well-established model . Players, parents, and coaches expressed a strong and urgent expectation that Volley South introduce a similar approach to ensure duty coverage and reduce disruptions.
These fines reflect the actual labour and venue costs incurred when staff must cover missed duties or when teams do not arrive. When a team does not show for a match, $20 from the fine will be provided to the team that turned up, acknowledging their commitment and the disruption caused.
Fines are necessary to ensure that all teams can play, duties are consistently covered, and the competition can run without unnecessary delays or additional staffing costs
This system promotes fairness, reduces disruptions, and supports a better overall experience for all teams and participants.
Fine Structure – Effective 2026
Fines will be applied when:
- A team fails to complete their allocated duty, even if they default with 48 hours notice, they must still do their school duty or
- A team does not show up to a scheduled match, and does not give the required 48 hours notice to Volley South and their opposing ad duty team
- A team fails to show up for game and duty is a double fine
Fine amounts are aligned to match length:
- 40-minute games: $40 fine
- 60-minute games: $60 fine
- 80-minute games: $80 fine
Volley South Board approved 29 Nov 2025
Volley South
ILT Stadium Southland - First Floor
PO Box 224, Invercargill, 9840
Cell 027 4710782 Email info@volleysouth.org.nz
Admin Login