Team USA captain Micah Christenson became an instant crowd darling in the team’s first visit to the country during the Manila leg of the 2024 Volleyball Nations League (VNL).
And here's why.
He has natural charisma, sharp on-court wit and an affability that few sports stars rarely exude.
READ: Japan trumps Team USA in VNL Manila crowd darling duel
The man with the moniker ‘Captain America’ also had a season-best 41 excellent sets in USA’s five-set conquest of fellow powerhouse Brazil to cap a stellar month-long preliminary round showing where he averaged 30.7 excellent sets per match.
His world-class playmaking might arguably be second to none, but perhaps few know that apart from being a man of steel on the volleyball taraflex, he is also a man of faith.
Following USA’s penultimate match in Manila, the last he played, Christenson shared to SPIN.ph how his Christian faith made him a freer and wiser person on the court which helped him tread a rather nervy path to volleyball stardom.
“I feel like pressure is created by yourself. And at some point as well, you can create pressure that maybe is not there,” Christenson said.
“For me, I’m a Christian. I believe in God and so I know I get a lot of freedom from my faith in God.
“When I’m out there, I feel free to make different decisions and take a little bit of risk because I know where my identity lies and that love is always gonna be there.”
‘Be a little bit better than today’
For Christenson, every game is a learning experience - win or lose.
“It’s a good feeling to be able to win and still learn. It’s easy to learn when you lose but I think we’re gonna go back (to this experience in Manila) with smiles on our faces that we’re able to get it done even if it was a little bit ugly (at times).
“We’re just trying to get a little bit better than today. We were starting to get on this road where we’re taking steps in the right direction and we’re gonna just try to take steps in the right direction and also enjoy the moment.
The team has embraced the direction where it is going and their eyes are all glued on the prize the players covet the most - the gold in the Paris Olympics.
“We’ve shown over the years that we are a very resilient team. We know how to respond to a lot of difficult situations so, we’re gonna fix a few things, but at the same time, we’re gonna trust our process,” said Christenson.
“It’s not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
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