We understand and respect that this year’s court allocation and admission to training groups may be a source of frustration for some.

As the Board of Directors, we would like to explain the measures we have taken to optimize the club’s training programs, member benefits, and volunteer opportunities. In addition, we are committed to complying with local requirements in the City of Copenhagen, as well as applicable laws and guidelines for major organizations in Danish sports.

We take our members’ feedback seriously. We are therefore working through the Sports Committee (SU) to find solutions, particularly for those of you who have been loyal members but now feel left out of a training group due to a recent reassignment.

We make no guarantees—but we will work to meet the following schedule:

• Today, September 9, we have a meeting with Volleyball Denmark. The board has unanimously agreed to support the national team, and we will explore how we can reach a mutual agreement. After we have discussed the possibilities with Volleyball Denmark, we will see if any timeslots can be made available or adjusted.
• After September 16, we’ll have a clear picture of who has paid for their training package. Some people are opting out, which opens up new possibilities. We’ll also be looking into how training groups will be selected in the future and whether we should open up more spots.
• We'll announce the opportunities a few days after September 16.

Unintended Consequences – Can We Find Solutions?

We have observed that certain decisions regarding the allocation and prioritization of members have had unintended consequences. We are therefore working with SU to find solutions and make adjustments moving forward.

Some of the areas we will be looking into are: seniority and attendance. In other words: Have you been a member for a long time and do you attend your training sessions (more than others)? If so, that should also be reflected in how you are prioritized. Conversely, we also need to make room for new members to join our club. We will be examining how this balance has been maintained.

Everyone agrees that members who loyally support the club and who demonstrate commitment and contribute should be prioritized. That is why we have decided to reward volunteer work retroactively: Have you been an active volunteer during the period BEFORE groups were assigned? If so, we MUST find a spot for you in a training group. We can see this in this distribution. And it will benefit the club going forward that we put our volunteers before everyone else.

Terms & Strategy

Why did the board and the Student Union approve this winter schedule?

In the long term, and following the strategy seminar in early October, we will present a new strategy and vision for the club.

In the short term, we have identified priority areas that we are working toward and that have had a significant impact on the winter plan:

• Opportunities for participation: ALL members (through both training and booking)
• Transparent admission to training groups ( based on established criteria)
• Volunteer members who make a significant contribution are rewarded ( with admission to the training squad)
• Quality is improved & Quantity is reduced ( slightly fewer players on the training squad where possible)
• Regular hours on weekdays and weekends ( for booking)
• No recreational training sessions have been canceled ( i.e., no recreational training on weekends)
• Balance between members and activities (including the admission of new members and consideration for loyal members)
• Good Governance (we comply with external agreements—particularly with the municipality)

The club has outgrown its indoor capacity. In addition, several other organizations have joined Hafnia in recent years. This has increased the challenges and needs.

We need to ensure that we are in a stronger position than these stakeholders while also exploring every opportunity to secure more playing time. The club must enhance our visibility based on our initial request for field allocation.

The good news is that beach volleyball is growing. The challenge is that the facilities can’t keep up, which means the quality may suffer.

In light of the above, the new board has asked the Student Union and its committees to implement three priorities and principles for the allocation of court time:

• 100% transparent prioritization – by court times and member groups.
  • The municipal distribution is followed (see below)
  • Elite/Talent seems to take up more space. The truth is that the broader base has been training, and continues to do so (albeit to a lesser extent), during time slots allocated by the municipality to Elite.
  • Elite/Talent athletes must have training schedules that support their physical and athletic development and align with their training goals. This means, among other things, no training sessions after 9:30 PM (to ensure adequate sleep) and no sessions without sufficient recovery time in between.
  • No Bredde practices before 5 p.m. or on weekends. It can be hard to make it due to family or work commitments, and there’s a risk of cancellations.
  • No "Recreational" level is offered; only two training sessions are available. This is only offered to Elite, Talent, Youth, and National Team members. We have therefore divided members into Elite/Talent – Youth or Recreational, each with their own priorities.
  • Elite/Talent/National Team members can attend the 3:30 p.m. practice on days when there are multiple sessions. They should prioritize this—while also ensuring they attend their regular weekend practice. If any sessions are canceled, it will affect the group that already has the most practices.
  • If the Airdome is installed, we can expand the offer to include the first group—and then the remaining member groups.
• Improving the efficiency of tracks – for the benefit of everyone.
  • The first team must practice at 9:30 p.m. to allow the second team to practice at 5:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. on weekdays.
  • All training groups must avoid empty courts or cancellations. We will be monitoring this very closely.
• Quality & Opportunities for Participation – for Everyone – whenever possible
  • Expanding spontaneous communities into Friday Beach
  • More available slots (weekdays at 3:30 p.m. and on weekends). In other words, these slots are available at times that do NOT conflict with high-performance or recreational training sessions.
  • Saturdays are reserved for bookings, events, and future member-focused activities.
  • Training groups must have two coaches.

These principles have been communicated in bullet points to SU and the Elite Manager, who have drawn up the weekly schedule accordingly. We support them.

In recent years, the need for quantity—and for getting people into training groups—has overshadowed the focus on quality for members. In our view, the two extremes—scheduled training sessions versus open bookings—have not been based on transparency or a quality-focused strategy. It has simply happened naturally because the pressure to participate has been so great.

The board has decided to address this by asking SU to slightly reduce the number of people offered a spot on a training group. This has also been a request from members in the past: that those offered a spot on a team should also have the opportunity to take advantage of it.

In the short term, a transparent allocation of time slots that fully aligns with what the municipality has requested—as well as how the municipality assigns these time slots. Not everyone has been aware of this.

Long-term: An intensified effort to create more and better facilities. This involves an increased focus on the Airdome project and what comes next.

Overall, we want quality, transparency, and a balance between our training programs and ad-hoc members—that is, the strategy and allocation mentioned above. We want to be a club that has it all. And that’s difficult when facility time is limited.

How are appointment slots allocated by the municipality?

We have two types of time slots during the winter season: municipally allocated slots and purchased remaining slots—both at Hafnia. (We have full usage rights at Ryparken.) These slots are allocated based on our application, and the municipality then distributes them on a two-year basis.

As a club, we must act in accordance with the terms of our application and, within the framework provided, improve the quality and fairness of our training groups. Previous boards have applied to maximize training times—which has benefited us all. The current board will make it 100% clear that we are adhering to what we actually applied for in the 2022–24 and 2024–26 periods, respectively.

The municipality allocates time slots based on the following criteria for adult education in Copenhagen:

1. Disability (CPH does not currently have this—therefore not applicable)
2. ✔️ Children and young people under 19 (especially between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. – see below)
3. Evening school (CPH is not an evening school—it does not serve the purpose of community sports like an evening school does)
4. ✔️ Elite sports (according to Team Copenhagen)
5. ✔️ Adults in clubs with child and youth members under the age of 19
6. Adults in clubs without such members (e.g., KSI / Diramo)
7. ✔️ Umbrella organizations ( e.g., Volleyball Denmark)

In addition, slots will be allocated based on

1. ✔️ The principle of proximity: Organizations with ties to the local community.
2. ✔️Consistency across the club: We strive to hold the club’s activities (for children and adults) at the same or nearby facilities.
3. ✔️Previous users: Clubs with similar times last season will be given priority.

Overall, priorities are also set based on:

1. ✔️Membership: Allocation based on the clubs' membership numbers
2. ✔️Season length: Full-season activities (preferably year-round)
3. ✔️Minimum participation: Minimum number of participants required (the more people in the gym and in the requested groups, the better)
4. ✔️Facility-specific suitability: (e.g., beach volleyball in a beach volleyball hall)
5. ✔️Time slot (KK defines primetime vs. other times)
   1. Weekdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.: priority given to children and young people under 19.
   2. Weekdays before 4 p.m.: priority given to adults and seniors.

Overall, we are committed to excelling in the areas listed above for the benefit of ALL members. It is therefore in the club’s best interest to prioritize applications and training slots for the Elite team and to make extra efforts for our youth. This gives the club greater standing—which also benefits our recreational programs. We are a club for YOUTH, ELITE, and RECREATIONAL ATHLETES.

We hope our proposals make sense—and if not, we’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Please post in the thread below or contact the board at be@cphbeach.dk

We will now work to optimize the current training group and future allocations in collaboration with staff and committees.

The Board of Directors.