The decision wasn’t an easy one. But soon after the disappointment in Tokyo early this month, Matt Anderson knew deep in his heart that this was no way for his Olympic volleyball career to end.
He’s shooting for the Games in Paris in 2024.
“If I’m honest with myself, it was not too long after the loss,” Anderson said Monday from Isle of Palms, S.C., where he was vacationing with family. “But it needed to be discussed, and I needed to work some things out.”
Anderson, a devoted family man, has an 18-month-old son, Jamie, and a wife, Jackie, to worry about. The time commitment for his pro career is hard enough. Committing to the national volleyball program for another three years would be an even greater strain.
“As much as it’s a sacrifice for me, it’s a huge sacrifice for everyone around me, too,” said Anderson, a Buffalo native who starred at West Seneca West and Penn State. “I’m not foolish enough to not pay attention to that.
“I talked with my wife about it and my coaching staff with Team USA,” he said. “There’s certain things I have to manage as my body continues to take the load of training and playing overseas and with the national team. But I’m going for it. I’m 100 percent on board.”
Any why wouldn’t he be? Anderson, who turns 35 next April, is past his sheer physical prime. He will be 37 in Paris. But he remains one of the best players in the world, a 6-10 leaper who is renowned for his…
