Led by coach Steve Upp, the Mission Bay varsity girls’ volleyball team is the Eastern League champion for the first time in the school’s history. These young women have proven their skills and strength against some of the finest high school programs in San Diego, including Coronado, UC, Christian, Serra and other powerhouse teams. The team’s 22-4 overall record is a best for Mission Bay girls’ volleyball. They will receive a banner of recognition that will hang in the MBHS gym with the other sports league champions.
This talented team also won the 12th annual Bucs Bash Tournament at the end of September. Competing against teams from all over San Diego County, the Bucs swept the tournament winning every single game. They won all their matches in two, against every team to win the championship and take home the trophy.
“This year’s team is the best team that I have coached at Mission Bay High,” said Upp. “They have worked very hard. Many play volleyball almost year round and many have been on the MBH beach team. They have great chemistry and play without personal egos, but rather for each other.” Upp believes the middle school program run by Dennis Guildehaus has helped get girls interested and started early in volleyball. He also credits the Starlings Volleyball Program for giving players more opportunity to play.
Upp played volleyball for Point Loma High and played four years at UCSD. He was the head coach of the UCSD men’s team in 1981 and assistant coach of the Point Loma girls’ teams 1982-1995. Upp started back with volleyball with the Starlings Program at Mission Bay in 2002 and was asked to coach the MBHS freshman team that year. “My son Erik was starting Mission Bay High School and I wanted to be involved in the school,” he said. Upp has been coaching varsity volleyball for 13 years at MBHS and has also run beach volleyball tournaments in the summer since 1985. “I continue to coach because I enjoy it and like supporting Mission Bay. I get great support from the athletic director Jorge Palacios, principal Ernest Remillard, and from volunteer program director Dave Beza.
Both of Upp’s children, Erik and Megan, graduated from Mission Bay High and played volleyball while there. His wife, Kerry, was one of the founding members of the PTO “Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools” supporting the public schools in Pacific Beach. Upp’s daughter Megan was valedictorian and was in the first class of IB Diploma recipients at Mission Bay High.
MBHS will compete in the CIF Finals. Upp believes that these girls have the skills and commitment to compete at the highest level in their division. “It’s been a great season and I know these young women will finish strong,” he said. To learn more about  the volleyball program at MBHS, go to the Mission Bay High School volleyball facebook page.