These days, it’s hard to walk the halls at The Colorado Springs School and find a student who doesn’t play volleyball. OK, your chances are right at 50-50.

That’s still not too shabby. Yes, of the 42 female students (98 overall) at the small, private school located near The Broadmoor, 21 participate on the junior varsity or varsity squads.

“Volleyball always has been popular at the school,” CSS volleyball coach Kyong Lee said, “but because the program has done so well, they want to be part of that success. We do have a lot of girls who want to play.”

In eight seasons at the helm, Lee’s teams have won more than 80 percent of their games and reached the 20-win mark five times, including the past four years. On Saturday, the Kodiaks (20-2) will shoot for a berth to their third straight Class 2A state tournament when they host the Region H tournament with matches against Simla (9-14) and Limon (17-5).

That success and pedigree elevates the program to another level. And since the school encompasses kindergarten through 12th grades, the younger kids see that success firsthand and then wait their turn to experience it themselves. “When I got to high school, making varsity was a really big thing for me,” junior setter Kaela Gaylord said. “Volleyball in middle school was totally different. I didn’t think of myself as the most athletic player, but I was happy to be on the team. Most of us watched the varsity when we were younger and thought about when we’d get our chance.”

Last season, the Kodiaks broke through at the 2A state tournament, going 1-1 in pool play to mark their first win in the Denver Coliseum since a 2008 run that ended in the state final. To get to the state tournament, CSS first will have to get by Simla, then Limon. Play starts at 11 a.m.

The Kodiaks have already beaten the Bears three times this season and have won all seven previous meetings with the Badgers. Still, there’s no time for complacency when a loss would likely end the season a week too soon.

“We’ve been getting better throughout the whole season,” said junior Laney Swan, who earlier this week was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association/MaxPreps Player of the Week for Colorado. “We’re expecting big things this weekend, but we’re not overlooking anyone. We really want to go on to state and get a little further than last year.”

Regardless of what happens this week, and potentially next, most of the Kodiaks will return next season – only two of the varsity’s 12 players are seniors. And that likely means a crowded house at tryouts. That’s a good problem to have. “We do have a strong all-around team, and I think we’re stronger than we were last year,” Lee said. “We have filled the holes we had from last year’s seniors.”