Meet the 2025/2026 board. The CBVA Board is responsible for the governance, strategic direction, and overall management of the Coogee Beach Volleyball Association.
Elected annually at the AGM, the Board includes the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and an Ordinary Member.This team oversees club operations, represents the interests of members, and ensures CBVA remains compliant with legal, financial, and community responsibilities.While formal leadership sits with the Board, our club thrives through collaboration, and we regularly work with subcommittees and volunteers to bring our vision to life.You can contact the board at board@cbva.org.au.
President - Laurence Poulter Laurence is in his third year as a Board Member of CBVA and loves the role the club plays in our community. He took up beach volleyball for the first time as an adult a few years ago, but these days you are more likely to find him watching rather than playing due to a long-term injury.On the professional front, Laurence brings expertise to CBVA from his experience working as a Partner at one of Australia’s leading diversified financial services firms over the last decade, and he is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).Laurence really believes in the value of bringing people together, and he is excited to continue helping CBVA to be a thriving part of our community.Outside of CBVA and work, Laurence is an avid swimmer, and you will find him out in the bay most days as part of the Coogee Open Water Swimmers (COWS). Vice President - Lauryne Urtizberea A proud CBVA member since 2016, Lauryne first joined the club as a junior shortly after moving to Sydney, training under Marcos. Even after returning to France in 2018 to pursue her studies, she remained a dedicated member — continuing to support the club and stay connected to the beach volleyball community she calls home.With a Master’s degree in Sports Management and professional experience working on large-scale events, including the Paris 2024 Olympics, Lauryne brings both passion and expertise to the club. Now permanently back in Sydney, she’s thrilled to finally turn her long-standing commitment into action.As a board member since the 2024/2025 season, Lauryne is excited to contribute as Vice-President and help shape the future of CBVA through her knowledge of sports organisation, deep loyalty to the club, and love of the game.You’ll mostly find Lauryne training in the mornings or playing at social sessions — always ready for a hit and a chat! Treasurer - Blake Bentley Blake first started playing at Coogee around 2005 when Marcos, his indoor volleyball coach at high school, offered him to come to Coogee for some beach volleyball. That was the start of a lifelong relationship with Coogee and the CBVA community. With his competitive playing days (mostly) behind him, he enjoys playing social games against players of all levels, mostly on weekends, or after work during summer. Blake joined the Board in 2011 and has overseen the Club’s finances as Treasurer ever since. He has seen CBVA grow and build on its strengths year after year, and is dedicated to continue offering his time and support to the Club that has given him so much joy over the years. A personal highlight was attending a Randwick Council meeting and speaking on behalf of CBVA and its members to support permanent posts and a storage box at Coogee. Blake works in data and analytics in financial services, and brings his skills of automation, reporting and visualisation to CBVA. Outside of volleyball, Blake also enjoys photography, cycling and freediving. Secretary - Vacant - Lauryne by Interim
Do I need to be a member of CBVA to play on the designated courts at Coogee? For JUNIORS: CBVA Membership is NOT required for Junior registration. Note: VNSW membership will need to be upgraded to U18 ‘FULL’ membership to enter any club tournaments.For ADULTS: Yes, CBVA Membership IS required for Adult registration.Anyone is welcome to join and you can learn more on our membership pathways here:> Juniors membership> Adults membership What training classes do you offer? CBVA has several affiliated coaches. You can read about each of our coaches here. We offer a range of classes, from beginners through to experienced players. Registered CBVA Trainees/Members can see the upcoming training class schedule/book in Mindbody portal.We offer casual / single class purchases ($35), as well as 5 class ($150 or $30 per class) and 10 class ($275 or $27.50 per class) packs.If you would like to learn more about our training class options, please e-mail coaching@cbva.org.au. Do you do Private Classes? Our coaches may be able to facilitate private group lessons. To train at Coogee, you would still need to be registered as a CBVA Trainee at a minimum. You can learn more on our membership pathways here:> Juniors membership> Adults membershipTo enquire about private bookings, please e-mail coaching@cbva.org.au. What are the membership options and how much is it? A summary of the Junior and Adult membership options and pathways to join CBVA can be found here:> Juniors membership 5-17 years> Adults membership 18+This includes a full breakdown and explanation of the costs involved which can be found towards the bottom of the page. All memberships are annual and end on 31st March. This is to align to the Volleyball NSW membership period.
