About the Program

NextGen Training is an intentional effort to bring high-performance volleyball training to athletes of all backgrounds in Kelowna BC. The program is the brain child of Genesis Athletics Club Director Jadon Ward, who got the idea while working with Team BC in their Regional Training Centre. NextGen Training centers around their “four pillars” philosophy – technical skills, mental fortitude & resilience, agility & strength training, and team play dynamics. "My experience with Team BC - both as a player and then as a coach - is that we see a dramatic development in athletes who play volleyball year-round and have access to experienced technical training. We need more opportunities for this kind of athletics in our community."

NextGen Training is a part of Genesis Athletics Club, a community-based registered non-profit society based in Kelowna, BC. We have volleyball and roundnet (Spikeball) offerings, promoting an active lifestyle to people of all backgrounds. We believe that when you do one thing well, you do everything well. By giving youth a chance to participate and take pride in sports, that impact spills into other areas of their lives. And when a group of people are making positive changes, it impacts the whole community! Learn more at GenesisAthletics.ca

While a part of Genesis Athletics Club, NextGen Training athletes do not have to join or agree to join the Genesis Athletics Volleyball Club program.

Our Coaching Team

We are so excited to announce our coaching line-up for 2023! We can't have asked for a more experienced or dedicated group looking to take our athletes to the next level!

Jadon Ward, MA MA

Former U-Sport, CCAA Athlete, Level 2 Coach, Registered Clinical Counsellor, MA Psychology

Ty Baskin, BA

Current U-Sport & CCAA Athlete, NAIG Team BC coach, BA in Human Kinetics

Tilon Ward, BA

Current CCAA Athlete, 2023 ACAC Champion, BA Psychology

Brooke Uke

Current CCAA Athlete, CCAA Silver Medal Champion

Erin Mutch

Current Circuit Beach Player, Canada Cup Beach Volleyball Champion, former USport athlete

Our Goal

As a part of Genesis Athletics Club, a registered non-profit, the goal of NextGen Training is the betterment of the local community for people of all backgrounds. We hope that, by engaging in high-performance athletics, players can find a pro-social environment to connect and belong to. Our ultimate hope is that some athletes continue playing volleyball at a high level, potentially using it as a means to post-secondary education, and then can give back to their local communities.

Cost Structure

As a registered non-profit, affordability is at the forefront of our program planning. Our aim is to make NextGen Training accessible for people of all financial backgrounds. We use our "30/70 Guideline" to determine costs, where 70% of costs go Genesis Athletics go to programming costs, and the remaining 30% goes to bursaries for athletes who otherwise could not participate in these programs. If you have financial barriers but would like to participate in NextGen Training please email GenesisAthleticsKelowna@gmail.com.