Erik Shoji is an AI Cyborg

Erik recently posted a video asking his dad, a Hall of Fame coach, how he would rate his son’s athletic ability from 1 to 10.  The former University of Hawaii women’s coach responds, “I would say about a 3, Erik.”  I laughed, watched it five more times, and laughed some more.

Although it may have been a bit tongue-in-cheek, there is a bit of truth in the brutally honest rating of Erik’s athleticism.  I was privileged to have a front row seat to watching Erik closely for three years at Stanford.  There wasn’t a day when he would do something that would have me picking my jaw up off the floor.  Seeing him constantly doing incredible things made me think, “Erik is one of the greatest athletes I’ve ever seen.”  Then I saw him shoot a basketball, which made me rethink that declaration.

For a while, I have pondered what it means to be athletic.  There are the obvious attributes, such as being quick/fast or someone who jumps high.  Then there's endurance and flexibility or an ability to move with control and agility.  When it comes to Erik, what I believe makes him one of the best ATHLETES in volleyball is his ability to input and process information and output the proper reaction faster than 99 percent of volleyball players.

If you’ve ever seen the Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downy Jr. when he gets into a fight and he narrates how he is going to defeat his opponent, I imagine that is similar to how Erik sees a volleyball match.  He can see the smallest detail that allows him to predict what will happen next and how he needs to react. 

Sherlock Holmes Fight Scene: https://youtu.be/TDdSmzgwehY

How do I think he developed this skill?

Erik was in a gym with volleyballs bouncing around for his entire childhood.  He began storing the information from that environment, which probably helped him track the flight of a ball and understand where he would need to be to intercept it.  He also played tennis, which honed that skill and developed the skill of understanding how the spin on the ball can change how he will need to intercept it.  In any sport, you hear coaches say, “Move your feet!”.  Oftentimes, the problem is not the feet but the eyes and brain.  If your brain cannot process where to move the feet from the information taken in from the eyes, then it doesn’t matter how fast your feet are.

Along with being elite at tracking the ball, Erik is elite at knowing the possibility of where that ball may end up well before the hitter or server contacts the ball.  Erik was in the coaches’ office watching film frequently, looking for tells and tendencies of his opponent.  His diligence in studying who he is up against allows him to be a step ahead.

Lastly, I think that Erik does a great job of managing his emotions in challenging situations.  Disruptive emotions can bog down the CPU, which can impede an athlete's ability to take in and process the information necessary for proper execution.

Although Erik may not be the biggest, fastest, or strongest, he has a machine-like ability with information that makes him one of the best.  For those who may be at a disadvantage with their physical attributes, figuring out ways to develop the skill that has set Erik Shoji apart may help you lessen the gap.

Here are some ways I think you can help young athletes process the data better:

1. Throw, catch, and play other ball sports that require you to track.

2. Vocalize what you see. Short, deep, tip…

3. Look for details (tells) that could allow you to predict what’s coming (A setter leaning back on back sets…)

4. Study the game and your opponent.

5. Breathe.  Quality breathing can help regulate emotions and not bog down the brain.