Coach Dave Shoji speaks to HIANG members

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michelle Thomas
  • 154WG Public Affairs
Dave Shoji, the University of Hawaii at Manoa women's volleyball head coach, spoke to Hawaii Air National Guard members at the C-17 operations auditorium Feb. 3.

Major Gen. Darryll Wong, HIANG Commander asked Shoji to speak about leadership, vision and teamwork concepts.

Shoji, keeping to what he knows best, talked about how he coaches his volleyball team.

"People have different strengths. It's up to coaches, commanders, leaders to figure out how to tactically be successful," said Shoji, "and then they have to 'coach' the people
working for them using that strategy. They can't do it without a good strategic plan."

Shoji, who has coached women's volleyball at the University of Hawaii for more than 35 years, earned career victory No. 1,000 last October.

He is the second coach in the history of Division I women's volleyball to reach that milestone. Shoji's leadership has earned UH Manoa's volleyball program four national championships, eight trips to the Final Four and 13 consecutive Western Athletic
Conference titles.

Although he was the one named coach of the year, Shoji noted, "there's no way I could do what I do without my staff. I think it's important to understand the 'team' concept, and it's something I try to stress to my players as well. I know it's the same for you here. No one works alone."