Club Approval, Early Signing & December Tryout Procedures – 2025/26 Season
Volleyball Manitoba has updated the Club Approval, Early Signing, and December Tryout processes for the upcoming season.
Key Points
- Early Signing is only for 17U & 18U athletes. Clubs and athletes are not required to participate.
- Athletes born in 2010 or later (16U or younger) cannot early-sign but may play up after December tryouts.
- 13U–16U athletes may only commit to teams during December tryouts.
Club Approval
- Recruitment blackout: June 1 – Aug 5, 2025.
- Direct recruitment = personalized communication to persuade an athlete (must involve parents/guardians).
- Key Dates:
- July 11 – Club approval applications open.
- July 22 – Coach registration opens in SportLomo.
- July 25 – Early-signing clubs must be approved.
- July 31 – Early-signing head coaches must have screening & certification complete.
- Aug 1 – Eligible clubs list posted, list of approved clubs can be found here: 2025 – 2026 Approved Early Signing Clubs
Clubs may NOT hold tryouts/ID camps before December. Summer/fall skills camps must be non-mandatory, non-exclusive, and not part of athlete selection.
Early Signing Timeline (17U & 18U only)
- Aug 5 – Blackout lifts; communication can begin.
- Aug 18–21 – Re-signing window for returning athletes (offers must be made via email, athletes must be given 24 hrs to decide, and must include VM’s Early Signing Agreement Form).
- Aug 21 – All re-signed athletes need to be submitted to VM
- Aug 22 – Re-signed athletes will be posted online.
- Aug 25–28 – Open signing window for any eligible athletes (same rules as above).
- Aug 28 – All signed athletes need to be submitted to VM
- Aug 29 – Signed athletes will be posted online.
- Sept 2–30 – Early-signed athletes must be registered in SportLomo.
*Once signed, athletes are committed for the season and cannot be recruited by other clubs.
December Tryouts (all ages) – 2025/26 Changes
- Start dates:
- 13U–14U – Nov 30
- 15U – 16U – Dec 6
- 17U–18U – Dec 7
- Offers: No offers before Dec 7 (all ages). Athletes must be given 24 hrs to decide.
- Registration: Opens Dec 15 in SportLomo; must be complete before first Premier Tournament.
Compliance
Clubs violating these rules risk losing Approved Club status and/or early-signing eligibility.