These are the days that Dave Shoji had hardly dared to imagine even in his most untethered dreams.

They are days, having defied long odds, that have moved his family, lock stock and aunties, from veteran couch viewers of Olympic volleyball more than 8,200 miles to front and center seats of these Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Even when he glimpsed past Olympics from their Manoa home — and he watched plenty of them side by side with sons Kawika and Erik over the years — it was hard to place them in the red-white-and-blue picture frame of the future.

“It never really crossed my mind that it could happen like this until lately,” Dave said. “I mean, I never imagined that they would both make the team (together) until almost when it happened.”

There had been no historical precedent for what the Shojis have accomplished as a brother duo making the same squad for the U. S.

But once again today seeing will be believing as the U. S. takes on France in an important pool-play match with potential medal-round ramifications at Maracanazinho Arena.

“Growing up they were pretty much normal kids,” Dave said. “Obviously they loved volleyball and grew up around it, but that doesn’t mean you are going to make the Olympic team. I mean, everybody has dreams, but it was never a thought then that they could make the team (together).”

Dave said, “We watched every (volleyball) match on TV as much as possible. We actually watched the women more than the men because of the former players we had and the ones (Hawaii) played against. But I don’t recall ever talking about both (sons) making it. I don’t think they talked about it.”

Even when both starred at Stanford, Olympic possibilities were barely kicked around. “They showed signs of being among the elite players in college, but that doesn’t automatically translate into being an international player,” Shoji said. “For them, they were just concentrating on making the next team, wherever that was.”

Erik opened eyes immediately, “I started thinking, ‘He’s got a shot at making the national team,’” Shoji recalls. ” It was clear he had the ability to play at a real high level, but, still, the Olympics? They were still a long way off and you never know. Maybe two years ago when he had begun to establish himself, I felt like he was ahead of every other libero in statistics like digs and passing, I started to think he might have a chance if he could maintain his status and play up to his ability.”

But Kawika, as a setter, had a longer, more roundabout road. One that would take him through a pro league in Finland. And there would be deeper competition, including from Kamehameha Schools graduate Micah Christenson, the third Hawaii member of this Olympic team.

“When you are a backup, like Kawika, you’re constantly on the hot seat,” Dave said. “You’re just one spot away from not making the team. All the way to the final naming of the team, we just didn’t know for sure.”

One more among several reasons why this remains a daily pinch-me experience.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.