Anaheim becoming global hub of volleyball with help from the Olympics

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- When it comes to indoor volleyball at the 2028 Olympics, Anaheim will be the place to be! The Honda Center is the chosen venue for all of the matches. And it's fitting, since the U.S. National team has trained in the city for years, just about two miles away from the Honda Center. Team USA has its eyes on 2028, including Erik Shoji, a 3 time Olympian.

"For us to be able to train here, potentially train here for the Olympics and then just to move over down the street to the Honda center, that's huge and I think it's a big advantage for us," said Erik Shoji.

It's inspiring for young athletes in the Pulse Volleyball Club, who also practice here, like the Bollin brothers from Yorba Linda, who are paying close attention.

"You want to like be better, but then when you see like the Olympic level people play, you have a strive to get even better and work harder," said Thomas Bollin.

"It makes you strive a lot more to try and be able to go there," said Robert Bollin.

"It helps us kind of work harder and then, inspires us to maybe one day get to the Olympics or get to that high of a level," said Willem Bollin.

Their Pulse club coaches see it all the time.

"If we find like one of these yellow balls laying around and they pick it up and it says USA on it, they're like holy cow! This is a USA ball - like one of the USA guys was playing with this earlier," said Coach Silila Tucker.

"Just seeing that in our gym, it kind of allows like hey there is this opportunity for me if you know I keep on putting my head down and working," said Coach Jordan Lucas.

The timing is perfect for Anaheim, on schedule to complete a major development by 2028.

"That whole OC Vibe project is 5-6 billion dollar improvement that will turn OC Vibe sort of into the hub of, heartbeat, downtown of Orange County," said Mike Waterman, the President and CEO of Visit Anaheim, which is hoping to use the Olympics as a springboard for the sport of volleyball.

"Turning Anaheim into this global hub of volleyball, all things volleyball. Whether it's collegiate or amateur or professional," said Waterman.

"I wanna go D-1, I wanna go to the best college I can get to and hopefully be an Olympian one day," said Pierce Beeding, a high schooler from Yorba Linda in the Pulse Volleyball club.