Super League 2024-25 round 3 preview – How Haikyu!! inspired Docklands' Shukri

Abdimalik (Abdi) Shukri’s journey into elite level volleyball has been swift, but a rise he has thoroughly enjoyed. 

The 21-year-old was in the sixth form when he and his friends watched the Japanese animé production that has attracted so many other young players to the sport in the UK. 

Fast forward almost four years and the talented outside hitter is revelling in his role with the early 2024-25 pacesetters, his team having recorded back-to-back victories against Stockport and Essex Blaze to top the early standings. 

“I used to play basketball, but once I saw Haikyuu!!, I really wanted to have a go at volleyball and one of my friends had a volleyball in their garden,” said Abdi. 

“It was around this time that Covid-19 hit, so I couldn’t really go on and play for a side and I missed the whole U18 experience as a result.” 

“But I watched some videos of volleyball matches during Covid and still wanted to play and after it had finished. My good friend’s mum knew Gary Beckford and he had just started some sessions in North London where I lived. 

“I played basketball before that and I still did during Covid, but as soon as I took up the volleyball that started to change. 

“I think it was the intricacy of the sport and that just one person could not carry the game that appealed to me. It had a strong structure to it, certainly indoors, and you could see when it goes well how that structure was rewarded. 

“I found some of the skills were transferable from basketball particularly around the footwork and the jumping and that gave me a good start.

“It took a while before I started to think about this being something that I could be good at. I initially started out as a middle but then, luckily, got the opportunity to move to outside, where I wanted to play, and I managed to build up experience there. It was probably about a year and a half before I realised this was something I wanted to take as far as I can.” 

Abdi’s first experience playing for a team was for London Lynx and then in the All Nations and then he played for City, University of London in BUCS during his foundation year as a student. 

He has subsequently moved to Brunel University to continue his studies for an Electrical Engineering degree and it was then he was asked to go along to Richmond training by the team’s libero, Ivo Dobra and Khalid Hersi.

Abdi said: “I was quite happy playing in BUCS, which I always enjoy so much, and for the Lynx in the London League. I wasn’t looking to play in the NVL or Super League. 

“When I was asked to go along to Richmond I was a bit sceptical at first... I didn’t have the confidence and I didn’t think i would be able to play at that level. 

“But Marcel (Sivak, coach) was pleased with how I did and eventually asked me to join the team. I didn’t really expect that to happen, but he put his faith in me I I was very pleased to join.” 

If Abdi was learning the ropes in Super League last season, he is hoping to become a more prominent figure during this new 2024-25 campaign. 

21 service receipts and eight kills saw him named as MVP for the team’s first match of the season at Opening Weekend when they clinched a 3-1 victory over Stockport.  

He followed that up with 34 receipts and 15 kills in another four-set success over the Blaze last weekend. 

But still he is striving for more and insists his performances, along with that of Docklands, can improve as the season goes on. 

“It was nice to be selected as an MVP, but I wasn’t fully happy with my performance in the first game – I could have done things a lot better – but it has been a good start to the season overall and I think we can only get better," said Abdi. 

“Against the Blaze we were missing some of our players and we didn’t have our best game, but it bodes well for us that we were still able to pull through and get the win. 

“To have the six points in the bag at this point in the season is a great start for us, especially when you compare it to last season when we won our first game but then lost our next game and the next couple after that. 

“It put us right behind from the start so at least this time we have put ourselves in the frame from early on. 

“Last season we were gutted to finish in fifth and not finish in the Final Four... it was very hard for us. 

“I think we have grown a lot as individuals and a team since then, so hopefully we can achieve that goal this time around, and we certainly believe we can. 

“I feel like things started to change for the better at the end of last season when we had the double headers on the road and that has continued into the summer and pre-season. 

“We had a camp in Poland where we were together for five days, 24/7 and I think that made a real difference. We talked a lot and had a laugh and that has helped our on-court energy.” 

This weekend brings Richmond’s sternest challenge yet as they take on an Essex Rebels team who were impressive in defeating last season’s regular table toppers IBB Polonia in straight sets in their opening match. 

Abdi said: “We know Essex Rebels are a very solid side, so for us it’s all about keeping our composure. 

“Whatever we throw at them, they are going to come back hard, so, for us, it’s about keeping our consistency levels high. 

“We believe if we can get things right, play our own game and perform to our capabilities, then we don’t think anyone can stop us. You have to go in with that confidence and I’m sure the other teams will too.” 

While also planning for his future beyond sport, Abdi would love nothing more when he finishes his university studies than to play professionally overseas. 

Were he to do so, he would follow in the footsteps of other English players in recent times, including the likes of Zakk Hadgett, Ben Lucas, Ryan Poole and Zach Palankai-Omoshebi to name but a few. 

First though, he is keen to broaden his experience domestically – and is hoping his form will be good enough to catch the eye of the England selectors. 

“I’ve still got a minimum of two years left on my degree, but, after that, my aim is to go pro,” said Abdi. “I want to take it as far as I can. 

“I’m not sure where I would want to try to play, I haven’t really got that far ahead as I just want to focus on what I’m doing now first. 

“The same is true about if I did go into a job related to my degree... I just know that I wouldn’t want an office job and would want to be out on site somewhere. 

“With England, I have been part of the Development Squad against Northern Ireland and Scotland and I would love to represent the country at full international level. 

“I want to play at the the highest level possible and test myself against the strongest teams. 

“I would love to be part of the Five Nations (coming up in January) or anything else England are involved with, so we will have to see what happens.”

Images by Jon Cornish and Nathaniel Macrae