The 19-year-old shares the values of team culture and his hopes of playing at the highest level
Published 01:15, 15 Jul 2023
Florida native Shane Wetzel has always loved the concept of being in a team and this shows in the way he presents himself on the court, wearing the red, blue and white at the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championships in Manama, Bahrain.
“The team camaraderie and team chemistry really got me into it,” Wetzel said. “It really made me fall in love with the game, the community supporting us, everything.”
In his third stint with the national team, he still upholds the ideals of having the highest honour to represent his country.
“This is now my third tournament with the national team. I did not play with Team USA in the lower age-group competitions. They discovered me in October of 2022 at the collegiate level and we’ve been training ever since,” he shared.
“It was awesome to be approached to represent my country. I always wanted to play well for USA and I am honoured for the opportunity to travel the world and play volleyball with some of the other best players in the nation that are my age. I was excited when they approached me. I’ve played in a pair of Pan-American tournaments, both in Cuba. The most recent one was in October, when we were gold medallists.
“There’s been a bigger step up in the game at the World Championships here. We aren’t playing the way we wish we were, but we’re still holding true. Still being a team, not turning on each other. The best thing we can do is have each other’s backs while we’re out here.”
His brother got him into playing volleyball and fell in love with sport instantly. But he has taken it a step further as he is representing the United States at the highest level.
“I started playing volleyball when I was 12 years old. My older brother played the game, and he got me into it when I was in middle school. I just fell in love with it, and I’ve been playing it ever since. My brother plays it casually, while I’ve taken it a step further. I played for a local club, Winter Park Volleyball Club, and now I play for Ohio State University,” the 19-year-old said.
Wetzel loves the challenge of volleyball that fires up his spirit and the thirst for excellence.
“I think for me, it was playing in one of those tight games where the scores just go back and forth. It ignites that fire inside of me and it just takes over. I just have an urge to find that feeling all the time on the court,” the opposite mentioned.
“It’s a personal goal of mine to pursue volleyball at the highest level possible, play on the highest team possible. I need to get more experience. The more experience I get in the national training gym, getting reps with guys at this level, helps me immensely.
