Hawaiian Punch: Examining The Culture Of Toughness, Camaraderie Infusing U.S. Volleyball

When the U.S. men’s volleyball players take the court at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 this summer, fans throughout the country will be cheering for them, loud and proud.

One state, however, may be cheering a bit louder and prouder than the rest.

“In Hawaii, volleyball is part of the culture,” began Erik Shoji, one of three Hawaii natives on the 12-man U.S. squad. “Wherever you go in Hawaii, people are playing on the beach, in the parks, in open gyms. It’s an important part of who we are as people of Hawaii. I like to consider us ‘The Volleyball State.’”

That thought certainly resonated with teammate Taylor Averill, who attended the University of Hawaii after growing up in San Jose, California.

“Playing in Hawaii was like nowhere else I had ever played in the world,” Averill said. “When I grew up, I was used to 10 fans — all parents — in the stands. When you go play in Hawaii, they don’t have pro teams there, so you get treated like a pro. You get recognized on the streets. Your games are on TV at the bars, all around the state. It makes you feel like what you do really matters. It’s an incredible place to play.”

Shoji was born in Honolulu, while U.S. Olympic teammates Micah Christenson (Honolulu) and Micah Ma’a (Kaneohe) hail from the Aloha State as well. Shoji is a 6-foot libero, while Christenson and Ma’a are setters who stand 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-3, respectively.

That type of height isn’t common in Hawaii. It’s more frequent in, say, California, where many athletes resemble Averill, a towering middle blocker at 6-foot-7.

“In Hawaii, we’re kind of a shorter people,” Shoji observed, “despite what me and the Micahs look like. So, growing up there, we had this chip on our shoulder as volleyball players. We’re not the biggest, we’re not the most talented, but we still have to go up against people from states like California who are a lot bigger. So, in Hawaii, we’re defensive-minded, skill-oriented. We rely on those skills and hard work to beat people.”

Averill may be an honorary Hawaiian, but he’s always felt at home in our nation’s 50th state.

“The Hawaiian community is really tightknit,” he said. “When I went to the University of Hawaii, you get received with open arms, so you feel like you’re a part of that community. Erik Shoji, Micah Christenson, Micah Ma’a — they’re all great examples of guys I look up to in terms of how I want to live my life. And I’m sure that’s from being raised in Hawaiian culture. It’s contagious in the best possible way.”

The U.S. Olympic volleyball squad, which was announced in May, features an average age of 32, making it the oldest team in U.S. volleyball history. Only three members of the squad (including Averill) are making their Olympic debut.

“I don’t think our age is a negative thing,” said Shoji, 34. “I think for us it’s a positive. We’re looking forward to drawing on our experience.”

“Hopefully that veteran mindset and attitude will really come through for us,” added the 32-year-old Averill. “I really believe in the guys that we have. We have the pieces to win a gold medal.”

The Americans are ranked No. 6 in the world, but they’ll need to lean on their experience against a deep lineup of opponents in Paris that includes each of the top 11 nations in the world rankings.

“There’s a stacked lineup of very talented teams,” Averill said. “There’s no easy team. They’re all really good teams with world-class players. This is going to be an incredible summer.”

One that he hopes will conclude with the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the end of the two-week event.

“When I hear the national anthem, it means something,” said Averill, who has overcome a variety of personal, emotional and physical challenges to reach this stage. “I’m here for the show. It feels more real than ever. Now when I hear it, it’s just gratitude. It resonates with me so much. I’m so grateful I get to represent the country.”

“It would mean a lot to win out there,” added Shoji, a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist who is heading to his third Summer Games. “We’ve all put so much work time and sacrifice into this. It would mean we’ve accomplished something great.”

The U.S. men have won three gold medals in volleyball — most recently at Beijing in 2008 — since the sport debuted at the 1964 Olympics. Needless to say, if they were able to return as Olympic champions this time around, the Aloha State would be ready to throw quite a party.

“I think our state is one state that has eyes on us a little bit,” Shoji said. “That’s a little bit of pressure for us, but it’s exciting more than anything. It’s a privilege to come from a state where people care about volleyball and want to watch. We’re excited and we’re ready to bring something home.”