By Ed Diokno
Hawaii will be paying close attention to the exploits of the Men’s Volleyball Team at the Rio Olympics next week. That state placed three of their own on the team. Micah Makanamaikalani Christenson and the brothers Shoji.
What is it about the island state that produces great volleyball players? It must be all that time running and playing at the beach.
As you read about Micah, Kawiki and Erik, you’ll learn that their parents had a strong influence on their sons’ choice of sports.
Micah Christenson
Hawaiian American
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Setter
Height: 6-6 (198cm)
Weight: 190 (86kg)
DOB: 5/8/1993
Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
High School: Kamehameha High School
College: USC ’15, human biology with business minor
Personal: Full name is Micah Makanamaikalani Christenson. Makanamaikjalani means “Gift from Heaven.” Micah’s parents gave him that name because his mother had to have surgery while pregnant with Micah and it was not known if he would survive… Father Robert played basketball at the University of Hawaii-Hilo… Mother Charlene played volleyball at Hilo, where she won three national championships and was named a two-time All-American
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Kawika Shoji
Hawaiian Japanese American
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Setter
Height: 6-3 (198cm)
Weight: 194 (88kg)
DOB: 11/11/1987
Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
High School: Iolani School (Honolulu, Hawaii)
College: Stanford University (’10, Political Science)
Personal: Parents are Dave and Mary Shoji. Father is University of Hawaii women’s volleyball coach and has won four national titles in 34 seasons. He also has the most wins in NCAA DI women’s volleyball history. Mother played basketball at Hawaii… Married wife Megan in 2014… Has a brother, Erik (1989) and a sister Cobey (1979). Erik plays libero for the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team… Also plays golf
Quote: “I think we’ve always had the dream. But I don’t know if I could have told you 10 or 15 years ago that we’d be playing together on the national team.” Kawika Shoji on playing with his brother Erik
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Erik Shoji
Hawaiian Japanese American
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Libero
Height: 6-0 (184 cm)
Weight: 160 lbs (75kg)
DOB: 8/4/1989
Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
High School: Punahou School ’08
College: Stanford University ’12
Personal: Parents are Dave and Mary Shoji. Dave has been women’s volleyball coach at the University of Hawaii for more than 40 years and is the winningest coach in NCAA DI women’s volleyball history. Mary played basketball at the University of Hawaii… Older brother Kawika also played volleyball for Stanford and also plays on the U.S. Men’s National Team. The brothers also have an older sister named Cobey… Majored in human biology at Stanford
Quote: “Growing up you never know if you can get this far but it was always my dream. Now that the team has qualified, I need to keep working to make the roster. There’s always competition and young guys coming up, so you always have to be ready to work hard. You always have to be prepared because there’s always someone who wants to come and take your job.”
Ed Diokno writes a blog :Views From The Edge: news and analysis from an Asian American perspective.
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