Soldier powers Army to Armed Forces Volleyball championship

FORT CARSON, Colo. - Sgt. Michael Tuimavave can change the momentum of a volleyball match with one of his pinpoint serves. When his squad needs it, the outside hitter can power a spike through a pair of defenders, and he has the awareness to tip the ball.

"You give Mikey the ball, he will kill it," said Sgt. Gabriel Misilagi, a middle blocker from Fort Irwin, California. "He's our ace, we look up to him. He's the guy that we know if we need a point for a down, he'll get the top down."

Tuimavave, of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, led the All-Army men's volleyball team in kills en route to the 2024 Armed Forces Tournament title in September. Tuimavave hopes his dominant performance will earn him a spot at the next level: the U.S. national squad.

"I'm still finding my way," Tuimavave said. "Hopefully I can make it to a USA team one day. That's a dream I had when I was a kid."

Tuimavave's volleyball skills could be traced back to the South Pacific in his hometown of Gataivai, American Samoa. There, on the island's southern shore, his parents introduced him to the sport at age 12.

Tuimavave became obsessed with the sport, playing at local gyms and outdoor courts on the island. Before Tuimavave joined the Army, he

took the role as caretaker of his aging parents while working on a plantation, growing bananas and taros.

He said he pored over YouTube videos of USA Volleyball matches, taking mental notes on how he could improve his game.

After high school graduation 2016, Tuimavave boasted the skill and power to play the game at the collegiate level, but he opted to enlist in the Army. Tuimavave took his skills to the next level the Army assigned him to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

At Schofield, Tuimavave played with other competitive club volleyball players, helping him raise his skill level. All Army coach Sgt. 1st Class Jaime Gonzalez, also stationed at Schofield, recruited Tuimavave to compete at the service level.

"I feel like he's an amazing player," Gonzalez said. "There's a difference between when I met him and now in the maturity that he has in the knowledge of the game."

Tuimavave started spiking the ball harder, hitting strikes so hard the defense had no time adjust. The 6-foot-4 outside hitter also improved his blocking, a skill he admitted needed work as a younger player.

In the opening game of the championship clinching match vs the All Air Force team, Tuimavave recorded at least five kills and one ace in the set. He scored in a variety of ways, executing power strikes through defenders' outstretched arms and with tip kills.

Tuimavave often will stay late during practices to work with younger players on different skills.

"He's been a tremendous leader from day one," Misilagi said. "He's always helping everybody out. If he's seen somebody down, he's always there to pick them up."

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