Payton Friesen

• Loyal
• Organized
• Dedicated
• Caring
• Appreciative

I work very well with a team because I love being on a team. To me the friendships you build on teams and the experiences you go through together are things you remember for the rest of your life. Forming strong relationships on the teams I am a part of is very important to me. These are the girls you lean on when time gets tough but they are also the ones you celebrate with when things are great. I always make sure my teammates have a shoulder to lean on but also someone who pushes them to be better. I am a positive competitor on the court, I push my teammates to be their best and I cheer them on constantly, but I also hold everyone accountable to their mistakes. I take leadership roles on and off court, mainly leading by example but at times communication. Constant communication and leadership are crucial in the game of volleyball so we can succeed as a team. Communication between both coaches and players but also players and players are an important part to the game because we need to find solutions to problems before, during, and after games. I am a player who brings ideas to my coaches and teammates on how we could adjust to be successful while we are struggling. I love forming connections and being close with my teammates.

2023
OKM Sr Girls Basketball starting forward/shooting guard
OKM Sr Girls Basketball Tsumura Basketball Invitational P.O.G
OKM Sr Girls Basketball Centennial Top 10 P.O.G
OKM Sr Girls Basketball Okanagan Valley Silver medalist
UBC-O Jr Heat starting libero

2022
OKM Jr Girls Basketball Okanagan Valley Champions and P.O.G
T2 Volleyball Club – Silver Medalists U16 Div 1 BC Club Championships
Member of Genesis Select Club Basketball that participated in the NIKE Tour Circuit USA
OKM Sr Girls Volleyball starting libero (AAAA Volleyball)
OKM Sr Girls Volleyball 1st place in Best of The West tournament
OKM Sr Girls Volleyball 1st place in Riverside Red Serge Invitational tournament
OKM Sr Girls Volleyball 1st place in Okanagan Valley Championships
OKM Sr Girls Volleyball AAAA BC Provincial Champions

2021
Gr 9 Jr Basketball season canceled due to COVID
Member of T2 Volleyball Club U15 Girls Team (club season canceled due to COVID)
Member of FYBA Basketball Club with multiple P.O.G in the club season (club season shortened due to COVID)
Member of BC United Select Club Basketball that participated in the UAA Tour circuit USA
OKM Sr Girls Volleyball team Most Improved Player award

2020
Gr 9 OKM Volleyball Team MVP
Each time I have received one of these awards I have been very grateful. Grateful to my teammates, the support from my family, and especially my coach.

When I’m not playing sports I really love hanging out with friends but also traveling with my family. Both my friends and family are very important to me so spending time with them is something I really value. Every winter my extended family and I travel to somewhere hot just to get away from our busy lives and relax. We go to the beach every day and create memories that could never be replaced. Walking up and down the beach with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and especially grandparents is something that I would never take for granted. My whole family, especially grandparents, are my biggest cheerleaders. They are always supporting me, watching my games and helping me with whatever I need so getting to spend time with them makes me so lucky. My family is a very important aspect of my life so traveling a lot with them is very special to me. I know I won’t be able to travel with them forever so I really value this time now.

Details coming

All my life, I have been playing many different sports: soccer, gymnastics, tumbling, basketball, and volleyball. Basketball is my second sport. I have been playing since kindergarten and I have always loved the sport. I have found all of my closest friends from playing basketball, my best friend’s mom coached us for many years and we improved not only our skills but also our friendships. I’m still playing, and I plan on continuing until the end of high school. Even at school instead of taking a regular PE class, I take the basketball academy that is provided. All the sports I have played have shaped me into who I am today and I will be forever grateful. Through the injuries, wins, losses, different teams, and overall ,just fun times, I would never trade anything for the memories I have playing these different sports. I believe that playing all these different sports has not only helped me become a well-rounded athlete but also a well-rounded person. I am so lucky I was given the opportunity to play many different sports.

I am a very driven student athlete; I want to make sure I succeed both on and off the court. Going to a good school is very important to me, as having a good education will allow me to have many opportunities in my career. In Grades 7-10 I achieved principal’s list and A’s in all my classes. They do not offer AP courses at my school, however, I have chosen courses that keep my options open for school after high school. I hold myself to very high academic standards so knowing my grades reflect that is a great feeling. I want to continue to work hard and earn good grades in high school but also post-secondary.

I am very interested in two different career paths, one being education and the other being criminology. The reason I want to be a teacher is because my dad is a teacher and ever since I was young, I always loved going with him to his class room, writing on the white board, setting up desks, and even marking assignments. I was very fortunate last year because I was able to spend a day with him in his classroom during school hours. I got a first hand account of my dad in his element. His interaction with his students was inspiring to me and I loved every moment of it. I also think criminology would be an interesting profession because no person is the same, especially criminals. I’ve always loved true-crime documentaries. Figuring out someone’s past to help solve a problem, connecting dots to put together a solution, and giving justice to the community. Overall, I just wanted to help people in my community.

In post-secondary, my number one priority is to focus on my studies, with volleyball coming as a close second. I believe it is very important to have a healthy balance between school, sports, and my social life. I want to improve my independence skills as well as my time management skills because I already know how busy high school life with sports can be. Wherever I go to school I hope to stay in good contact with my friends and family back home in Kelowna. I’m very excited for the memories and friendships I’ll make!