In Shoji’s case,volleyball is a family affair

His mother,Mary,serves as the volleyball coach at the Punahou school. Erik is the youngest among three siblings,and his older sister played at the University of Michigan. She now works as the director of women’s volleyball at Stanford University,where the 19-year-old Erik is currently taking a degree course in Human Biology. Erik’s brother,Kawika,a junior at Stanford,is his team mate at the NCAA championships.

Erik says the sport has become a way of life for him and his family. “We eat,sleep and drink volleyball,” he said.

Erik started his career at the age of seven,becoming a part of the Outrigger Canoe Club in 1997. He spent the next ten years there,and then graduated on to being regarded as the best defensive prospect in the nation from the class of 2008. He was named the best defender and best libero at the 2007 youth world championships in Tijuana,Mexico while representing the US youth team. Erik,remarkably,is also an all-state tennis doubles champion.

Erik once appeared on ESPN’s Sportcenter’s Play of the Day after his kick-set while playing for his university. A kick-set is when you assist and set up a smash with a kick instead of your hands.

The USA team’ journey through the tournament has been a tough one and after Wednesday’s straight-set loss to Cuba,they will have to win every game from here on. “We achieved our first goal of entering the top-eight despite suffering a big defeat to the Indians. We just want to get as high in the rankings as possible,” he said.

Though his immediate priority is volleyball,Erik eventually wants to become a doctor. “With the kind of support I get from my family and my professors at the university,this should not be too tough a task,” he said.