A loss will still be as good as a win for the Canberra Heat men's team in the Good Neighbour Volleyball Tournament this weekend, according to coach Les Young.
The Heat is currently on the bottom of the Australian Volleyball League ladder with no wins from nine games, and has only won four of 31 sets.
But Young is driving a development program for the next 18 months that is focused on creating a strong senior program in the years to come.
''This has been a development year so we haven't really been focusing on results,'' Young said.
''We have plenty of young guys in the team and we have a 17-year-old, Alex Turner, in the starting seven and a 15-year-old, Jordan Power, in our travelling squad.
''They have improved over the season so far and it's just a matter of time before the results come.''
After this weekend's national club tournament, the Heat will travel to Queensland to play three more games in the AVL.
Next year's schedule includes a tournament in Wollongong in March, the Arafura Games in Darwin in May and the Sydney State League.
''It's going to be a big 18 months and it's really about creating the next generation of ACT players and giving them that experience, and we'll hopefully keep that going over the next two years,'' Young said.
The Heat will play in the honours division and tackle the visiting New Zealand team in the first game of the men's competition tonight at the AIS from 8pm.
The Canberra Heat women will take on Auckland to kick off the tournament at 6.30pm.
The Good Neighbour tournament is one of the longest-running volleyball competitions in Australia, with this being the 43rd consecutive year it has been run in Canberra.
This year 100 club teams from across all states and territories apart from Western Australia, plus elite men's and women's teams from New Zealand, will compete over five men's divisions, four women's divisions and two recreational mixed divisions.
The tournament will be played at three venues the AIS, National Netball Centre and ANU.
TODAY-SUNDAY
Canberra Open Good Neighbour Volleyball Tournament at the AIS, National Netball Centre and ANU Sports Halls. Entry is free.
Tonight: Honours competition at the AIS volleyball courts. Canberra Heat Women v Auckland, 6.30pm. Canberra Heat Men v Auckland, 8pm.