January 18, 2024 (Photo Credit: Justus Stegemann)
When we think about Matt Slivinski, we think of the staple in the impressive Carthage lineup over 5 years through 2022. Matt put up some monster numbers over a five-year stint, was a 4-time All American, won 2 National Championships, and has now earned the right to play professionally at the highest level in Germany.
We spent some time with Matt and tried to explore his past, his present, and his future. We love to use role models like Matt to excite current players to keep their dreams open and their hopes high come graduation time. In watching Matt over the years, he always had a smile on his face, like he was super charged by the experience he was going through. And his skills on the court matched his enthusiasm. As he got better each year, Carthage rose to the top of the rankings. His senior year and graduate year brought two National Championships. His teams were talented, but he was the go-to, and it seemed to drive the team to greater heights when he would effortlessly smash kills on crucial points and late in matches. He was pure clutch.
For a young man that grew up in a close Chicago suburb, the city was just a twenty-minute car or train ride away. Choosing Carthage in Wisconsin, an hour North, certainly shaped the future of this Accounting major and I am not sure he could have predicted his path prior to college.
During his fifth year, with all his success as well as Carthage’s success, Matt started to look at professional opportunities that may be available to him.
“When my Wife and I first arrived in Germany, we were given a car that had a manual transmission. As for a lot of Americans, we didn’t know how to drive manual. A lot of stalls later, and thankfully no broken car parts, we were able to sort of get the hang of it. Once we were able to get the car up and running, the next challenge was trying to figure out all the rules and signs of the road. What was a stressful experience is now just second nature.” – Matt Slivinski
His first stop in Europe was Estonia. Estonia is a country by the Baltic Sea in Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Lake Peipus and Russia. Matt shared the following about his first experience at professional volleyball… “Playing in Estonia was a great steppingstone for me. Transitioning from D3 to professional volleyball is not easy and at that level there is a lot to get used to. I didn’t have a trainer or physiotherapist, our practice gym was similar to jumping on concrete, there are no ice baths for you after practice. A lot of amenities that colleges have, you won’t find in most lower leagues. When it comes to pro vs D3 volleyball, no matter the skill level, professional teams practice far more than at a D3 level. So, I think this alone gives such an advantage to pro teams. Also, I think with all the extra time in practice, serving is a lot more consistent and overall faster.”
But Matt excelled on the court in his new home posting 438 points in 24 matches with 47 aces and 39 blocks. He was doing brilliantly well and was pushing himself to get to the next level. That’s where SVG Luneberg enters the picture.
“Getting chosen to play for SVG has been an absolute honor. The club is run amazingly and plays at an extremely high level of volleyball. I got an offer from SVG through the good word put in by former Carthage and SVG player Will Craft. Will has been a great mentor to me since I’ve known him and just like any job having connections helps! SVG’s previous season was very successful, getting 3rd in the league and losing in the semis of playoffs. I knew once I got the offer that I had to go to the team and try to build off their great season.”
“The biggest surprise about my experience so far is probably how intense our schedule can get. Back-to-back away trips can be really hard on the mind and body, especially when you’re traveling 8-10 hours on a bus. Once you add in champions league games, it’s all go go go!” – Matt Slivinski
Now, Matt would transition to living in Germany. He told us “Living overseas can be a super hard experience to face, and most face it alone. Having anyone from a similar background can really help make the tough times over here a lot easier to manage. Luckily for me, I’ve had my girlfriend turned fiancé turned wife here with me in Luneburg and last year in Estonia. We have 3 other Americans and 3 Canadians on the team, which makes the entire experience for us all feel a little more like home. Being able to crack jokes, or just mess around with guys who have similar backgrounds as you, makes the playing experience a lot more enjoyable.”
Matt’s current teammates contains well known American’s Gage Worsley at libero, as well as middles Matt Knigge and Blake Leeson. Joe Worsley set for SVG last season.
He added “Life in Germany is very laid back, there’s not much of a rush, the coffee is great and there’s plenty to do. Most young people speak English, so the language barrier isn’t too bad. My limited working knowledge of German gets me by enough where I can order from restaurants and that’s about it.”
It was very evident that the pace of the pro league, limited down-time, and life away from home has many trials. As much as we try to paint a picture of the great opportunities out there, we also realize, it’s not for everyone. Matt said “Our schedule is jammed packed basically the entire time we are here, we get about 3 off days a month. So having a great social life outside of volleyball can be really difficult at points. I think all my team mates really enjoy just going to a pub or coffee shop and being able to talk about anything but volleyball.”
How would your Carthage team fare against SVG Luneburg? “My Carthage team definitely had some really good players who could have played at a higher level than D3. But the biggest difference in Germany is the serve and pass game is a lot more advanced. There’s a lot more control and a lot more speed on every serve. So, because of that aspect my German team would have the edge against my Carthage team.”
We asked Matt what his favorite thing thus far has been about his time in Germany. “Experiencing champions league and playing against the best team in Poland. Their volleyball level is something I’ve never seen before. I think their middle, Huber, had 19 kills on 21 attempts” he told us.
We asked Matt to compare the coaching styles of Stefan Hubner of Luneburg and JW Kieckhefer of Carthage. He told us “There coaching styles are actually pretty similar, but Stefan is a bit more serious. In college, you have more of a relationship with your coach outside of volleyball. You talk about your classes, and they are somewhat of a mentor to you in more ways than one. In professional volleyball in general, your coach is like a boss, so you don’t get that closeness outside of volleyball.” He added “Stefan was also a very successful player, I believe he was awarded best middle blocker in Italy.”
“The best and worst thing about playing overseas is being able to fully commit to your sport. While this is a dream come true, it also comes with its downfalls. It is very easy to only think about volleyball and nothing else. For me this is a constant battle to find things to do that get me away from volleyball. Overall professional volleyball comes with really high highs and really low lows. For any division three player looking to explore the option of playing overseas just reach out to everyone you know that has played and if you don’t know anyone feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @Slivinski_Volleyball”
Many thanks to Matt for taking the time with us to tell his story. We wish him the very best in Germany and wherever volleyball takes him!
IH