Golden Athlete: Paige Thies Shines Spotlight on NPJ Teammates

A major shoutout to <a href="https://prepdig.com/author/michelle-bamford-author/">Michelle Bamford</a> from PrepDig California for the creation and inspiration behind this article series.    Because Michelle Bamford's introductory paragraph perfectly sums up the importance of this series, we are using her words to kick off this series in Oregon…   Acknowledging and cherishing the dedication of those who stand by your side on the court is paramount in the pursuit of victory. To emphasize the importance of acknowledging and showing appreciation to teammates and to spotlight the pivotal role their support plays in the quest for greatness, we've extended an invitation to [player_tooltip player_id='161159' first='Paige' last='Thies'] to share her insights on the players who make up her club team. Through her words, we aim to shed light on the indispensable contributions of the teammates who have been instrumental in shaping her success on the court.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/Forefront-Team-Photo.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-547088" style="width:927px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">NPJ Forefront team photo (from L to R: Alyss Kelly, Sidney Friesien, Alexis Haury, [player_tooltip player_id='161822' first='Jackie' last='Carle'], Bridget Gould, Jaydn Daviscourt, Kendyl Arnett, asst. coach Mike Gee, Lauryn Johnson, Chloe Leluge, [player_tooltip player_id='161159' first='Paige' last='Thies'], Maijia Howse, [player_tooltip player_id='161826' first='Taelyn' last='Bentley'], Teagan Wilson, asst. coach Lilly Snook, head coach Adam Ellis) </figcaption></figure>    From Paige: The years Alexis has been on Forefront have developed her into a leader that pushes us to always do our best. The high expectations she has for herself and her team have turned her into one of the nations top setters. Her ability to get to any ball on the court and place it exactly where it is needed is unmatched. Alexis easily connects with all the players on the team, making playing with her smooth and easy. She will be greatly missed next year, but I know she will do amazing things at University of Washington.     From Paige: Alyss is our other out-of-state player coming down from Washington to play on Forefront. She is incredibly fast on defense and is able to get to any ball and get it up into play. Alyss brings energy to the court that allows us to stay hyped during the game. Playing with Alyss is easy, as we are able to move around the back court together and have trust in each other to be in the right place and get the ball.  Alyss will make a big impact in the Big 12 next year playing for K State.    From Paige: Bridget is our lefty right side and with her high vertical she easily puts balls down. Not only can she put the ball away, but she can also put up a strong block. Bridget brings an energy that allows us to be ourselves, which strengthens us as a team. Throughout the season Bridget and I were able to get close and always found ourselves laughing together. I know that at the University of Oregon, she will continue to grow as an athlete and do amazing things.     From Paige: Chloe is the teammate who brings the energy to the team both on and off the court. Her positivity is unmatched and people always comment how she is always smiling.  I have played beach with her at Seaside for multiple years and I have gotten to know what a great person she is. She is one of the best blockers in the state, and we can always rely on her to put the ball away. Chloe is committed to Cal Poly and I'm so excited to watch what she will bring to the next level.     From Paige: This is my first year playing with Jackie and we easily became close.  She is a quick backrow player who always can pick up the balls that are unexpected. I have enjoyed getting to know her this year, we have personalities that click and hanging out off the court is always fun. Jackie is a great addition to our team and I look forward to playing against her in high school, and with her as a senior next year on Forefront.    From Paige: Jadyn is one of the players I have played with for multiple years. We have connected both on and off the court, even playing in Halloween Quads and beach together. When we are together on the court, I have complete trust in her. We have a connection that allows us to play with easy flow.  Jadyn will do great things at Southern Oregon next year.    From Paige: Kendyl is another one of my teammates who I have played with on multiple teams, as well as on the sand. Both of us are extremely competitive, and it's always nice to play with her on the court, as she plays hard and gives everything for the team. Kendyl is an extremely talented all around player, as she is able to both hit the ball hard in the front and quickly get to any pass in the back. Next year, she'll be a Raider at Southern Oregon, and I can't wait to see what she accomplishes on their court.     From Paige: The energy Lauryn brings to the game is evident, especially as she is able to attack while blocking. Not only does she put up a strong block, but she can put the ball down and get the point. Lauryn's front row game helps energize the team as she is always positive and brings that to us. I'm so excited to see what she will do at Western Oregon University and I know she will love it there!    From Paige: Maija is a new addition to the club and one of the outside hitters on Forefront. She has been a great addition to the team and has been able to fit in easily with her fun personality. Maija is one of our strongest hitters with her ability to hit high, as well as place balls with her good court awareness. She recently committed to her dream school, Purdue, where I know she will make an impact in the Big 10.     From Paige: Sidney has been a pin for the majority of her volleyball career until she committed to Western Oregon. She transitioned to a libero this year and is incredible at defense but excels in serve receive. I love playing with Sid in the back row, we trust each other and know what to do together. She will be a great libero for the Wolves.     From Paige: Tae and I have played together for multiple years. She is our multi-sport athlete who works hard and excels at everything she does. Tae is formidable at the net, putting up blocks and hitting the ball hard. She is not only an amazing player on the court, but also a great friend off the court. She is kind to everyone and makes us all feel like we belong. I'm excited to have her as my workout partner this summer and look forward to playing with Tae next year up front.  Tae just recently committed to South Florida and I hope I can see her during our travels in college.    From Paige: Teagan is my oldest friend on the team.  We were both new to NPJ when we started playing on 14s together and we have been playing beach and indoor for several years together.  Her main focus is Beach, where she committed to Santa Clara. Even though indoor has become secondary, she still excels on the court and can put up a mean block against anyone on the other side of the net. With Teagan's beach skills, she has amazing court awareness and places balls in the exact location to earn the point.     And finally, we are proud to spotlight [player_tooltip player_id='161159' first='Paige' last='Thies'], a 6'2” junior from Oregon City, Oregon.   Currently, Thies sits as the #1 2025 prospect in the state, according to the class rankings by PrepDig Oregon, and is ranked #39 Nationally by PrepDig. So, there is no question that she has some serious game. A complete six-rotation outside hitter, there is not much Thies cannot do on the court. Standing at 6'2”, with an explosive last two steps of her approach and an incredibly fast arm swing, she proves tough to stop. She is terminal from everywhere, and when she connects with the ball, it is booming. Teams rely on Thies to put the ball away, no matter where she is, being given the ball on both pins and across the backrow. Given her athleticism and speed, she likes to run a fast offense from the outside, banging away at the quick, inside set, often too quick for opposing blockers to fully set up, allowing for an open net to swing away. When blocking, she is aggressive and hungry to stuff the opposing attacker's swing. She has a formidable press back into the court that creates a wall attackers have to work around. Her play across the backrow has seen major improvements over the past two seasons. On serve receive, she displays a lot of confidence, owning her seams and passing a consistent ball. On defense, she makes great reads, and, given her length, can sprawl out to save the ball. She also showcases great pass-to-attack footwork on both defense and serve receive to become an offensive option.   Her skill has been put to use for Oregon City High School, where she has taken on an integral role since her freshman season. As their terminal, all-around pin hitter, she surpassed 1,000 career kills during her junior season, now tallying an impressive 1,303 total kills, averaging a .378%. This past season, she led the Pioneers to a 2nd place finish in the 6A State tournament, the program's first-ever visit to the State championship. Her list of honors during her prep career is extensive: Two-time Three Rivers League Player of the Year, Oregon 6A Player of the Year, 2023 Oregon Volleyball Gatorade Player of the Year, as well as First Team All-League and All-State nods, to name a handful.   For NPJ Forefront this past club season, Thies was a major contributor all around. Typically not seen off the court, playing as a six-rotation outside attacker, she contributed mightily both offensively and defensively. She was a go-to terminator both in-system and out-of-system, taking big swings at big moments. Going undefeated in the CEVA Region, taking 1st place in CEVA Open, and competing at a high level in 18 Open at both qualifying tournaments and at USAV Nationals, she was a huge factor in their successful season.   Thies is a dedicated student on top of being a dedicated athlete, maintaining a 4.2 GPA in the classroom. In high school, she found an interest in the medical field and is eager to explore this in college, honing in on what exactly she would like to pursue. When not playing, she finds time to coach, bringing the love of the game to the next generation of players. She is particularly passionate about helping Oregon City assert its dominance as a volleyball program, so she helps run camps and supports the youth recreational leagues in the area. With the grant money awarded to her by Garotrade, she would like to put it back into these programs. When not in the gym or the classroom, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to her family's lake house in Northern California, swimming, wakeboarding, inter tubing, golfing, and playing tennis. She also enjoys healthy cooking and art, and when weather permits, she loves to ski and snowboard with her mom and brother.   Thies recently committed to play Division 1 volleyball for the University of Arizona, noting the location, coaching staff, and competitive culture as factors in her decision. Her ultimate goal when playing for the Bears is to help them get to the National tournament–Bear Down!    With these aforementioned skillsets and qualities, [player_tooltip player_id='161159' first='Paige' last='Thies'] proudly earns her spot as one of PrepDig's esteemed Golden Athletes.

A major shoutout to Michelle Bamford from PrepDig California for the creation and inspiration behind this article series.