Last year I asked if people who had thought of giving me chocolate for Christmas might instead make a contribution to my nephew’s time at a Rugby Training Academy in New Zealand – here is a report of what he has been up to.)
My rugby life in New Zealand has been for me a bit of rollercoaster. When I started here at the bay of Plenty Rugby Academy, my expectations of myself were so high that I could never reach them, constantly demanding perfection. This resulted in my facing a huge learning curve. I would always be fighting against myself, going round in circles, instead of progressing. I wanted so much for myself and to prove to everyone how good I can be but this ultimately stopped me from developing my real potential. I had lots of 1-1 coaching sessions and after a couple of months in the academy I started making more detailed notes and talking with our manager/coach, whom I respect and look up to. Things gradually started to change – I was happier because I was setting goals and targets on a weekly basis. I could see a gradual change and I was maturing into a more stable and wiser player. A good close friend and roommate told me, ‘Aim for the stars and even if you fall, you’ll still land higher than if you aimed for a tree!’
The main thing in my game which I needed was consistency, I could sometimes perform very well but from there I would do something stupid by trying to do the ultimate play. So from this steep learning curve, I have matured as a player as well as an individual, gaining the skills set mentally to understand and perform what is required of me. This all clicked around June time, all my hard work and constant efforts in training were paying off on the pitch and people were noticing. The coaches here had always seen potential in me as I trained with the premier side right from the beginning and was selected for the Bay’s under 20’s squad later on. I became a key member of my club side, being involved in giving advice on selections, team strategies and plays. This saw me win the top points scorer for my side and most importantly enabling me to feel pride in myself and gaining respect from others.
To say I’ve changed completely in my time here would be an exaggeration, I think I have matured and grown more into who I want to be and someone my family can be proud of. In February 2014 I am moving to Sydney where I hope to join the Gordon Rugby Club in Manley. I’m sure Australia will bring more change and another learning curve. However this time I hope I am equipped with the skills set to be ready for anything.
I would like to thank everyone who contributed to my travels and my training here in New Zealand.