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players he brings in, he’s always determined to make them better so they can contribute to both the team and society. Whether it’s recruits, everyday life experiences, or travel, he always makes the best out of every situation. We have learned to do the same: be optimistic, ap- preciative, and do your best to make it work.


8. School > volleyball


Our dad always highlighted the importance of school when we were growing up. Both of our parents made sure that we did our homework before we did anything else. School was always the prior- ity, even if it meant missing practice some days. Without that focus on education, we would never have had the opportunity to play volley- ball in college or attend Stanford. This is a great lesson for all kids. Good grades will open doors for you!


9. Be serious when you have to, but don’t be afraid to be silly


Most people think that our dad is pretty serious. In his growing age, he has become a softie. He’s actually really funny and silly. On an average day, you might see him wearing reading glasses under his sunglasses, wearing blue socks with orange shoes, or wearing one of his many Los Lonely Boys (his favorite band) T-shirts. We often tell him to change his look, but he just laughs it off and continues with his day. Or, we can find him attempting to sing James Taylor while weed- ing the garden in a squatting position. He can be absolutely hysterical in his own way. He is serious when he needs to be, but isn’t afraid to have fun and laugh when the time is right. He turns the serious switch on and off, which is refreshing to see for his kids and players.


SHOJI AT SETTER: Kawika Shoji was a top collegiate setter at Stan- ford and is now on the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team roster.


5. How to pick up leaves in the garden We didn’t have many chores growing up, but picking up leaves in the garden was one we always dreaded. We don’t have a big yard, but the leaves on the ground never seemed to go away no matter how long we worked. We would try to finish quickly and sneak away, but our dad would always find us and make us finish the job right. We had to be meticulous and thorough in order to be finished and go on with our day. This lesson of meticulousness and thoroughness carries over to almost everything we do. Whether it’s school or volleyball, it’s important to work hard and to do the job the right way.


6. Humility


Our dad has accomplished great things as a volleyball coach, but he always deflects the glory to other people in his program that con- tribute to his success. He knows that without the fans, his coaching staff, players, and the hundreds of people behind the scenes that make the program work, he would have nothing. In speeches or in articles, he always thanks these people and gives the glory to them because they make the program, not him. Through his humility, he has taught us to be appreciative and humble in everything we do. We both know there are so many bigger and better things that help contribute to mak- ing our lives great.


7. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade One thing about the Hawaii program that our dad takes pride in is that he turns good volleyball players into great ones. While UH recruiting classes haven’t recently been top-10 ranked, his teams are consistently ranked high in the AVCA poll. No matter what types of


10. Listen to the coaches


When we were growing up, Dad would debrief us weekly on recent practice events and often tell us which players were coachable and which were not. He used these experiences to teach us to respect our coaches and to listen. This is a good lesson for a young athlete. Coach- ability is an important characteristic that can often be overlooked.


SHOJI AT LIBERO: Erik Shoji, right, has taken the same path as his older brother to the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team, but as a libero.


USAVOLLEYBALL.ORG | 39


PHOTO: USAV


PHOTOS: FIVB


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