SHOJI Erik

General
VOLLEYBALL BROTHERS
He has played alongside his brother Kawika at youth club level in Hawaii, at university in Stanford, and on the US team including at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. "We're best friends and we play well together when we are on the court. It is a like a dream come true. We have really worked hard. We grew up in the gym. We always knew volleyball was in our blood, something that we wanted to do. It is awesome to play with him now, and even when we were kids. It is a great feeling to be out there to have someone that really knows you and loves you unconditionally." (fivb.com, 12 Jul 2019)

LIBERO POSITION
He has played as a libero since age 12 and said he started playing at that position because he was the smallest player on the team. "I always grew up playing above my age group, so that meant I was always the smallest kid on the team. I knew that libero was going to have to be the position for me considering my size, and I feel I have a good personality for the position. I've grown to love it and have accepted my role, accepted my height, accepted my athletic ability and have just tried to be the best libero that I can be." In 2016 the Off the Block blog inaugurated the Erik Shoji Award, to be given to the best male libero in the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA] Division I and II regular season. (Elevate Yourself YouTube channel, 11 Dec 2020; offtheblockblog.org, 31 Dec 2020)

PLAYING OVERSEAS
After graduating from Stanford University in 2012 he moved to Europe to play volleyball, including spells at clubs in Germany, Austria, Italy and the Russian Federation. He said his brother Kawika was influential in his decision to move to Europe, including his move to the Russian Federation ahead of the 2018/19 season. "My brother went overseas two years before I did after graduating from Stanford in 2010. Him being overseas opened my eyes up to what professional volleyball was. I'm lucky that he went overseas before I did and explained everything, and also gained a good reputation in Germany, where I got my first contract. How I ended up in Russia was pretty lucky. I didn't have a contract after the Olympics in 2016 and my brother's team wanted another libero, and I guess I was the best one on the market." (Elevate Yourself YouTube channel, 11 Dec 2020)

JAPANESE HERITAGE
His great-grandparents were from Japan and he said this adds extra motivation to compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "We always love playing in Japan. It's always a special place for us. We grew up with some of the culture and the food because our grandparents were pretty invested in the Japanese culture. We don't know the language, but we're really excited to play there and hopefully represent the United States in the Olympics there." (teamusa.org, 15 May 2019)

In 2012 he became the first player to be named in the American Volleyball Coaches Association [AVCA] All-American first team in all four seasons of his collegiate career. (mercurynews.com, 26 Apr 2012; teamusa.org, 18 Apr 2016)