NPSS senior girls’ volleyball cracks province’s weekly top 10

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John’s sole secondary school’s volleyball program has spiked their way into very promising territory.

The North Peace Secondary School (NPSS) Grizzlies senior girls’ team has cracked their way into the province’s senior girls’ volleyball weekly top 10, sanctioned by the governing body for school athletics, BC School Sports.

Tied for 10th in the weekly list for the AAAA category on October 30th shows there is a buzz about this year’s edition, says head coach Alex Olsen.

“To start this year, we actually had more of an expectation to be ranked right away, but that wasn’t the case,” said Olsen. “We went down to Vancouver [this season], and we played some of the southern competition.

“After that exposure, they were able to rank us in the top 10.”

The team has had some outstanding performances throughout the season, including a top-three finish at the Sexsmith Sabres Slam in Sexsmith, Alberta and going undefeated in pool play at Grande Prairie’s Howler Cup hosted by Northwestern Polytechnic.

With a sixth-place showing at last year’s provincial championship, Olsen thinks her 2025 squad can achieve higher.

“There was some carryover of the girls who were on the team last year to the girls that are [still] on the team this year,” said Olsen. “With some great additions that we have in the grade 11 year this year as well. Our team has just been able to continue to play at that competitive level.”

A highlight of this year, according to Olsen, was seeing her team play the top-ranked team from South Delta Secondary School at the North Shore Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s senior girls’ tournament.

Although the Grizzlies were defeated, Olsen said it was a “highly competitive” contest that made everyone feel her squad could play with the top teams in B.C.

With an extensive schedule behind them, the senior girls’ Grizzlies still have some work in front of them before the 2025 AAAA girls volleyball provincial championship at the end of November.

First up is Wednesday’s senior volleyball showcase, followed by the Maverick Invitational in Grande Prairie starting on Friday, November 7th.

The following week sees zone playoffs with Prince George Secondary School. Hosted at NPSS, the games will be a best-of-three match series with a spot in Kelowna on the line.

For more details on the NPSS senior girls’ Grizzlies 2025 volleyball season, visit the team’s Facebook page.