Canadian women's volleyball team looks to end 28-year Olympic drought

The chances of the Canadian women's volleyball team inconspicuously entering the upcoming Olympic qualifying tournament in Ningbo, China, as underdogs are next to nil.

The secret is out. 

"I don't think we're under the radar anymore. That's probably long gone," head coach Shannon Winzer said from Suwon, South Korea, where the team just wrapped up a successful training block at the facilities of professional team, the Pink Spiders.

"There's a total buzz around the team. As players and as staff, you know that you're part of something that's pretty exciting."

The team, currently ranked No. 11 in the world, begins its quest to qualify for its first Olympic Games in 28 years when the Women's Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament gets under way in three different countries (China, Japan and Poland) from Sept. 16-24.

Six of the 12 spots for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are up for grabs with the top two nations from each of the three groups booking their ticket.

The remaining spots will be determined by world ranking at the end of next season's Volleyball Nations League.

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Canada finds themselves in an ultra competitive Pool A. Joining them are the hosts China (2016 Olympic gold medallists and 2023 Volleyball Nations League runners-up), 2022 world champions Serbia, the Dominican Republic (who recently beat the reigning Olympic champion U.S. in five sets at the NORCECA Championship in Quebec City), the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Mexico and Ukraine.

Setter Brie King told CBC Sports earlier this season that "our team is really ready for the big moments that are coming up."

Well, now the biggest moment of the season is here.

For the past two decades, Canada has become accustomed to entering tournaments with the "underdog" tag. That label has evaporated thanks to recent Volleyball Nations League performances that saw them beat world champion Serbia and five-time Olympic medallist Brazil, as well as taking world No. 5 Italy and No. 7 Poland to five sets.

Placing 10th at last year's world championships was a new benchmark for the women's program, but now their minds are focused on getting to the Olympics for the first time since the 1996 Atlanta Games.

It's taken a switch in mindset for the players to believe it's possible.