Aahana Swrup
‘The Miracle Season’ is a true-to-life sports drama film that charts the inspiring journey of a high school volleyball team during one of the most important seasons of their varsity careers. The story centers around the Iowa West High School, particularly their women’s Volleyball team, The West Trojans. The team enters the new season as reigning champions of the States Championship title. However, early on, they suffer a tragic loss when their star player, Caroline “Line” Found, passes away in an untimely accident. In the aftermath, the grief of the loss washes drastically over the entire community and the West Trojans. Yet, in an effort to honor the lively teenager’s memory, her best friend, Kelley Fliehler, and coach Kathy “Brez” Bresnahan motivate the high school team to get back on the court in an effort to secure another State Championship in Line’s memory. The Sean McNamara directorial does an exceptional job of portraying the community and team spirit demonstrated by the real Carolina Found’s real-life schoolmates and fellow volleyball players.
Iowa West High School is a Real Midwestern School
‘The Miracle Season’ is based on the real-life story of how a high school volleyball team came together in the aftermath of their setter’s death to continue their State Championship streak in her honor. The film remains largely close to reality, grounding its narrative in the actual tale surrounding the tragic death of Caroline Found. As a result, it retains many real-life elements, including Found’s actual high school, Iowa City West High. The establishment, which has been around since 1968, can be found at 2901 Melrose Avenue in Iowa City, Iowa. However, even though the film employs the school’s real name, insignia, and history for its on-screen tale, the actual filming for the cinematic endeavor didn’t take place in the real-life location.
For the most part, ‘The Miracle Season’ was filmed in Canada, specifically Vancouver, British Columbia. As a result, despite its commitment to remain authentic to Iowa City West High’s story, the project couldn’t shoot at the actual high school campus. Instead, a number of other unrelated campuses were employed for the visual portrayal of the on-screen Iowa West High. Places like Killarney Secondary School at 6454 Killarney Street, Britannia Secondary School, and John Oliver Secondary School, 530 East 41st Avenue, served as physical counterparts for the high school during filming. Although these establishments have no identical similarities to the real Iowa City West High, they remain close enough in size and feel to replicate the same effect, with the added help of set design focused on school emblems and other paraphernalia. Ultimately, even though the real school doesn’t make it to the screen, the film’s portrayal of Iowa West High School finds authenticity through storytelling.
The West Trojans Volleyball Team Continues to Honor Caroline Found
Similar to the Iowa West High, the on-screen portrayal of the West Trojans Women’s Volleyball Team also remains connected to the eponymous real-life high school team. The West Trojan is, in fact, a real high school Volleyball team, one where Caroline Found played the setter position and contributed to her team’s victory as State Champions. Even though she had tragically passed away by the time the next season came around, her teammates honored her memory by securing the title for a second time. Furthermore, over the years, the team has established a tradition of honoring their treasured student’s life and legacy through an annual “Live Like Line” tournament.
Like every year since 2011, the West Trojans had a Live Like Line tournament in 2025 as well, wherein people around the community come together in memory of Found. Multiple neighboring schools and their Volleyball teams are invited to participate in the tournament. In a conversation with the Iowa City Press-Citizen, Found’s father, Ernie Found, spoke about the school and the team’s continued tribute to his daughter. He said, “Caroline (Found) loved West High. It (The Live Like Line Tournament) is a tribute to the school and the community, because it shows that they recognize their students, which can be encouraging to other players to want to follow in those footsteps.” Alongside the tournament, the West Trojans have also retired Found’s No. 9 jersey, burning her into their team’s history.
Read More: Caroline “Line” Found: How did the Volleyball Player Die?
