Aussies Abroad #11 – Max Senica
In this instalment of Aussies Abroad, Volleyball Australia caught up with Max Senica, senior Volleyroo with experience playing across the world – most recently in India.
A Brisbane local, Max’s volleyball journey started at school and his passion and desire to improve helped him seek out more opportunities and allowed him to improve his on court skillset.
“I grew up in Brisbane in a highly athletic family household, both my parents played sports at a high level and are very competitive,” Senica said.
“However, their experience with volleyball never went further than at social level, so I was the first to learn the sport at a higher level.
“My first experience was by luck – once I began high school in year 8, at Brisbane Grammar School, I had to choose a different sport each term.
“My choices for Term 1 were Gymnastics, Swimming, Cricket, Rowing, or Volleyball, to which I chose the last option.
“Once I started in Year 8, all I wanted to do was make the A team, so my dad and I looked up volleyball techniques on Youtube and learnt the sport together.
“From there, I played everywhere I could, across multiple clubs in Brisbane, anywhere I could get the chance to train.
“Often, even while still in my beginning years, I would train with older kids – I was already quite tall – which looking back on now accelerated my rise in the volleyball world.
“In my third year of playing, I was fortunate enough to make my first Australian team, where I played with the age group two years above me.”
As an outside hitter, Max’s love for sport grew beyond the Australian volleyball scene and led him overseas to continue his journey – where he was reminded of the world’s love for volleyball.
“My proudest moment was taking the court during the 2021 VNL (Volleyball Nations League) against some of my idols growing up, watching them on Youtube while I’m at school to now playing against them was surreal at the time,” he said.
“I believe the greatest privilege you can have as an athlete is the ability to represent your country at the highest level.
“I find no greater honour than wearing the Australian jersey and knowing that Australian kids back home are supporting you on your journey.
“I’ve been abroad for eight years now, three years in college and five years professional.
“Fortunately I moved to the USA first, so my transition to living overseas was quite smooth – very similar living style to Australia, just in a college setting.
“For me, these years hold some of my best memories as a young adult, having the freedom to enjoy school and the college space in America was exactly how I imagined it to be.
“It wasn’t particularly difficult, I was already aware of the commitment of living away from home and was ready to take that opportunity with open arms.
“My greatest enjoyment is feeling the support of others around the world, volleyball in Australia is still in its infancy so travelling overseas reminds us of just how popular volleyball is across the world.
“Playing in places like Brazil and Japan, these are places where volleyball athletes are incredibly famous and respected, so being able to feel that love and support is a great honour for me.”
Having had the opportunity to work with many great coaches during his career, Max’s dad is the person who has had the biggest influence on his journey so far and been a constant support.
“I’ve been very lucky to work with some great coaches during my time, but I have to say my dad has been my biggest influence,” he said.
“We constantly discuss things I could do better, techniques to refine, and even at the level I’m at now we still find ways to compete with each other – he’ll always be someone I hope to become in the future.
“Being an athlete encompasses everything I do: I’m constantly looking for ways to optimize my life, whether it be eating a new food that provides additional health benefits, sleep optimization, anything that can assist in a better quality of life and healthier body.
“Of course, this is useful for sport, but trying to be the healthiest human and ensuring I have a long and energetic life well after sport is something I constantly prioritize.”
Outside of his own playing commitments, Max has been working hard off the court to help support the next generation of volleyballers.
“Fortunately I’ve already dabbled in the coaching space,” he said.
“I run my own high performance academy in Brisbane under Sharks Volleyball, which is in its second year of running and growing rapidly.
“I’ve also completed over 300 private volleyball lessons, which has allowed me to build a reputation as a highly sought-after private coach in Queensland.
“This is not by chance, I believe my skills as a current national team representative should be shared among the younger group so they can learn from first-hand experience playing at the top level.
“I’m very passionate about the businesses I run, as I want to provide for my family and future children so that they don’t have to be restricted when chasing their dreams – my family did the same for me and I hope to continue that in the future.”
To those interested in making their own start in the volleyball world, Max encourages you to be confident, back your abilities, and never be afraid to ask for advice.
“Don’t be afraid to believe in yourself, confidence isn’t selfish,” Senica said.
“A confident athlete will always trust their ability, from the greatest of high’s to the lowest of low’s in sport.
“You’ll be riding that wave for your entire career, but what you can never change is the confidence you have in yourself that you can achieve your goal.
“If you’re an athlete who is wanting advice, feedback on technique, or anything else volleyball related, ASK ME.
“I wish I had access to Volleyroo level feedback when I was young, so I’m always happy to help out the younger generation – you can find my name Max Senica on social media.”
