Thursday, 31 Oct 2024

Qualifying for the National Beach Tour

The National Beach Tour (NBT) is an exciting event that spans ten months, culminating in the highly anticipated National Beach Tour Junior Championships. If you’re wondering how you or your child can compete in this prestigious tournament, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll provide you with all the information you need to know about qualifying for the NBT Junior Championships.

Beach National Qualifiers (BNQs)

BNQs serve as a direct pathway to the Open Division bid, the highest division of play in the NBT Junior Championships. The top four teams in each age group (12U, 14U, 16U, 18U) for both genders in a BNQ will earn an Open Division bid. Achieving a high finish in the gold bracket semifinal of a BNQ guarantees your team the opportunity to compete for a national title.

In addition to the chance to earn a bid, BNQs offer the following benefits:

  • Interregional play
  • A high level of competition for teams at various skill levels within each age group
  • Exposure for junior players to college recruiters and National Team programs
  • Promotion of the growth and development of beach volleyball in specific geographic areas
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It’s important to note that BNQ bids do not trickle down and there are no minimum team entries required for bids to be awarded.

Beach Regional Qualifiers (BRQs)

BRQs provide bids to both the American Division and the Open Division of the NBT Junior Championships. The top three girls’ teams in each age group (U12, U14, U16, U18) qualify for the American Division, while the top three boys’ teams qualify for the Open Division. The American Division represents the second highest division in the NBT Junior Championships.

One unique aspect of BRQ bids is that they may trickle down to fourth or fifth-place finishers if one of the original bid-winners declines or has already earned a bid. However, for a bid to trickle down, both players of the winning team must decline the bid. If even one member of the qualifying team accepts the bid, it will not be passed on to a lower-placed finisher.

Like BNQs, BRQs offer the following advantages:

  • A high level of competition for teams at different levels within each age group
  • Opportunities for junior players to showcase their talent to college recruiters and National Team programs
  • Support for the growth and development of beach volleyball in specific geographic areas

Patriot Division

The Patriot Division is ideal for those who wish to participate in the NBT Junior Championships but have not qualified through a previous qualifier. This division allows for up to 16 teams per division on a first-come, first-serve basis, and there is also a waitlist available. Spots in the Patriot Division may become available as registered teams qualify through BNQs or BRQs.

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These three paths provide athletes with opportunities to compete in the NBT Junior Championships next summer. We wish you the best of luck in your training and competition, and we hope to see you on the beach!

Visit the Alpinetgheep website for more information on the National Beach Tour.