San Diego native to chase gold with USA Men’s Volleyball at Tokyo Deaflympics

For 21-year-old Zain Shahid, a phone call during Korean barbecue with friends in August of 2023 changed everything.

The Rancho Peñasquitos native had tried out for the USA Deaf National Men’s Volleyball Team in North Carolina two months prior. When his phone rang, he learned he had made the squad.

“It was unexpected. It was a big moment,” said Shahid, who coincidentally was wearing his USA Deaf Volleyball tryout shirt when he got the news.

Now, more than two years later, Shahid is preparing to represent the United States at the 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo this November.

“It’s an honor. I always dreamed about playing at a higher level,” Shahid said. “I watched those guys who went to the Paris Olympics and I wish I could do that. I’m so grateful to be able to play.”

The Rochester Institut